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Eli couldn't stop smiling as his teammates celebrated. He glanced over at Nic, who held baby Luke in one arm and her phone in the other as she filmed Fally and Sam's victory spin. Tears streamed down her face, but her smile was wide.
"Fal has no idea he was the driving force that pushed us to this moment." Ryder slung an arm around Eli and Shaw's shoulders. "Now he can go out on top, like the champion he is."
"You're gonna get D bawling like a fucking baby, Cap," Shaw joked. "Knock it off."
Ryder gave Eli a playful shove. "Good point. I'll stop. No one wants to see you blubbering, Donnelley."
Snorting with laughter, he shook his head as the captain waved Sam and Fally over to the tunnel. He fist bumped them both as they headed back to the locker room.
Holly stood with Nic, Zoe, and Penn, chatting. He caught her eye and winked. She gave him an exaggerated wink back, grinning.
Fuck, he was crazy about her. Having her here tonight, along with his sisters, and even his father, was more than he could ever have hoped for. When they started this run, he didn't think he'd have any family to celebrate with him if they won.
It still hurt that his mother wasn't here, but he knew that she would be proud of him if she could grasp what was going on, even for a few fleeting minutes. That gave him comfort.
He glanced over toward center ice, where Jere and Gunn were still dancing. They had their phones out, filming their shenanigans, and were trying to outdo each other with crazy moves.
"Jesus, would you look at those idiots," Ryder said, laughing. "I love 'em, though." He caught Jere's eye and motioned for them to come over. "Stop shaking your asses and come drink, you two!"
John Cohan headed for the tunnel, an amused look on his usually serious face. He fist-bumped Eli, Ryder, and Shaw.
"I need a fucking drink," Co told them. "See you guys in there."
Eli and Shaw walked back toward the locker room as Ryder stood at the entrance of the tunnel and fist bumped each player as they came off of the ice. "I'm so fucking ready to start this party," Shaw told Eli. "The sooner, the better."
"Me, too."
Once everyone was in the room, Fally handed the Cup to Ryder. "It's time for you to kick start this party, Ry."
Ryder paused in the doorway, a huge grin on his face as the team started singing "We are the Champions" by Queen at the top of their lungs.
Hoisting the Cup over his head, Ryder howled with happiness.
"We did it, boys!" he yelled, pumping the Cup over his head. "This trophy is right where it belongs!
"Fucking right!" Eli cried, shaking a bottle of champagne. The guys let loose with celebratory hoots and hollers, shaking their bottles and spraying their captain with alcohol.
Eli stepped forward and poured champagne into the Cup, and Ryder turned to Fally, who sat in his chair nearby, grinning from ear-to-ear.
"We did it, Fal," Ryder told him, tears streaming down his face. "We fucking did it."
He tipped the Cup so Fally could drink from it, and Fally guzzled the alcohol and shot his fists into the air. "Fucking right we did. We earned this, boys! And now, we drink!"
More celebratory yells echoed off of the locker room walls as everyone lined up for their turn to drink from the Cup.
Eli stood in the middle of the crazy scene as the guys laughed and carried on, filming the celebration with their phones.
But his phone remained untouched. He wanted to stay in the moment, not see it through a screen.
He'd remember tonight for the rest of his life. No one would ever be able to erase these memories, or the feelings he felt right now.
They were forever.
* * *
"I can't even imagine how much this bill is going to be at the end of the night," Penn yelled in Holly's ear over the loud, bass-heavy music of the Palisades Hotel & Casino nightclub. "Glad I don't have to pay for it."
Holly sipped a mocktail and glanced around. "It's going to be obscene."
