Grey leads us both into his bathroom. “You’d need more than one bus.”
Urgh. “Two then.” He’s quiet, again. My eyes widen, my mouth slightly opens in shock. “Are you kidding me? More thantwobusses?”
“I didn’t count, but probably.”
“I hate you just a little bit for that.” Not because he’s experienced. Honestly, I love that he is because wow. And still, fuck him for that.
“For not counting or sleeping with them in the first place?”
“Yes.”
Grey leaves me standing in the middle of the bathroom while he goes to turn on the shower, making sure the water won’t be freezing cold, I hope.
“How did you manage to do that anyway?”
He shrugs. “College. People are horny. Most of them were puck bunnies anyway, so quite easy, plus drunk hookups from bars or at parties. And then I started playing for the NHL, giving me another bunch of puck bunnies to choose from.” Grey turns around to look at me, slightly tilting his head because he knows I did, in fact, not want to know any of this. But at least he’s giving me answers, right?
“I hate you.”
He comes walking over to me, laying his hands on my ass to pull me into his body. “You love me.”
“Not anymore.”
He hums, knowing fully well that’s bullshit. “If it’s any help, I never loved any of the people I slept with. Or talked to them, really.”
“Your ex-boyfriend?” My eyebrows rise.
“I liked him, but it wasn’t love.”
Now that I love to hear. “Sooo, I’m the first guy you ever loved?”
“No,” he answers. “I love Miles, but it’s different from the way I love you. You’re the first person I’minlove with.”
“Okay, I can accept that.” When we step inside the shower, the warm water dripping down on me first, I remember something. “You had news to share with me.” Or he said he did, I think?
Grey’s face lights up, nodding. Without him having to say a word, I know that whatever he is about to say, he’s really happy about and proud of . Just looking at the pride on his face makes me proud of him already.
“The team voted me as the next Team Captain after Nolan retires,” he tells me.
My jaw drops with a huge smile for him. In seconds, I’m in his arms for a tight as fuck hug, not caring that we’re in a shower or completely naked. “They did?!”
“They did,” he confirms and closes his arms around me.
“You deserve that, Grey Davis!” I press my lips to his neck. “I’m so endlessly proud of you.”
I don’t exactly know if him being, or becoming, team captain means that he’ll have even less time for me, but even so, I don’t care. Ice Hockey is his whole life. It’s his passion, one flame in his life that kept lit at all times. He deserves this more than anyone else. He fought so hard to be where he’s at now, and I just want to cry from all the happiness I feel for him.
That’s my man right there, people. Soon-to-be Team Captain of the New York Rangers.
Chapter 12
“I’m overwhelmed and insecure, give me something / I could take to ease my mind, slowly”—In My Blood by Shawn Mendes
October 2025
When Colin saidthe wedding was going to be small, I underestimated his meaning of the word.
Honestly, I was expectingsmallto mean big but still on the roof of our apartment building only. It’s super fancy, and I cannot believe Emory and Miles managed to create this in just a day.