I blink, staring at him. “Holy. Shit.”
Get it together, Carter. You’ve been waiting your whole life for this conversation.
Gene laughs then, holding out his hand. “You can blame my son for this late introduction. I’ve wanted to meet you for a while, but he said he’d rip that ‘C’ off his uniform if I didn’t go along with his warped prank. You might play like me, but that’s my boy. That’s my legacy.”
I am going to pass the hell out, but I need to make a mental note to smack Saltzy on the neck when I see him next. Robotic fuck.
I still haven’t spoken, so Gene continues, filling in the silence for me.
“Your lovely lady has been in touch with me over the last few weeks and asked me to make some time for this tonight. I was planning on showing up for the pictures and then leaving, as I usually do.”
Arden stares at me, gestures to his hand to wordlessly tell me to shake it.
I slap my palm into his a bit roughly and far too suddenly, but I’m not thinking straight. I hope to god he understands it’s because he’s an actual fucking god and not because I’m inept.
“It’s a fucking pleasure, man. I am your biggest fan.Biggest.You were my inspiration growing up. I idolized the fuck out of you. I can only dream of being half the player you were.”
Gene smacks my shoulder. “You are your own player, and you’re mighty fucking good at it. You’re doing just fine, but I’m honoured to have been someone you looked up to. You’ve got a hell of a woman, too.”
I smile, my eyes meeting hers. She does a little curtsey behind his back. “Don’t I know it.”
“She made a pretty good argument advocating for me to betray my son. It started with the fact that you’ve paid off the adoption fees for every animal at a local shelter, and ended with the fact that you might cry, which would give the team some blackmail on you for the foreseeable future.”
I love this woman.
“She’s right. This has been the most incredible couple seconds of my life. The tears are coming.”
“That’s depressing. You need to get out more, kid.” He chuckles. “Don’t tell my son we did this, alright? We’ll act like it hasn't happened yet. I think his sentence was five years for you, and that’s almost up.”
Emotionless asshole.
“I might have to murder your son, sir.”
He barks out a laugh, smacking me on the shoulder again. “You ever want to talk hockey, get in touch with me. Arden has my number. I have this idea mulling around my head, training camps for kids who have had a tough time and can’t afford the cost of organized sports. I’d love to include you if you’re interested. I think some of them would relate to guys like us.”
Guys who swing first and ask questions later.
My eyes nearly bug out of my head. I envision a future where Gene Saltzman and I work together. Where we’re in photos together. Where we change the lives of kids like us, side by side.
Hell. Fucking. Yeah.
“That sounds fantastic.”
“I’m hoping it will be,” he says with a nod. “Teach those kids to get their anger out elsewhere, you know? Anyway, get in touch, alright? Behind Cal’s back, of course.”
With one last handshake, he heads right out of the door like he always does at these things, and I’m left in the lobby with the love of my life. I slowly look back at her and she smiles innocently behind her wine glass, her eyes searching my face for any hint of how I feel after my life just changed for the better for a second time because of her.
“You’re a sneaky little shit, you know that?”
Her smile widens. “Are you happy?”
“Happy?” I balk, my eyes wide. I point toward the doors Gene just walked through. “I just met agod,Arden.A god!I have been trying to shake that man’s hand foryears.”
She nods, staring at me like I’m the best thing in the world. “I know.”
“You did that,” I tell her, stepping forward to place my hands on either side of her face. She tips her chin up, looking so fulfilled from making me happy. “You make all sorts of dreams come true, don’t you, Red?”
She shrugs. “Just trying to repay you for doing the same for me.”
