“Uh, this is Daisy. Daisy, this is Coach.”
“David Grimes.” He reaches a hand for me to shake. “Nice to meet you Daisy.”
“Are we in trouble?” I can’t keep the worry out of my voice. I can’t afford to get suspended or my scholarship taken.
“You would be if he didn’t just beat his own speed record.”
“What?” Hutch spits out.
“You just hit five seconds faster than your best time from last season. Skate like that tomorrow night and the scouts will be back.”
“I…I don’t know what I did.”
“You were skating without the pressure of being the fastest.” I tap his chest. “You skated from here and not your head.”
Coach grins. “I like this one. You should keep her.”
“Nobody’s keeping me. He dragged me here without a choice after kidnapping me because he thinks I don’t eat enough.”
“You hadn’t eaten all day.”
“Daisy, are you coming to the game tomorrow?”
“Uh…I’m not a big hockey fan.”
“She doesn’t know anything about the game.” Hutch looks absolutely scandalized when he says it.
“Then you best teach her,” Coach says. “Make sure she gets tickets to the game. And she’s right. Stay out of your head and just skate. Don’t think about the scouts or the NHL. Take it one game at a time. I should have seen how stressed you were.”
“You were stressed for me.”
He nods and points to Daisy. “I was. But this one is good for you. If she’s got you skating like this, then she’s got my vote. Even if the girl can’t skate for shit.”
“Your vote for what?” I ask, ignoring his snark.
He only smiles. “We’re getting ready to shut down the rink for the night so I’m going to have to shoo you two out of here.”
“Yes, sir.” Hutch gives him a mock salute and helps me off the ice.
It’s not until we’re pulling into the drive of my house that he mentions the game. “You’re coming to the game, right?”
“I don’t know. Hockey just isn’t my thing.”
“Please?” His eyes plead with me.
“I’ll think about it.”
“I’ll bring you tickets tomorrow before I head over for the game.”
“I didn’t say I was coming.”
“You didn’t say you weren’t either so I’ll stay hopeful.”
Shaking my head, I grab my bag. “See you later and thanks for lunch.”
“Hey, don’t forget your skates.”
“You should take them back. I’m not using them again. I can’t skate.”
