Page 347 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

"About what?"

"Excellent question."

The laughter follows us all the way to the locker room. As I finish unlacing my skates, Coach quietly walks over and sits beside me. For a few moments neither of us speaks. He watches the room empty while players joke with one another, gather equipment, and head toward the door.

Finally, he says, "Nervous?"

I think about it honestly. "A little."

"Good."

I look over. "Good?"

"If you weren't nervous, I'd wonder whether you understood what today means."

I smile. "I understand."

He nods. "I know."

The words settle quietly inside me. He stands, giving my shoulder one familiar pat.

"When the time comes..." I look up. "...don't worry about finding perfect words."

He smiles. "She fell in love with yours a long time ago."

Before I can answer, he starts walking toward the door. Halfway there he pauses without turning around. "And Walker?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to make the rest of us cry too much."

I grin. "No promises."

He chuckles softly and disappears down the hallway. I feel the silver coin resting in my pocket. A father's blessing. A ring waiting in the other pocket.

I close my locker slowly, feeling the weight of both. They're reminders that no one reaches this kind of moment alone.

Outside the arena, the afternoon sun warms the parking lot as I climb into my truck and check my watch. If everything goes according to plan, by sunset she'll be wearing the ring that's been waiting for her all along.

***

By the time I pull into the parking lot outside the Inn, my heartbeat has somehow become louder than the truck's engine.

I've faced Game Seven overtime, Olympic tryout camps, national television interviews.

None of them have prepared me for waiting outside a simple small-town inn on a simple afternoon.

The ring box is safely tucked inside my jacket, and Dad's silver coin rests in my jeans pocket.

Apparently, I'm carrying enough good luck to survive almost anything.

She pauses on the porch to comment to someone inside before turning toward the parking lot.

The moment she sees me, she smiles. Not the polite smile she gives patients. Not the careful professional smile I've watched a hundred times. It’s the smile that's just for me.

It still amazes me every single time.

Climbing in she leans across the console to kiss my cheek before fastening her seat belt.