Him and I

The rest of the regular season passed in a blur as Vegas made their way not only into the playoffs, but to the division champions with home ice advantage.

Alex didn’t remember much about the first round. The first playoff win at home was nothing short of electric. She remembered what it had been like in Nashville the year before as the Preds had gotten further and further into the playoffs and it was already like that in Vegas.

Since games three and four were in Los Angeles and it was a quick plane ride there, Alex made the trek to the away games, swept up in the playoff fever. When they won game four, a sweep in their very first playoff appearance, Alex shouted with joy in the stands and then burst into tears.

The game ended a little after nine and she took an Uber to LAX, thankful that security was light before hurrying to the gate where her flight back to Las Vegas would leave at 10:15. She touched down an hour later, collecting her carry on and hurrying through the airport to the parking garage to get her car.

She arrived home ten minutes before James and she pounced as soon as he came through the door.

“Oh my god, you guys were incredible! A sweep!” She squealed as James caught her in his arms. He laughed as she peppered his face with kisses. “I’m so freaking proud of you, James.”

“It was fun, wasn’t it?”

“Johnny texted and said congrats on the sweep.”

“You talked to him already?”

She nodded as he set her down. “While I was waiting for my flight to leave.”

James locked up the downstairs and took Alex’s hand, leading her upstairs. “I’m glad you were there.”

“Me too.”

“To the victor goes the spoils, right?”

She giggled. “Tonight, James Neal, your wish is my command.”



The second round was against San Jose and the night before the series started, James and Alex had Paul over for dinner. His season had been very up and down with the Sharks and he had even been sent down to the minors for a brief stint. He had been healthy scratched for a number of games during the regular season but had made it back into the lineup before the end of the season and had stuck once playoffs started.

Game one against the Sharks was a seven goal shutout, with goals from seven different Golden Knights, including one from James. The two teams traded wins in games two, three, four, and five. Vegas prevailed in game six to win the series.

They had to wait three days to find out their next opponent as the Predators and Jets series went to seven games. Several of the guys came over to watch the game at their house. Alex had mixed emotions watching the game, finding it hard not to cheer for PK and their other friends, wanting them to continue on to fight for what they had come so close to the year before.

On the other hand though, she kind of wanted them to lose because then it meant James was continuing on and it felt a little bit like sweet vindication for them letting him go in the expansion draft.

Winnipeg took the lead and ran with it in Nashville, coming out on top 5-1. Alex knew watching the game that playing them in the next round was going to be a tough test. They also wouldn’t have home ice in that round and the travel would be a bit more than playing against LA and San Jose.

The day after game seven, James left to fly to Winnipeg to get ready for their first game. Alex meanwhile called PK to check on him.

“Hey, Alex,” he answered without his usual enthusiasm.

“I’m so sorry, PK. I wanted it to be you guys.”

“You just wanted it to be that so if James won you could rub it in all summer.”

She laughed. “Not true. I’d never rub it in your face. Now if we play Tampa at all, well, I can’t promise I wouldn’t potentially do that to Steven.”

PK chuckled and Alex was glad to hear it. “There’s always next year, right?”

“Exactly. Like Dory says, just keep swimming.”

“You and James headed to Whitby when it’s all over?”

“I think whatever happens next we’ll probably stay here until mid June before we pack up and leave. James’s agent has been negotiating with the team but they aren’t there yet; he might not be back here next season so we want to enjoy it to the end.”

“Does he want to come back?”

“He’d like to; we both love it here, more than we thought we would. And the bond with these guys and the city....it’s something else, PK. I can’t describe it. Nashville is amazing, the fans, the excitement, but here, it’s just as good if not better.”

“You can feel it even just watching on tv.”

“It’s even cooler in person.”

“Well, don’t tell Steven, but I’m rooting for them. I bet John is too. It’s the story of the playoffs.”

“I can’t believe it sometimes. They were all misfits that no one expected anything of. And now they’re going to play in the conference finals? I think I’m as proud of any of them as I am James.”

“You guys are a family. You’ll never be able to recapture this feeling so live in every moment of it.”

“We will. You’ll come to our Canada Day/Fourth of July party this year?”

“Wouldn’t miss it. Thanks for calling me, Alex and checking in. You’re a good friend.”

“Love ya, PK!”

He smacked his lips loudly and Alex laughed. “Love ya, mean it!”



There was one day between games four and five and James flew out to Winnipeg at noon that Saturday. Alex was making sure he had all his things and passed him his phone at the front door as he prepared to head out.

James bent his head, capturing Alex’s mouth under his in a kiss. “Your flight leaves at six tonight,” he whispered.

“What?!” Alex yelped with surprise.

James grinned. “You and Vero have first class tickets together and Flower and I booked you guys a suite at a fancy hotel. Tickets for the game will be at will call.”

“James....”

“You’ve been at every series clinching game so far. Can’t mess with that.”

