21. Ellie

21

Ellie

I’m exhausted and I’m going to call it a night. I’ll see you tomorrow.

My stomach drops. I was really hoping to see him tonight, but I understand how he’s exhausted.

“He took a really bad hit,” I murmur to Daniel as we walk out of the rink.

“I’m sure he’s fine. They wouldn’t have allowed him back on the ice if he wasn’t.”

“Maybe,” I shrug, not convinced.

“He’ll be fine.”

Thirty minutes later, I’m home and walking around the house in a tank top and panties. I pace the living room as a million thoughts race through my head.

Are you okay? That hit looked really bad.

I wear a ton of pads, El, you know that.

Would you tell me if you were injured?

What kind of question is that?

I let out a sigh, knowing that I’m being ridiculous right now.

Just go to sleep, Elena.

You’re fine. He’s fine. Everything’s fine.

I shake my head, close my eyes and take a few deep breaths.

There. That’s better.

***

The community center is buzzing with excitement as the fundraiser for the Humane Society gets underway. The Frostwood Falls Wolves hockey team has pulled out all the stops to help me make this event a success. Streamers and balloons in the team's colors decorate the venue, and tables are set up with donation jars, raffle prizes, and information about the animals available for adoption.

I stand at the entrance, greeting people as they come in, my heart swelling with pride. The turnout is incredible. Families, couples, and hockey fans alike are pouring in, eager to meet the team and, hopefully, find a new furry friend to take home.

The guys are amazing. They’re spread out across the center, signing autographs, posing for selfies, and chatting with everyone. Ethan is in his element, charming as ever. He’s kneeling down next to a golden retriever mixed breed dog, a grin stretched across his face as the dog licks his cheek.

“Elena, come over here!” Ethan calls, waving me over.

I walk up to him, smiling as the puppy wags its tail excitedly.

“This little guy needs a home, think we can convince someone to take him?”

“I think with you two working together, we can convince anyone,” I reply, laughing.

I kneel down and pet the puppy, who immediately rolls over for belly rubs.

A young couple approaches us, the woman’s eyes lighting up at the sight of the puppy.

“Is he available for adoption?” a blonde woman asks.

“Absolutely,” Ethan says, standing up and wiping his cheek. “He’s all yours if you’re ready to give him a forever home.”

The couple exchanges excited glances before nodding eagerly. We guide them over to the adoption table, where they start filling out the necessary paperwork.

I glance around the room, seeing similar scenes playing out everywhere. The players are interacting with the animals and helping people fill out adoption applications. It’s heartwarming to see the community come together for such a good cause.

Jeremy is at the back, holding a kitten in his large hands, looking completely smitten.

“Ellie, look at this little guy,” he says as I approach. “He’s got the biggest eyes I’ve ever seen.”

I laugh, watching as the kitten bats playfully at Jeremy’s nose. “He’s adorable. Thinking of taking him home?”

“Yeah, I think I might. He’s too cute to resist.”

“Looks like you’re not the only one,” I say, nodding towards one of the other players, Max, who’s wrestling gently with a pair of energetic puppies.

Max looks up and grins. “Hey, Ellie! These guys are a handful. Think they’ll be good practice for when I have kids someday?”

“If you can handle them, you can handle anything.”

As the day goes on, the energy in the room only grows. People are donating money and items for the shelter, and the adoption applications keep piling up.

“Elena, this is fantastic. No one has ever seen the Wolves in this sort of environment. I can’t tell you how many people have mentioned that it’s nice to see them as humans,” Charlotte Harper, owner and journalist at the Frostwood Falls Gazette says.

“Really, what an odd statement.”

“Not really. Ticket sales are down tremendously and have been for about five years. That’s why they put Ethan in charge already, because they thought he’d bring a different approach to things.”

“It was sold out on Monday, I thought.”

“That’s only because Silverton is a rival and they sold half price tickets for the game.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Many people don’t. They’re a sinking ship. Old Man Anderson wasn’t very approachable. He liked to throw money at problems and not really figure anything else out.”

“Hopefully, this will help bring people into the rink then. We’ve got some other ideas that we’re throwing around to invest back into the community. I think seeing the players give back will have others doing the same.”

“Absolutely,” Charlotte says. “This is really incredible. I didn’t know you could go to the shelter and walk dogs or play with them at random. That’s something that will go in the article.”

“I didn’t know that either. That’s great.”

She gets pulled away to interview one of the players and I continue to walk around, documenting it all with my phone.

The photographer and Charlotte are eating it all up, snapping photos and taking notes. Several of the players go live on social media, announcing that they’re at the event, which brings out even more people.

The highlight of the day comes when every single dog and cat finds a loving home. The shelter staff is overjoyed, and I can see the relief and gratitude on their faces. Some of the animals even go home with the players, who couldn’t resist their charms.

Ethan approaches me, his arm around my shoulders. “Look at this turnout,” he says, his voice filled with pride. “You did good, Ellie.”

“We did,” I agree, leaning into him. “I’m so proud of everyone.”

He kisses the top of my head, and I feel a warm glow spreading through me. It’s been a long and stressful week, but today makes all of it worth it.

As the event winds down, Ethan and I help pack up, making sure everything is in order. The players are still mingling, some of them saying goodbye to the new pet owners. The sense of community is strong, and it’s clear that today was a huge success.

When the last of the crowd finally leaves, Ethan pulls me aside. “Hey, I wanted to thank you for everything. You worked so hard to make this happen.”

I smile up at him. “It was a team effort. And seeing all those animals find homes... it was worth every second.”

He leans down and kisses me softly, his lips warm and reassuring. “I love you, Ellie. And I’m so proud of you.”

“I love you too, Ethan,” I whisper, feeling a surge of emotion. “We make a pretty good team, don’t we?”

“The best,” he says, pulling me into a hug.

“Man, Ellie, this was incredible,” Jeremy says as he comes up behind us. “I’ll admit we were all a little hesitant about everything, but we had no reason to be.”

“You got a new friend out of it too.”

“I got a few actually,” he laughs. “I had a few kids come up to me saying that I was their favorite player. One of the kids told me he played on the youth hockey team, asked if I’d come to practice one day.”

“And what did you say?”

“Hell yeah, I told him that I’d clear it with the boss man first of course, but it’s a great idea.”

“It is. We’ve got it in the works to work with the high school team too. So many of these guys don’t have male role models in their lives and it would be great for them.”

“You know, one of the kids told me he was sad to read that I’d gotten into a fight in a bar. He told me that his dad had died because he got into a bar fight while drunk. Damn near broke my heart.”

“Puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?”

“It really does,” he replies. “Thanks for this, Elena. All of it’s been great. I’m glad you showed mercy on this loser and took him on as a client.”

I giggle and smile back at Jeremy. He walks off, his new pet in a travel carrier as he heads to his car.

“I never pictured him as a cat guy.”

“Easy to maintain, mostly,” I shrug with a grin.

Ethan shifts slightly, his face scrunches in pain.

“How’s the leg?” I ask.

“It’s fine. Why do you ask?”

“Because you winced.”

He laughs. “Maybe I did, but we’ve also been standing all day long. I’m exhausted.”

“Fair enough,” I smile. “Want to come back to my place for dinner? I’ll cook.”“I would love to, but I need to get home.”

“Okay.”

He gives me a kiss on the cheek and then leaves just as quickly.

What’s going on with him?