Page 108 of Goalie Interference

“So would I,” Gavin says, meeting Connor. He quickly envelops Connor into a hug and kisses the top of his head. My grumpy friend is not nearly as grumpy anymore. Well, at least when no one else is looking.

Connor turns his head. His cheek is smashed against Gavin’s shoulder. “You should do the same,” he says to me. “Take the leap. Make this moment yours. You have nothing to be afraid of.”

“He’s right,” Gavin says. “Take it from us. We both hid for too long, afraid of the consequences of coming out only to find out there were no consequences at all.”

“Well…” Connor nervously laughs. “I wouldn’t say none. But also, none that we couldn’t overcome.” Gavin gives him one more kiss then lets him go, but grabs onto one of his hands as we walk. “You don’t have my father working his damnedest to ruin your career.”

“Thank the hockey gods for that,” I say.

Gavin claps me on the shoulder with his free hand. “And just like you did for us, Connor and I will do the same for you. We have your back, always.”

“Thank you,” I say as I slip my hands into my pockets. “That means a lot.”

Nikolai

Six o’clock. It’s almost game time. I just wish I wasn’t going to miss it. I wish I didn’t lie to Ander telling him I would be watching it. But what I’m about to do is far more important.

Ander

Coach Matthews is waiting for me in the tunnel before warmups begin. His expression is stoic and unreadable. This can’t be good. I’m already nervous.

I gulp. “What’s up, Coach?”

“Is there any reason why Coach Chris has been blowing up my phone for the last hour?”

“Outside of the obvious.” I shrug. “I have no idea.”

His nostrils flare as he huffs out a breath. “What is it with you guys all having the worst timing with these coming out scandals?”

“Would it have been better if we waited until the night before we play each other in the finals?” I ask. He glares at me, then gives me a push forward towards the end of the tunnel that leads to the ice. “Front of the line, Bouchard. You lead them out. I have to go call back Coach Chris.”

“Aye, aye, Coach,” I say as I give him a two-finger salute.

He mutters something I can’t quite hear under his breath, but I also see his lips pull up slightly at the corners. He can’t be that mad at me. But Coach Matthews isn’t Coach Chris. He’s way more of a hardass. No wonder he and Gavin get along so well.

But now I am curious. What on earth could Coach Chris want to talk to him about? I mean, I know it’s me and Nikolai, but why? There better not be some disaster happening I don’t know about.

When I reach Gavin, Connor, and Tavish at the end of the tunnel, right before the area where we step out into the open for everyone to see us, Gavin crowds my space. He bonks his helmet against mine. His eyes are serious as he looks directly at me. “Are you ready?”

“I’m always ready,” I say, even though I’m honestly terrified to step out there. I have no idea what to expect.

“Yeah, he’s ready,” Tavish says as he pushes my shoulder, knocking me slightly off balance.

Connor catches me and pushes my face mask up. “Don’t hide,” he says. “Own this.”

“Like you did?” I smile at him.

“Exactly.” He smiles back. “Now go out there and have the time of your life. Ignore the noise. Good and bad. You owe them nothing. But you owe Nikolai⁠—”

“Everything.”

“I was gonna say a good game, but sure.” He pushes my shoulder. “Everything works too.”

Connor’s right. I owe Nikolai and myself a win. I grab my stick from the equipment rack beside us. It’s now that I realize every single one of my teammates’ sticks are wrapped in rainbow tape.

“Hideous, isn’t it?” Gavin smirks at me.

Feeling touched, my heart full, I swallow hard again. “You all didn’t have to do this.”