“You’ll never know if you don’t try.”
“True.” He frowns, a heavy sigh leaving him. “I just worry, you know? If I let myself want it and then it doesn’t happen…not sure what that would do to me.”
“I get it, but if you let fear hold you back, then that’s a regret that’ll hang over you the rest of your life. The what if factor as my mom calls it. She told me once that if I lived with that kind of regret, it could ruin me later. So I just go for what I want and if it doesn’t work, then at least I tried.”
“Maybe,” he says.
“Think about it, yeah?” I tell him as we board the elevator that’ll take us upstairs to the family room. “But make sure to let Coach know so he can let the scouts know. We had scouts from several teams tonight. I bet if he calls them to let them know you’re interested in the NHL, they’ll remember you.”
“Yeah, I’ll think about it.”
Dylan’s a great player. I hope he figures out what he wants. He’d be a solid player for any team.
My mind shifts away from Dylan when we reach the fourth floor of the facility where the family room is located. Daisy will be waiting.
I see her mane of red hair the second I enter the room. She’s the only redhead in the room and her nose is just as red. Her cold meds might be starting to wear off. Did she bring more with her or did she leave them in her room? I bet she didn’t know how long a hockey game was let alone all the interviews we give afterward.
She sneezes just as I reach her and my frown deepens. Krista should have taken her straight home. It seems everyone else thinks so too as most of the room’s occupants are on the other side far away from Daisy.
“Hey.”
She looks up and the first thing I notice is her eyes are watery. She turns away as another round of sneezing hits her.The girl should be in her bed where she can be miserable in private.
“Come on, I’m taking you home. Mom, I’ll see you later. Thanks for bringing her, Christa.”
Not giving her a second to even say anything, I take her hand and lead her out of the room and back towards the elevators. Everyone moves out of the way not wanting to get sick themselves.
She turns her head into her coat and coughs as we get on the elevator and I push the button to go down.
“You should have stayed home.” I feel horrible for pushing her to come tonight.
“It’s fine.”
She sounds hoarse, like it’s moving into her chest. She’s never going to forgive me if she develops a nasty chest infection. I’m not sure I’d forgive me either.
“Yeah, no.” We step off the elevator and I look left and right before grabbing her hand and running for the back doors. There are reporters and bunnies near the main entrance. Most of us use these doors since no one but staff and athletes are allowed back here. Hopefully none of the reporters will try to follow us to my Jeep.
Once I have her settled into the passenger seat, I climb in and call the smaller pub where I know most of the team won’t be. The place makes a good burger and fries. I’m starved. They have soup too.
“Do you like broccoli cheddar or potato soup?”
She shrugs and leans her head against the window.
“Give me an order of both and a two liter of Mountain Dew. You good with that?”
She makes a face. “It’s too sweet.”
“What kind of soda do you drink?”
“Dr. Pepper, cherry doctor pepper if they have it.”
“Isn’t that sweeter than the Dew?”
“Nope.”
“If you say so.” I finish the order and tell them I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“Should you be eating all that junk?”
