“Yeah, Lucy’s team is playing the team here tomorrow. Some kind of charity event. She’s supposed to stay over and head back on Wednesday. She got special permission from her coach to not travel with the team.”
“This is the same Lucy who found you that day?”
I nod. “I’d probably be dead if she hadn’t gotten me help as quickly as she did. I had a lot of internal bleeding.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you,” she says softly. “I know you probably don’t want to talk about it and I’m not going to push you to, but I’m here if you need to talk or just a shoulder to cry on.”
“Thanks. As much as I’d rather not think about it, it’s hard to do anything but that while I wait on Cherese to call me.”
“I hate waiting on things, especially things that make me anxious. It’s good we have something to keep our minds off it.”
“I almost called to see if I could pick up a shift at work to make sure I was busy, but it’s Hutch and Collin’s first day. I wanted to be here for that. Did I tell you they think they’ll actually get on the ice today?”
“Really? They should have asked me. AJ’s first day with the Florida team was spent on paperwork, meeting with marketing, the PR rep, and then the coaches. I don’t think he actually saw the actual ice for a few days.”
“Days?”
Christa nods thoughtfully. “I think it had to do with rebuilding the Florida team. It was the same one Shaw Chandlerwas on. He got out before it blew up and AJ was one of the first pickups to start to rebuild it after they fired everyone. That might have had something to do with the delay.”
“Probably,” I agree.
“They’re going to get a big culture shock too,” Chrisa continues as she starts chopping vegetables. “They only practice as a whole team once or twice a week, usually on days they don’t have games. The rest of the time is spent in the gym, with the conditioning coach, and with their individual coaches.”
“They get individual coaches?”
“Well, the position they play does. With Hutch, he’ll do a lot of work with the coach for the position of center since that’s what he plays. He’ll get individualized attention as well as playing with the other centers to help improve his skills.”
“You know a lot about hockey.”
“I learned since it was important to AJ and I hate being in a room where they’re talking shop and I don’t understand what’s being said. I’m too much of a nerd to just shrug and pretend to understand. I want to put my two cents into the conversation.’
“I should probably learn shouldn’t I?
“Probably. I have some books that will explain the player positions, what they do, and the game in general if you want to borrow them.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“I’m assuming you and Hutch are a thing now?”
“He wore me down.”
“He’s a good guy.”
“I know. I guess I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
“What do you mean?”
“I thought Joe was a good guy too, but he turned out to be awful.”
“I get that, but I don’t think comparing Hutch and Joe is fair.”
“It’s not and I’m getting better at not doing it. It’s more of a me thing. I don’t trust myself to make calls about guys anymore. But Lucy verbally knocked some sense into me. If I don’t take a chance, then I let Joe win and I miss out on something really special and I know in my bones, whatever this is between me and Hutch, it’s special. It’s what gave me the courage to finally say fuck it, I’m in.”
“It’s so weird to hear you cuss,” she muses.
“I don’t do it a lot. Nana was not one for putting up with foul language, but even she agreed some situations called for it.”
“I think I would have liked your Nana.”
