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“Claire, no, no, no.” I smoothed more of her tears away. How was I making this girl who never ever cried suddenly cry all the time? I vowed right then to make it up to her. I’d try as hard as I could to keep her smiling all the time. “I wasn’t leaving, Claire. I’m flying back for an appointment with my team doctor. I’m coming right back,” I said with a laugh.
Her mouth dropped open. “My dad,” she said through gritted teeth. “Way to leave out key details, Craig. Wow!” she yelled at the ceiling.
I laughed and pushed a kiss into her hair.
She breathed a deep sigh and used the sleeves of her sweatshirt to wipe her face. “Well, I feel dumb,” she said, trying to sniffle up her tears. “At least we got that all figured out?” She regarded me with a weak smile.
I nodded. “Now that you’re here, want to take a trip to Detroit with me?”
She looked a bit hesitant.
“You already bought a ticket to get back here, no? And you can’t exactly train right now anyway.”
She nodded sheepishly.
“Then let's go.”
“I don’t have my stuff though,” she said doubtfully.
“Don’t need it,” I told her. “You can use my shit.”
Her face broke out in a giddy smile, and I loved it. I loved that I had a part in putting it there.
She reached up to throw her arms around me again.
“Careful,” I whispered into her hair. “Your stitches, babe. I’m still mad at you for skating when you weren’t supposed to.”
She pulled back from me and shot me an unimpressed look. “And I’m still mad at you for threatening the entire arena not to let me work,” she pointed out.
I dropped my head back and let out a frustrated laugh. This was going to be one hell of a difficult but crazy rewarding kind of life.
“Hey Duke,” she said, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Can we forget about being mad at each other and just be madly in love now?”
I reached down and pulled her chin up so I could look directly into her beautiful, glassy eyes. “Yes.” I grinned. “Pinky promise me that, girl.”
Epilogue - January 2023
Duke
Although Claire wanted to find a skating partnership that would allow her to stay home and train at the Ice League, I think the situation she ended up with might’ve been a better fit. Her new partner, Andy, skated out of Toronto, which was only about a half hour drive from Detroit… which also happened to be where Addie landed an amazing sportswriting gig, and of course, where I lived.
At the end of the summer, she moved into an apartment with Addie a few blocks from where I lived, but I could usually convince her to sleep over at my place. I tried to make my apartment irresistible by keeping it stocked with her favorite wine and ice cream, and I’d give her long back massages whenever she laid down on my king-size mattress. Her place was fine to stay at, but we’d be squished together all night on her twin-sized bed, which I didn’t really mind… but adding the no AC component to the mix was a bit of a struggle.
Having her around in September was also a huge advantage for both of us because we were both in recovery mode, meaning we were both pushing to make quick comebacks after our injuries. We understood the hard days– the mental toll it took from being knocked down and having to fight to physically get back to where we were before– and we were both ready and waiting with words of encouragement for the other whenever needed. Through September, we went to the gym together, the rink together (she critiqued my stride to get it back in excellent form, and I usually just clapped for her), and then we’d roll out our sore muscles together on my big, lumpy couch.
By October, she was training full-time with Andy in Toronto, and I was back in the Crewman lineup.
I loved that she was able to be in the stands for my first game back, and I loved feeling so strong again.
After leaving the ice with a hatrick and two assists to Griff that game, I was feeling on top of the world. I let out a celebratory yell as I walked off the ice, and I passed up my stick to a couple little fans who were hanging over the side of the railing, clapping for me.
Because Addie was a sportswriter, she was already in the hall by the locker room with a press pass around her neck. Her hair was smoothed back into a sleek low ponytail and she was decked out in a very professional pantsuit. Claire was standing beside her in some jogger sweatpants, basketball shoes, and one of my old hoodies that went way past her butt. Just the sight of her made a goofy grin slide onto my face.
I dropped my helmet and jogged on the skate-safe rubber path up to her. I immediately scooped her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist. I was constantly picking her up these days, just because I could. It actually got to the point where I loved when she was kinda bratty, because then I’d just toss her over my shoulder and throw her onto the bed… and then she was never able to stay in a bad mood for too long because she’d be struggling to keep a straight face.
She collapsed in giggles against my shoulder. “Great job,” she whispered in my ear before pulling back to look at me.
“Thank you, babe. Couldn't have done it without ya,” I said, kissing her smile.
