Page 173 of Slap Shot

Easy E:A whole fucking lot.

G-Money:The trolls on the internet would lose their minds if they found out we told each other I love you. LOL. I love it.

**

Madeline:I know it’s March and still a little cold outside, but Lucy wants to know if we can get ice cream tonight after dinner.

Me:Do we need dinner? Can we skip straight to the ice cream?

Madeline:That’s not a very balanced diet, Hayes. You know nutrition is important!

Me:Fine. Dinner, then ice cream. What’s on the menu tonight?

Madeline:You didn’t look at the calendar I sent you this week?

Me:Stopped looking at that months ago. I love everything you make. You’re always going to get a yes from me.

Madeline:*Attachment: 1 image*

Madeline:Do I get a yes on this bra I bought?

Me:Christ, Mads.

Me:You’re going to make me have a heart attack.

Me:A thousand yeses.

Madeline:Glad you like. I’ll let you take it off of me tonight.

Me:Sorry, what? I’m still staring at the photo you sent. Might make it my phone background.

Madeline:You would never.

Me:You’re right. I wouldn’t. But fuck do I want to.

**

Lucy skips ahead of us down the sidewalk with the dogs, and Madeline nudges my side.

“Hey,” she says, and I look down at her. “Are you okay?”

“What?” I scrub a hand over my face, trying to pull myself back to our conversation instead of zoning out like I have been. “I’m fine.”

“You were quiet all of dinner. And you haven’t said anything in five minutes.”

“Just have a lot on my mind.” I shrug. “Hockey, you know?”

I don’t want to tell her I’ve been a pile of fucking nerves all day. Every time she and Lucy would have a conversation, my fingers itched to join them. I almost started signing when Lucy asked Madeline when my next game is, but I want to make this special for them.

“No, I don’t know,” Madeline teases. “I can confidently say that’s not something I think about regularly. There’s only a month left in the regular season, right?”

“Yeah. We’re locked in for the playoffs, and we should have home ice advantage for the first round. Y’all are going to come to a couple of playoff games, right? They’re way better than the regular season.”

“We can definitely make time for that. Maybe my parents can fly out for one. They haven’t been to DC yet, and I’m sure my dad could be easily swayed to leave the nice Vegas weather with tickets close to the ice.”

I laugh. “Hey. At least it isn’t as gloomy as it was last month.”

“It’s still pretty dreary, Hayes. A far cry from the mid-seventies they have right now.”

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