“Hockey boys and their superstitions,” she teased.

“Hockey boys and their superstitions,” he agreed with a smile. “Now tell me.”

She rolled her eyes but leaned into him. Her lips ghosted over his ear. “You’re the best hockey player there ever was, James Neal.”

He smirked. “Damn right.”

She kissed his cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”



Game five of the Stanley Cup final was a do or die day.

They had taken game one at home and the energy, the electricity, that brimmed in the building, that filled it, was like nothing James or any of his teammates had ever experienced before. They rode that wave of momentum into game two and came up just short.

Alex traveled to DC for games three and four, offering wordless comfort to James after.

On the morning of game five, Alex made breakfast and James ate silently. She smiled and hummed to herself as she moved around the kitchen, dropping a kiss on the top of James’s head as she passed him.

“I gotta pick PK up at the airport and then we’re gonna grab breakfast and hang out for a bit. I’ll be back to make your pregame meal.”

“Will you be back to nap with me?”

She stopped and leaned against the counter. “Of course,” she smiled. “Nowhere else I’d rather be.”

“Don’t let PK sweep you off your feet and convince you to go to a drive through wedding chapel.”

“You know I can’t make those kind of promises, James,” she teased, a twinkle in her eye. “PK can be very persuasive.”

“Don’t let him be too persuasive.”

She crossed to him and nudged his knee until he turned and she could sit in his lap. She leaned in and kissed him. “There’s no one else on earth I want to be persuaded by but you.”



“Hey, sweetness,” PK greeted Alex as he slid into the passenger seat of her car.

“Sweetness?”

“Sugar pie?”

She rolled her eyes and pulled out into traffic as PK buckled. “No pet names then, got it,” PK said.

“How was your flight?”

“Good, good. How is James?”

“Quiet.”

PK nodded. “I remember the feeling.”

“I mean, I guess if it has to end, at least it’s gonna be to Ovi. If I had to pick another team to win it it’d be them.”

“Yeah.” There was a beat of silence before PK let loose his million dollar smile. “So what’s for breakfast? I’m starving.”



At the final buzzer, Alex stood, clapping for a season that had now come to its end. For every hard fought battle, every win and every loss, she clapped as the Knights made their way through the handshake line and then gave one last stick salute to the fans.

She excused herself from the row in the arena with the other WAGs and then headed downstairs quietly. None of the women gathered said much but there were quiet goodbyes and they slowly drifted out of the building. Alex and Vero walked out together, parked beside each other in the lot.

The two women hugged silently.

“I hope James is back next season, Alex. It won’t be the same without you if you’re not.”

“I know, V. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”

“Let’s all get together before we leave town.”

“That sounds fantastic.”

“I’ll call you in a couple days, once this settles down a little and we’ll make plans.”

“Perfect. Talk soon, V.”

She waved as she got into her car and Alex did the same, heading for home.

She let herself inside, leaving her keys on the table in the entryway along with her purse. She hung her decorated denim jacket on the coat rack and kicked off her shoes. Barefoot, she wandered into the kitchen and set a wine glass on the counter.

From the fridge she grabbed a bottle of rosé and poured herself a glass. When she heard the familiar roar of a car engine in the driveway, she stood, grabbing a tumbler from the cabinet. As the front door opened and she listened to James’s keys hit the table alongside hers, she dropped four ice cubes into the glass and poured whiskey into the glass.

When James entered the room, she passed the glass to him when he sat down beside her. They drank in silence for five minutes before finally James let out a heavy sigh.

With tears pricking her eyes, Alex reached out to wrap her fingers around his. She laid her head on his shoulder. “This fucking sucks,” James finally said lowly. “Fuck.” He twisted his fingers around hers tightly.

“I know it doesn’t mean much but win or lose, I still love you exactly the same.”

“I love you too, babe.”

“You wanna go to bed?”

“Yeah, let’s do that. Tomorrow’s a new day, right?”

“Right. Onward and upward.”

He smiled. “Onward and upward with you.”



A little more than a week after losing to the Capitals, the team held a fan event to celebrate the season and salute the community that had come together. Despite the loss, there was no denying the atmosphere as the crowd cheered and chanted for them.

After it was over, all the players and their wives and girlfriends gathered for dinner one last time before everyone slowly starting departing for their summer homes. Alex and James headed to Whitby on that Monday and after dinner with his family, they took off to the lake cottage to get away from everything and spend time just the two of them.

“Have I told you how much I enjoy all this new ink you’ve been getting?” Alex asked as her fingers lightly traced the patterns on his arm. They were lying in bed in the middle of the afternoon. Their phones were off and they were content in their little bubble from the world.

“You might have mentioned it a time or two,” James replied.

“Have I shown you?”

James raised an eyebrow at her. “I don’t believe you have.”

She smirked and pushed James to his back, moving to straddle his lap. “Let me remedy that then, sir,” she winked.