Page 158 of The Alternate Captain
“Oh, fuck.”
“I was telling him anyway,” he says, stepping right up towards me. “I told him I’m in love with you.”
There’s an emotion bubbling through me I can’t even comprehend.
Did he just say—
“Did you just say—”
“I love you. I really fucking love you.”
And sweaty hockey player or not, I step towards him, closing the gap. “And Mike?”
“Jelly!”
The word flies through the air, and I glance over at my brother. My cheeks flame red.
Shit.
“Mike, I—”
“I got selected for the preliminary roster, Kel!”
And there’s an almost deafening roar of cheers and excited chatter as the rest of the team leaves the ice. Mike edges closer, pushing Johnny aside so he can scoop me up into a hug.
“Does he make you happy? Cap, I mean. Does he?”
“Yes.”
He nods once, then turns to Johnny. “Do I need to remind you about the leg breaking thing... because—”
“Got it,” Johnny snaps.
Then Mike steps away, joining the back of the line towards the dressing room, leaving Johnny and I standing alone, bar the support staff.
“I love you,” he says again. “And I’m sorry for being such a fucking—”
“I love you,” I say, and then he leans down and touches my cheek with his rough hand that he pulled right out of hisglove—still moist and sweaty. But I don’t care that he stinks. My lips find his sticky, clammy face, and I still don’t care. I really don’t. I don’t know how long we kiss for, but I pull away, taking in a deep breath before speaking. “And I need you.”
“Like, need me?” he says, in a voice that needs no explanation.
“Well, yeah, but I need a pep talk. For Monday. Because this is big, Johnny. And I need you.”
“I got you, beautiful. Give me, like, twenty minutes and I’ll be out.”
What’s weird is that when Johnny emerges from the dressing room and heads straight for me, I don’t feel awkward.
And no one bats an eye when he lifts me up and swings me in a circle.
“Do you need the pep talk now or do you fancy celebrating with the team?”
“I—”
The nerves swim in my stomach because this is completely different territory. But he gives me a reassuring squeeze of the hand and I nod, letting him lead the way.
And celebrate we do.
We cheer Danny and Mike as they make it to the bar which Johnny selected for the evening.
