Colleen: Love you. Text me when you land.
Ryan: Ok. Love you.
He tucked his phone into the seat pocket so he didn’t risk crushing it in his hand during takeoff. Thank god for Colleen. His sister was only three years younger than him, and they’d been thick as thieves growing up together in a town of less than two thousand people. Leaving her behind had been one of the hardest parts of turning pro.
The plane began to move, and Ryan gripped the armrests. He closed his eyes, and went through his breathing exercises.It’s fine. Everything is fine.
When he opened his eyes, he could see the grinning, idiotic faces of Dallas Kent and Troy Barrett peering at him from around their aisle seats. As soon as he caught their eyes, they started laughing. Even though several rows divided them from him, Ryan could hear Dallas say something like “He looks like he’s going to have a heart attack.”
Assholes.
“Hey,” said Wyatt, who probably guessed what was happening. “Did you ever play for Nashville? I forget.”
“No,” said Ryan. “Haven’t played for any Western teams.”
“Ah. I thought I was going to be drafted by Nashville. My agent thought it was going to happen. But then...Toronto.”
“Were you disappointed?”
Wyatt grinned. “A little. But then I met Lisa in Toronto, so it all worked out.”
Ryan had only met Wyatt’s wife, a doctor, once, at a team dinner. She and Wyatt had met when Wyatt had been in the hospital with a broken collarbone. Ryan wasn’t surprised that he had managed to charm her in such a short time.
“Not that I ever get to see her,” Wyatt added. “The only thing worse than marrying a hockey player is marrying a doctor. Don’t do it.”
“Okay.” Since Ryan hadn’t even been on adatein over a year, it definitely wasn’t a problem he was worried about.
The plane turned, and then stopped, and Ryan knew they were about to take off. He hated this part. He hated all the parts, but hereallyhated this part.
“You can tell me to shut up if you want,” Wyatt said, “but does it help if I talk right now?”
“Yeah,” Ryan gritted out. “Keep talking.”
“You should come with me next time I visit the center.” Wyatt was a regular visitor to a community center in a low-income area of Toronto. He would hang out with the kids, playing floor hockey and distributing Toronto Guardians merchandise.
“You really think kids would be excited to meet me?” Ryan asked dubiously.
“Sure. Why not?”
“Wouldn’t they rather meet Kent? Or Barrett?” Ryan nodded his head in the direction of the two jerkoffs who also happened to be NHL All-Stars.
“I don’t think those shitheads should be allowed within a hundred yards of children. Or anyone. Bad influences.”
The plane’s engine roared to life and jolted forward, and Ryan shut his eyes and listed NHL teams alphabetically in his head. In seconds, he knew, this would be over. He just needed to get through it.
“I mean, they’ve mostly been getting visits from the backup goalie, so I’m sure a defenseman who plays actual minutes would be exciting for them,” Wyatt continued, politely ignoring Ryan’s increased state of distress. “Plus, you’re enormous. Kids love that.”
Ryan grimaced, but forced himself to reply. “Kids are scared of me.”
“Nah. You’re like Chewbacca. They’ll love you.”
By some miracle, Ryan actually laughed while being on a plane during takeoff. “Thanks a lot.”
Wyatt kept talking, telling him about some of the kids he’d met during his visits. Ryan didn’t respond much, but he listened intently. After a few minutes of Ryan listening silently with his eyes squeezed shut, Wyatt said, “I think we’ve leveled off, by the way.”
Ryan opened one eye, and then the other. It always astonished him how calm everyone around him seemed on a plane. His teammates were just chatting and joking around, or putting on headphones, or flipping down their tables to play cards. Some were asleep. Ryan couldn’t even fathom being relaxed enough tosleepon a plane.
“We made it!” Wyatt smiled at him.
