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He looks at me, blinks a few times, maybe dazed by it all. Afterall, he’s realizing his lifelong dream tonight.
“Yeah, I fucking am.” He beams proudly.
“Yeah, you fucking are,” I agree on a laugh that he ends with a searing kiss.
The arena is a hive of workers, busy prepping for the first game of the season. I’m allowed to walk Cillian to the locker room, and from there, I’m escorted around by Cindy, a woman around my mother’s age who’s been working the arena for over a decade. I’m getting special treatment because of my name, my dad, more than being Cillian Wylder’s girlfriend. But I won’t complain since the tour gives me something to occupy my time before Erin gets here and the game starts.
“Mr. Sterns offered access to this suite for you and Cillian’s mother,” Cindy says, opening a door to a fully equipped suite, complete with food, beverages, a private bathroom, and seating above the rest of the arena. Sterns is the general manager and an acquaintance of my dad—again, the team showing deference to my last name. “Of course, there are also seats down below, if you’d prefer to be closer to the ice.”
“I would. It’s where I’m most comfortable.”
“Makes sense,” she says, leading the way back out of the suite. “I imagine it’s where you grew up.”
“I spent my fair share of time there.”
“I can bring Miss Wylder to you when she arrives.”
“Thank you, Cindy. That would be wonderful.”
I take my seat along the boards, the player’s bench only a section away from perhaps the best seats I’ve ever had. I’m certain Dad called in favors for this one, but I enjoy the placement as I take everything in. The excited chatter of young fans taking their seats or vying for a spot along the glass in the hopes of gaining the attention of the players with their homemade signs. There isn’t a lot of this that I remember from Dad playing in the NFL, I was so young and once Willa came along it was harder for my mom to take us both to games like this. But the atmosphere, as a whole, runs through my veins, this world is in my blood. Sharing it with Cillian now only makes it more special.
Warmups start with blaring music and cheers from the crowd. Cillian spots me on his first lap, sending me a chin nod and a half smile. Focused on the game the way he is, I’m surprised he even spotted me. Only a few minutes later, Erin arrives.
“Hi,” I greet her, giving her a warm hug. She’s about my size and I always wonder how she birthed a practical giant. “It’s so good to see you.”
“You too, sweetheart,” she says emotionally. She gave up a lot of time with her son for him to achieve this. It could have easily gone a different direction and maybe then she’d regret some of the decisions she made. Cillian doesn’t have much family. He was conceived from a one-night stand at a music festival. His mom never got the guy’s last name, so when she found out she was pregnant, there was no way to contact the man. She’s a single mom and an only child whose father died when she was in her teens. When Cillian came to the Timberwolves, he moved in with a host family because his mom couldn’t afford to relocate, nor did she want to leave her own mom alone. It sounds harsh, but it’s quite common for WHL kids.
For the past year, he’s lived with me. Dad bought a condo close to the University of Washington campus for me to live in while I’m at school, studying marketing. Willa’s goal is UW, too, so she’ll live here if she’s accepted. It will be nice to have company the year after next with Cillian across the country, playing in Boston.
“Can you believe this is happening?”
“Absolutely.”
“Of course.” She laughs.
“Are you hungry? There’s food up in the suite, or I can go grab you something?”
“No, no. I don’t think my nerves could handle anything right now. I’m so excited for him.” As she says the words, Cillian skates back around. When he sees her, he slows, placing a gloved hand over his heart as he does. Erin lets a few tears fall but hurriedly swipes them away. I grasp her fingers in mine and hold them through the rest of warmups.
Trina shows up, introducing herself to my boyfriend’s mother before she proceeds to repeatedly get in our way while she takes photos of the players. It adds to my annoyance and wariness of her, but she has a job to do, so I do my best to let it go.
Besides, it’s not as if I can start a rink side brawl with the woman right before Cillian’s first game. No matter how much I’d like to put the blonde in her place.
“She’s something,” Erin whispers to me conspiratorially after Trina moves on. Her response to Trina only confirms that I wasn’t imagining her intent to be a nuisance. “How’s school?”
“Good. I have a busier schedule than I’d like, but my professors are great.”
“That’s a plus, sweetheart. And how are you doing with the distance?”
“Well, that part sucks,” I tell her, dropping my head on her shoulder. “I miss him every day, but it’s overshadowed by how proud of him I am.”
“You’ve always had an unwavering confidence in my boy. He’s never had a bigger supporter.”
“That’s not true, he’s always had you.”
Erin quiets and I sit with her in silence. I know she wishes their lives could have been different. Cill’s profession changes a lot for all of us.
Being a rookie, it’s impressive enough that the team has him on the starting roster. It shows a huge amount of confidence. He proves he’s worthy of the spot when he scores the first goal of the night. Cillian tends to get attitude on the ice, but tonight his game is clean. No penalties, no sin bin. The team goes on to win and Erin’s in tears by the end, so happy for her son.
