It says, I’m sorry for letting you go.
My eyes shoot up from the board to meet Alex’s and I can see the apology swimming there as well. He pulls that board away, slinging it to the ice, and I read the next board underneath.
I stole this idea from the movie Love Actually.
My eyes rise again to meet his, and now I see him grinning at me. I can’t help it that my lips curve upward in response.
He reveals the next board to me, and my smile gets even bigger.
Garrett—big girl that he is—had seen the movie and recommended this as an idea to win you back….
Laughter from the fans who are watching this breaks out around me and I have to chuckle too. I look over at Garrett and he’s glaring daggers at Alex, who returns a sheepish grin to him before turning back to me.
He pulls that board away and drops it.
My heart slams inside my rib cage when I read the next message.
I love you and I was a fool to let you go.
I can’t even raise my gaze to meet his, reading the board over and over again, hungrily soaking in the message and vaguely aware of the fans starting to clap.
Alex takes the board away, revealing the one underneath.
I will do whatever it takes to get you back.
The clapping gets louder and people start cheering. I don’t even have time to read the message a second time or look up at Alex before he reveals the next board.
I’ll fight hard for you.
And the next board.
I won’t give up.
And the next board.
Because you are the most important thing in the world to me.
The cheering has now started to make its way around the arena as everyone is now watching what is going on. I look over at the players’ bench and the coaches are watching, none too happy about this display, but they don’t stop him.
Alex throws that board to the ice, and I’m looking at what I believe is the last message he’s got for me tonight.
Please say you’ll give me another chance.
Before I can even comprehend Alex’s request, Glenn is diving under his seat and he pulls out two poster board cards, slightly smaller than the ones that Alex has on the ice. I take them from his hands, noting that his smile is lit up with excitement.
“You’re in so much trouble,” I growl at him, but he just grins wider.
Looking down at the cards, I see one says “Yes” and the other says “No. ”
I do a slow look around me, and most of the people are smiling at me as they clap. A chant starts up, Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Standing up from my seat, and looking down at the cards, making sure I have the right one, I hold it up for Alex to see.
Yes.
His face breaks out into a smile filled with relief and happiness. I can tell by the look he is giving me that this is a choice that I will never regret.
Surprising me further, Alex pulls his last message away, revealing another underneath.
Do you still love me?
Tears start to fill my eyes. I nod my head as I hold the Yes card up again, and the crowd roars in approval.
I’m shocked when Alex drops that card to the ice and the next one says, You won’t regret it.
Before I can even look up at him so he knows that it’s not even possible for that to happen, he drops that board to the ice.
Don’t you think Garrett is a big girl for watching Love Actually?
The crowd goes nuts and it’s at this point that I see this whole scenario is being shown on the Jumbotron above. I give Alex a disapproving look and hold up the card No for him to see.
To show how well Alex knows me, and knew what my answer would be, I can’t say that I’m all that surprised when he drops the top board and his next one says, Great. Guess I’ll have to watch it with you at some point.
I nod my head at him with a smile, not even bothering to hold a card up for him to see.
Alex skates forward, coming up to the glass. I step forward to rest my hands beside my head and get as close to it as I can without fogging up the smooth surface.
Before reaching me, he drops another board and I look down to read the next one, Gotta go play hockey now.
Okay, I mouth at him.
He drops the last card and his hands are empty. Coming right up to the glass, he places his hands opposite mine and I swear I can almost feel his touch even through the barrier.
Alex stares at me with such love, my legs feel like jelly. The sound of the crowd dies down again, not because they have stopped cheering, but because I have chosen to focus only on Alex.
I’ve chosen to look at this man, who loves me and whom I love in return, and I’m overwhelmed with the knowledge that nothing else matters except what we have.
Holding my gaze for just another brief moment, Alex mouths the words I love you to me before giving me a wink and skating off.
I don’t even get to return the words before he is gone.
That’s all right. I’ll make up for it tonight after the game.
***
“Oh, Alex,” I moan as he sinks into me with one sure push, my hands gripping his shoulders hard. This is going to be some stellar sex, I can tell. Not only have Alex and I reconnected and claimed our love very publicly, but the Cold Fury kicked some major ass tonight, winning 6-2. Alex had two goals and two assists, and yes, I’m really proud of him.