“Mostly.” Finn winks. “Come on, everyone’s dying to meet you properly.”
As we step into the main living area, conversation doesn’t stop, but I can feel curious glances turning our way. Troy and Axel are in some deep conversation. Luke and Sebastian are curled up together in one of the armchairs by the windows.
“Larvik!” Troy calls out, raising his beer in greeting. “About time you showed up to one of these things again.”
“Yeah, well,” I say, suddenly feeling awkward. “I’m here now.”
“And you brought the famous Cal,” Noah says, bounding over with his characteristic enthusiasm. “I’ve read your articles. That piece on goalie statistics last month was brilliant.”
Cal’s face lights up. “You actually read that? I wasn’t sure anyone would be interested in—”
“Are you kidding? Come on, I want to introduce you to everyone properly.”
As Noah leads Cal away, chattering excitedly about advanced analytics, Finn touches my arm.
“You okay?” he asks quietly.
I watch Cal seamlessly fall into conversation with my teammates, already making Sebastian laugh at something. The knot in my stomach starts to loosen.
“I should have done this sooner. I’m sorry I was so terrible.”
“You’re here now,” Finn says. “That’s what matters. I’m sorry I didn’t know what you were going through.”
The next hours pass more easily than I expected. Cal fits in like he’s been part of this group forever, bonding with Troy over obscure hockey trivia. I find myself actually relaxing, enjoying watching my boyfriend charm my teammates.
We’re interrupted by Noah calling from across the room. “Hey guys, Dmitri’s online! Should we video call him?”
A hush falls over the room. All eyes turn to me, and I can feel the weight of their collective concern. They’re wondering if I’ll be uncomfortable, if this will bring up bad memories.
Cal appears at my side as if summoned, close enough that our shoulders touch. “That sounds great,” he says easily. “I’d love to meet him properly.”
“Jason?” Finn asks carefully. “You okay with that?”
Three weeks ago, the answer would have been no way. Back then, I would have made an excuse and left rather than face Dmitri and the guilt over what my words had cost him.
But that was before. Before the island, before Cal, before I learned to stop running from hard conversations.
“Yes,” I say, and I mean it. “I want to talk to him.”
“Ready for this?” Finn asks, opening Zoom on his massive TV.
Noah peers over his shoulder. “Stop fussing with your hair. You look fine.”
I glance at Cal, who gives me an encouraging nod.
The call connects, and suddenly Dmitri and Oskar fill the screen, looking slightly rumpled and happy in what must be morning light in Sweden.
“Gang is all here!” Dmitri exclaims, his English still heavily accented but his smile genuine.
There’s a moment of awkward silence, because he’s not here. He’s missing.
Then I lean forward. “Dmitri, I wanted to apologize. What I said to the press—”
He waves a hand. “Is past. Was complicated situation.”
“Still,” I continue, knowing I need to say this. “I’m sorry. And I’m working with an attorney who thinks we might have options for getting you back to the US.”
Dmitri blinks. “Really?”
