Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 104081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 520(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 520(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
The whistle fell from his mouth, and a grin split his face. “Well, I’ll be damned. Vince Tanev.”
That made half the rink stop skating, and one by one, the kids lit up with recognition.
“Nice to see you, Coach,” I said, shaking his hand. His players had stopped skating, and were standing at various places in the rink watching us and whispering to each other.
“I thought you were joking, you know.”
“Well, here’s proof that I was serious.”
Bobby and I had played at Michigan together. But where I went to the show, he came back to his hometown to coach at the rink where he’d learned how to play. He wanted to give back to the community that gave so much to him, and to give more kids with lesser financial means the opportunity to play.
Hockey wasn’t exactly cheap, and I respected him more than I could say for giving up his own dream to help the kids in his community chase theirs.
I was far too selfish, too driven to be the best for me to ever do the same.
When we’d graduated, on our last night out, I told Bobby I’d come see him when I was in the city. He’d laughed me off, saying I’d be too busy fighting off girls to remember him.
Seeing his smile right now was worth more than any night I’d ever had with a puck bunny.
Without a word, he clapped me on the shoulder, his eyes speaking volumes. “How long do we have you for?”
“Maybe an hour.”
His eyes flicked behind me to Maven then, and he arched a brow at me before extending a hand for her. “Excuse my former teammate for being a rude sonofabitch,” he said. “I’m Bobby.”
“Maven,” she said, smiling as she shook his hand.
I realized then that only half the kids on the rink were staring at me, because the other half were very firmly staring at her. They had to be somewhere in the twelve to fourteen range, so I couldn’t blame them.
Maven was a sexual awakening if I ever did see one.
“Ah, you’re the one giving us all access to Tampa’s Hotshot Rookie!” he said, giving me a fake one-two punch with the words. He shook his head once he was upright again. “I think they should have you in front of the camera, if you ask me.”
Maven smiled. “I’m nowhere near as interesting as this one,” she said, pointing to me.
“And he’s nowhere near as jaw dropping.”
Bobby always had a way with the ladies, which was exactly why he was already married at twenty-three.
“Alright, easy there, Bobbers,” I said.
“What, you two dating?”
“No,” Maven answered quickly.
Bobby grinned, looking at me like he saw something I didn’t. “Then I guess I’m free to remark on her beauty all day if I want to, Vinny.”
“And I’m free to tell your wife about it?”
He pointed at me. “You win. Alright!” He blew his whistle, calling his team over. “Well, boys. We have approximately sixty minutes with Vince Tanev.” He grinned at me when they all buzzed with excitement at the confirmation of it really being me. When he turned back to them, he asked one simple question. “Where should we start?”
He was met with silence.
And then, every player talking over each other trying to be the one to answer first.
Once I had on skates and pads, I took to the ice, running drills with the team and offering pointers where I had them. When I’d look over at Maven, Bobby was always yakking it up beside her. The guy couldn’t help himself.
I spent about forty-five minutes on the ice, and the last fifteen taking pictures and signing autographs. Then, with one last hug from my former teammate and friend, Maven and I were back in the car and on our way to the hotel.
I already felt more refreshed, energized by the excitement of the kids at the rink.
“Bobby had some fun stories to tell,” Maven said as we rode across town.
“About all the records I broke at Michigan?”
“More about how many girls you left heartbroken in your wake.”
My smile flattened.
Damn it, Bobby.
Maven snuffed a laugh through her nose. “Don’t worry. I told him it was nothing I didn’t already know.”
I realized then she was preparing a post on her phone, a video of me skating drills with the kids pulled up. I covered it with my hand.
“Don’t.”
She frowned. “What?”
“Don’t post it.”
Her jaw went slack, confusion drawing her brows together. “But…”
“Some things aren’t for public consumption.”
I held my hand over her phone while she watched me, only pulling it away when I was sure I’d made it clear. She kept her eyes on me even after I removed my hand.
And there was something in her gaze, something that was becoming my new favorite drug.
Proof that I’d proven her wrong about me.
Not with any help from my former teammate, it appeared.