Best Of Both Worlds (Colorado Black Diamonds #4)

Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

GRAHAM

T he crowd noise is frenetic. With each passing second, it gets louder and louder in here, the fans encouraging their team to get the puck in the goal to tie the game.

Even pulling Nick from goal doesn’t do the trick.

But as time ticks away, the final horn sounds.

Knights 2, Black Diamonds 1.

“Hell yeah!” Jasper comes skating over and jumps on top of me as we start celebrating on Colorado’s ice. “That was fucking amazing!”

“I can’t believe we just pulled off the upset!” Bode tackles us, pushing us farther into the boards. Fans are pounding their annoyance out on the glass, but I couldn’t care less.

Euphoria takes over at the feeling of beating this team. A team that we’ve now beat twice when no one said we could do it. But here we are at the end of the game having come out on top.

“That goal was a thing of beauty, Flounder.” Marcus holds out his gloved fists for a bump. “Fucking amazing!”

“Fuck, that felt good.”

“Fucking great.” Bode claps me on the back.

We leave the ice and head back down the tunnel toward our locker room. The arena is quiet compared to when we arrived. I love that we shut the crowd down.

It felt fucking amazing.

“Fuck yeah!” Dax cheers out as I enter the visitors’ area. “I can’t believe we beat the defending Stanley Cup champions!”

I don’t know if I’ve ever been in a locker room that has been so boisterous following a win. It’s the Knights biggest win to date.

“What a play by Fisher in the third!” Coach Andrews pipes up as he hops up onto one of the chairs that line the wall. “That was a thing of beauty! Way to keep your head in the game.”

A furious blush creeps up my neck at Coach’s words. I know the meaning behind them. Hell, so does most of the team.

If I didn’t get my head on straight, we might not have had this win. The setup was perfect—I was able to intercept the pass from Hollins to Williams and block what might have been a sure-fire goal. With the caliber of players those two are, it would’ve been hard to stop.

But with the stop late in the third period with time winding down, they weren’t able to put the biscuit in the basket.

Earning a hard-fought win for the Knights.

“Highlight reel for sure.” Jasper claps me on the back.

“Felt really good,” I call out.

“Looked even better from up above.”

That voice. It has nerves boiling up inside that threaten to explode out of me.

I haven’t seen Noah since he left me standing in my condo almost a month ago. A day hasn’t gone by when I haven’t thought of him.

“Noah. Just trying to take the lead from what you’ve shown us.”

My eyes dart up, scanning the locker room to find him in a hug with Coach Andrews. The guys start swarming him, but I’m rooted to the spot. My feet won’t budge.

Because it’s him. Noah.

When he left Nashville, he looked dazed. It’s like he wasn’t quite all there. I know it was because of the concussion, but maybe it was also because of me.

Now? Now, it looks like he has a clear head. His eyes are brighter.

Fuck. I didn’t realize how desperate I was to get even the slightest look at him.

“It hasn’t been the same without you.”

“We’ve missed you, man.”

I hang back as the guys crowd around him. There’s so much that I want to say to him, but I don’t know where to start.

I’m sorry?

I miss you?

I love you?

The only reason I know how he’s doing is because of my dad. The crowd around him starts to disperse, and that’s when our eyes finally meet.

Taking the first steps toward him, I have no idea what I’m going to say.

Until someone else is calling for me.

“Fisher. Press wants to talk to you,” Coach Mickey yells out to me.

Guess I have a reprieve to figure out what I’m going to say to him. Stripping out of my gear, I drop it into my locker and then step into a pair of shorts and a Knights T-shirt.

I spare a quick glance at Noah as I’m walking out the door. His eyes are locked on mine. Noah’s face is unreadable. Fuck. I hope he’s still around when I’m done.

“Graham. That was a great game tonight,” the reporter from the Nashville Star who travels with the team tells me. “How did that big play develop?”

I shake my head, a smile spreading across my face.

Hockey. This is easy. I can talk about hockey. “This is what we practice for. Knowing what to look for so you can stop the play in its tracks. Luckily I was there and was able to get the puck when we needed it to stop Colorado from scoring.”

“Did it feel good to beat the reigning champions?”

“Felt awesome.”

“Do you think it helped having Noah Fields in the stands tonight?”

That gets a small smile out of me. “We definitely didn’t want to disappoint him. Even though he’s out, we want to keep playing hard. Make a push for the playoffs.”

“It would be the first time the Knights have made the playoffs in over a decade.”

“I’m trying not to think about that,” I tell them honestly. “I just want to do what I can to contribute to the Knights and help us win games.”

“Thanks, Graham.”

“Thank you.”

Heading back toward the locker room, I pull open the door and crash into someone.

Someone that is very familiar to me.

Noah.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” God, up close he looks even better. His brown eyes are clear. “How are you feeling?”

Noah nods, rubbing a hand down the back of his neck. “Good. Shoulder still hurts every now and then, but good. I’m glad to finally be out of the sling.”

I nod. “And your head? It’s okay?”

“About the same as my shoulder. Still getting some headaches, but not nearly as bad.”

“That’s great to hear.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. Even though I knew how he was doing—secondhand from my parents—it’s better to hear it from him. To see him feels even better.

“I should get going.”

“Wait.”

I don’t think. For once in my life, I don’t weigh every decision and just do what I’m feeling. I grab Noah’s hand and pull him toward me. His eyes go wide as his front slams into me.

I don’t know where he was headed, but I don’t care. I don’t want him to leave.

Because if he does, I don’t know if I’ll have the balls to do this again.

His eyes widen as he looks me directly in the eye. “What are you doing?”

“What I was too scared to do before.”

I kiss him. I pour every ounce of feeling I’ve had since he left Nashville into this kiss. Sadness. Anger. Frustration. Love.

I shut my brain off and give in to what I want.

Noah Fields.

“Wait.” Noah pulls back, an unreadable look on his face. “I thought you didn’t want to be out.”

“I didn’t. I was scared. I still am because I have no idea if this is what you want anymore. If I’m what you want. Because I’m damn well afraid I ruined everything.”

“Are you sure though? I don’t want you to do this because you feel pressured,” Noah tells me.

“Are you trying to talk me out of this?”

That has a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of Noah’s mouth. “Considering you just kissed me in a locker room full of reporters, I’d say I really can’t.”

My eyes widen as I stop to take in the room around us. There’s not much by way of privacy in here. The locker room has gone silent. I’ve never heard a group of guys be so quiet.

And every eye is locked on the two of us.

Including the reporters that are here covering the team. The only sound in the locker room is the clicks of their cameras.

“Shit.” I scrub a hand down my face. “I guess I really didn’t think this through.”

“Hey. You don’t have to be scared alone.”

“No?”

A smile stretches across Noah’s face. “I can hold your hand through it.”

My smile matches his. “That’s all I want.”

Because it means I get to be with the one guy I well and truly want. The soft look on Noah’s face has me further confessing to him.

“I love you, Noah. And I hate that it took you getting injured to make me realize it, but if it got us here…”

“I love you too,” Noah cuts me off. “Now, go change so we can go out and get drinks. Piper is buying.”

“Did I miss something?” I laugh.

Fuck. It’s been awhile since I’ve done that and it feels good. Really damn good.

“Yeah. She bet against the Knights.”

I shake my head. “Never bet against us.”

“I can say the same about you and me.”

I lick my lips, giving Noah one last kiss. Now that I can, I don’t think I’ll ever stop. “I’ll take that bet every day of the week.”