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Pride washed over him as Ryder handed the Cup to Fal, and when Fally held it over his head, he knew that he'd played his last game with his friend.
"Fuck," Shaw muttered, pulling the brim of his hat down low as the team whistled and hollered. "He's really retiring, isn't he? It doesn't seem real."
Eli battled back his emotions and walked to the front of the stage, throwing his hands in the air. "Fally! Fally!" he chanted, walking back and forth, pumping up the fans.
Soon, they were all chanting for his friend. He glanced over at Fal, who blinked back tears, a huge smile on his face.
It was the end of an era, but he was going out like a fucking warrior. He pointed at Fally and clapped, and Fally nodded, taking the mic from Ryder.
"I'd be lying if I said winning the Cup wasn't the best moment of my life," Fally told the crowd. "Well, except for meeting my wife, and the birth of my son. But this Cup... it's the culmination of a lifelong dream, starting back when I was a little kid, playing hockey in my parents' driveway back in Toronto, pretending to win the Cup with my friends. But the real thing? It's a hell of a lot better. And winning it with these guys is the absolute best." He paused, glancing over at Eli. "You all know this guy." He pointed at Eli. "Number fifty-two, but number one in your hearts, right?"
The crowd cheered, and Eli laughed, bowing dramatically.
"Eli came to my house after I got hurt, and he promised me that we would win the Cup. That the guys would do whatever it took to make that happen. He's the guy who keeps us all laughing and loose in the locker room, but that day, he was dead serious. And he made good on that promise with the rest of these guys. I love you, D. I love every one of these guys. And Vegas, I love all of you, too."
He handed Eli the Cup, and he lifted it up over his head, soaking in the moment as the fans chanted his name.
After he passed the Cup to Shaw, Eli addressed the crowd. "I'm going to keep this short, because if we all give a speech as long as Fal here, everyone will die of heat exhaustion." He winked at Fally, who shot him the finger.
"I love this team, and I love this town." The fans cheered loudly, and he couldn't help but grin. "Who would have thought the League would put a team in the desert, and we'd not only have the best fans, but win it all? We know you guys never doubted us. You believed in us, and we love you for it. Now let's do it all over again next year."
The crowd went wild as he gave Shaw a clap on the back, then headed to the back of the stage to stand with the rest of the guys.
Winning the Cup had been the best moment of his life, but being here, this close with the fans—getting to interact and talk to them and celebrate with the entire city—well, it was a close second.
Things just kept getting better. He never felt as lucky in his entire life as he did right now.
He dug in his pocket for his phone so he could take a few videos of the crowd. A photo message was front and center on his lock screen, and he pressed the button to open it when he saw pictures of him and Holly.
The headline "And Baby Makes Three?" stopped him in his tracks. He zeroed in on the picture of Holly in a store, holding a pregnancy test box.
What the fuck?
This had to be a joke. A revenge plot from Lyla. Maybe she had altered the picture somehow.
He lifted his head and anxiously scanned the throngs of people, searching for Holly.
When his eyes locked with hers, he knew.
Eli stood, rooted in place as she mouthed, "I'm sorry," then turned and fled, pushing her way through the crowd.
He glanced back down at the phone, then slowly shoved it into his pocket.
This was no joke.
This was as real as it could get.
27
The next twenty minutes were the longest of his life while he waited for the team to wrap things up. Once they were escorted off the stage, a line of cars, complete with drivers, stood at the ready to take them where they wanted to go.
He made a beeline for Penn and took her by the elbow. "Penn, where's Holly? Where did she go?"
"She said she was hot and went to the cars. West talked to your car guy. She pointed to a large, black sedan."
"Thanks."
Eli hurried over to the car and opened the door, then froze. When his gaze locked with hers the stricken look on her face told him everything he needed to know.
