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“Wyatt’s always been a bit of shit.” Gwen looked up and chuckled. “I mean that in a good way. But when he gets his mind set on something, you never know what to expect. I remember once, when he was about ten, he got it into his head that snakes were endangered or something like that. I don’t know if it was because of some show he’d seen, or something they talked about in school. But Wyatt wasn’t content with thinking that snakes were endangered. He decided to do something about it.”
“God. I hate snakes.” Regan shuddered.
“He convinced Travis to help him and to distract Mr. Gunnery from the pet store, and he stole all the snakes he had. Grabbed them and put them into a bucket.”
Regan’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. I remember when that happened. But they never found the snakes.”
“No, they did not. But I sure as hell did. I found them a few weeks later down in their games room and nearly had a heart attack. I have no idea what he did with them, but they were gone the next day. He claimed he was saving them. I told him to save them somewhere else or his father would find out.”
The three of them had a good laugh, and when the car came to a halt, Regan looked outside. “We’re at the old arena. I didn’t think the place was in use?”
Dave hopped out of the car and opened their door. His grin was so wide, it distorted his features a bit, and Regan looked around him as she got out. There were several taxis there, as well as a couple of vans all parked along the side of the building. And behind them, she spied what looked like two large coach buses.
Gwen and Brad joined her.
“Do we just go inside?” Regan asked Dave.
“Yeah. Wyatt said to make sure you head right in. Things are gonna start soon.”
“Things,” Gwen said cheekily, poking her husband in the shoulder. “I’m dying to see what the heck this is all about.”
“Let’s go.” Regan took off, stomach more than a little nervous, filled with anticipation and a need to see Wyatt so bad that it should have made her take a step back. And yet she increased her pace until she was nearly running. She pushed open the doors and strode inside. The interior was much darker, and after the brilliant sunshine from outside, it took a bit for her eyes to adjust. When they did, they nearly popped out of her head.
Standing in front of her in a line that stretched nearly the width of the arena lobby was a group of men. Big men. Men in hockey equipment, with sticks and skates. Men wearing the Detroit Red Wing uniform on one side. On the other? The Crystal Lake Warriors. She spied several guys she knew, including Jarret.
And on the Red Wings side, Travis Blackwell.
“What the hell?” Brad came up short, his arm around his wife.
“I have no freaking clue,” she replied, her voice breaking when she spied Wyatt walking out from the dressing room area, Patrick drowning in a hockey jersey at his side. Coming up behind them was none other than Cain Black, Crystal Lake’s very own bona fide rock star. The three were chatting, and Regan’s heart swelled when Wyatt glanced up and saw her.
He winked, and she didn’t know what to do. She gave a small wave and held back, suddenly conscious of the moment. She could see through the glass out into the arena. There were a good number of folks out there, and the man standing not more than a few feet from her had arranged this all for a little boy he’d just met.
Wyatt came to a stop and put his arm around Patrick’s shoulders. They stood in front of his parents, and Regan didn’t dare look at them, because her throat was so damn tight and filled with emotion, she was afraid she’d burst into tears and spoil everything.
Wyatt shook Brad’s hand and gave Gwen a quick hug. “The other night, Patrick asked me to see if I could get tickets for you two to go and see a Red Wings game. He told me the Wings were your favorite team and that Travis was one of your favorite players.” He paused. “Sorry. I did everything in my power to get tickets, but it just wasn’t happening.”
Several of the players laughed at that, and Patrick giggled, his cheeks flushed red, his eyes shiny with excitement.
“Turns out the guys had a day off and decided to come out here for some fun. It’s not Joe Louis, but hey, it will have to do. They’ve brought their friends and family, and if you have a look out there, you’ll see everyone who means anything to you guys.” He looked down at Patrick. “Including Matthew, Joelle, Caleb, and Shannon.”
If Patrick’s eyes got any wider, they’d pop right out of his head. “From the hospital?” he whispered. “My friends? I thought Caleb had to be, like with his IV and those other machines.”
Wyatt nodded. “He does, but we’ve made a special area that fits everything he needs so he could come watch.”
“He gets cold, though.”
“Yep. He does. He told me that when I went to see him a few days ago. I told him we wouldn’t let him get cold.”
Patrick stared up at Wyatt, and suddenly, his arms were around him, the little limbs small and frail against the big man who’d managed to bring nearly everyone in the room to tears.
Again. Regan’s heart squeezed hard.
“He’s a keeper,” Gwen whispered in her ear.
She yanked her eyes away from Wyatt and Patrick, but Gwen wasn’t looking at her. She was looking at her son, and for the first time in ages, it was hope that lit up her features.
Travis walked over on his skates and shook Patrick’s hand. “My old jersey looks good on you, kiddo. What say we get this thing started? Would you like to drop the puck?”
