Page 168 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

Almost unconsciously, his fingertips brush the embroidered C before his hand falls away again.

He doesn't say anything. Neither do I. Some moments deserve better than quick answers.

Instead, I smile. "You clean up pretty well, Captain."

His grin appears immediately. "I was hoping you'd still be calling me Jamie."

"I was planning to."

"Good."

His eyes meet mine, warm and impossibly steady.

"And for the record...I've never seen you without scrubs before."

I smooth an imaginary wrinkle from my sleeve.

"Better or worse?"

His smile deepens.

"Definitely better."

He offers his left arm almost automatically before remembering the shoulder.

The movement falters for the briefest instant. I simply fall into step beside him as though nothing happened. Sometimes kindness isn't noticing, sometimes it's pretending you didn't.

Together we walk toward the arena doors. The sounds of excited children echo across the concourse: laughter, skates scraping against rubber flooring, and parents calling after little ones who are already racing toward the ice.

Jamie slows almost imperceptibly as we reach the entrance. His shoulders rise with a quiet breath, not from pain but from memory. This building has witnessed almost every important moment of his professional life.

Victories.

Defeats.

Milestones.

Championship dreams.

Tonight he is returning in a different way.

I don't interrupt his thoughts. Some homecomings deserve silence before celebration.

After a few seconds, Jamie opens the door. "Ready?"

I smile. "I thought you were supposed to ask the nervous one that."

He chuckles. "I think we both might qualify."

Side by side, we step into the arena. And within seconds, the world remembers that Captain Walker is back.

***

The arena changes the moment Jamie walks through the doors. It happens so naturally I doubt he even notices anymore. A volunteer carrying a box of hockey pucks spots him first.

"Captain!" The young man immediately changes direction, setting the box on a nearby table before hurrying over. "It's good to see you back."

Jamie smiles and reaches out with his left hand to shake his. "It's good to be here."