Page 51 of Forecasting the Forward

“I do like to make an entrance,” I joke, making Coach crack a smile. “Coach Davenport, allow me to introduce you to my wife, Becca Stephens. Uh, Mitchell. Becca Mitchell? Becca Stephens-Mitchell. Shit. We haven’t discussed the name thing yet.”

Becca giggles as Coach extends a hand. “Hello, Becca. My wife is a huge fan.”

“Really?” Becca asks incredulously.

“She’s a quintessential nerd, as she puts it. She loves the long-term forecasts you put out every year. Tells me all about La Niña, the polar vortex, and all of that stuff. Every conversation we have includes weather in some form,” Coach says with a smile.

“Awe, I love that. Tell her I’d love to meet her. Would she like a tour of the studio, do you think?”

“She’d fucking love that. Her name is Elsie. I’ll tell her to email you.” Coach looks at me. “If I had known you’d be here with two full periods to play, I wouldn’t have left you off the official roster for tonight, Jax. The NHL is pretty damn specific about repercussions for giving what they refer to as false statements, so I can’t let you dress and play.”

“I didn’t expect to play. I’m happy to be here and support the team in any way I can.”

“Go watch from the box. I’m sure your wife will have questions about the game,” Coach says with a smirk. He shakes Becca’s hand again. “Welcome to the team, Becca. You’re part of the family now.”

As he strides away, Becca turns to me wide-eyed. “I think I blacked out. Did they all greet me?”

“Pretty much.” Well, except for Gavin Dunn. Fucking asshat.

“Except that one gremlin-looking guy,” Becca snorts, then gasps. “Oh my God, that was so mean. Is he your friend? Please tell me he’s not your friend.”

I throw back my head in raucous laughter. “He is absolutely not my friend. Also his girlfriend is heinous, so be advised when you meet her.”

She frowns, a look of distaste crossing her face. “Do I have to meet her? My poker face is pretty nonexistent. She’ll immediately know how I feel.”

“You’ll meet her at some point. It’s bound to happen. We have team events where the wives and girlfriends attend. Shelikes to size up the newbies, acting like she’s the queen bee of the group. She’ll probably make it her mission to seek you out and put you in your place.”

“I’m so out of my element,” Becca mutters. Grabbing her hand, I pull her to walk beside me as we head toward the elevators.

“I’ll introduce you to people I know you’ll like. The gremlin-looking guy, as you called him, is Gavin Dunn. His hockey nickname is Dunner, and his girlfriend is Avery. Once Avery realizes you aren’t going to cower, she’ll leave you alone.”

“But I am a cowerer. And I’m one hundred percent okay with cowering. You know what I don’t like? Confrontations. She can very much be the queen bee, and I’ll stay hiding in the corner where I’m very comfortable.”

Arriving at the elevator, I push the button, before looking down at Becca. She chews on her lower lip nervously, and I resist the urge to pull her lip from between her teeth with my mouth. Instead, I gently grab her chin between my thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up to look at me. “I am totally a fan of confrontations. You cool if I do the confronting? Then I’ll join you in your comfy corner.”

Becca gives me a relieved smile. “You’re gonna fight for me?”

“Darlin’, there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for you.”

I’mquiet as we take an elevator up. Jacob chats amicably with an arena employee, but I tune them out.

Is he being for real?

There isn’t much he wouldn’t do for me?

Double-negative aside, that might be the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me. I didn’t think he could top his whole ‘nothing about this is fake to me’ line from the airport, but he proved me wrong.

Everything I’ve experienced about Jacob Mitchell so far has created a war in my mind with what I thought I knew about the entire male species, and I’m having one hell of a time coming to terms with that. He’s been nothing but thoughtful and kind, patient and compassionate. My heart is ready to leap in, feet first, but my brain is putting on the brakes. He can’t be real. His flaws will show up, and they’ll be awful. He’s bound to let me down.

Should I trust in this?

I’m really in over my head. I should tell Jacob I don’t feel well, and go back to the hotel. Or maybe even the airport. Therehas to be a red-eye back to Denver, right? As I’m about to speak up, Jacob opens a door.

“You ready for Hockey 101?” Jacob asks as he guides me into what he described as a ‘box,’ but is actually a room with padded chairs and a partition separating the room from the stands. A handful of men in suits stand around the space, talking loudly, but Jacob walks to the edge and motions for me to sit down.

“Now you’re a teacher?” I ask wryly, and he gives me a big grin.

“Best you’re gonna get tonight. Do you know what that thing is called on the ice?” he asks, pointing down at an odd machine driving along the ice.

---