Page 70 of Game Changer
“Can you imagine actually dating him?” Maria asked. “It would be amazing. Like Cinderella.”
“Come on. My life isn’tthatshitty!”
“Well, it would be wild, anyway.”
“Mm.”
“You know, I was working on Saturday and he didn’t come in. I wonder if he’s found another silly superstition.”
“Well, there goes my entire love life,” Kip joked.
“I mean, all that shit went down with Zullo that day. He would have been distracted.”
“Yeah. Maybe.”
“When’s the next home game?”
“Wednesday,” Kip said, way too quickly.
Maria smirked. “So fucking cute. You ready for that interview today?”
“Nope. But I’m gonna do my best.”
“You think Scott Hunter will start going to the museum all the time if you start working there?”
“No. Shut up.”
“What if hedid? Oh my god. That would be incredible.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
Maria lowered her voice and did a truly terrible impression of Scott Hunter. “Oh, hey, um, I just like to keep things the same when my game is going well, so I’m gonna need Kip Grady to give me another private tour of the whole museum.”
Kip couldn’t help but laugh.
* * *
“Hunter, let’s go. Lunch is on me,” Carter said. They were the last two players in the locker room.
Scott had gritted his teeth through the practice. It hurt to bend. It hurt to shoot the puck. And itreallyhurt when anyone so much as brushed him. “I might have to freeze it on Wednesday,” he said. “It’s not a serious injury, but it’s slowing me down.”
“I mean, youcouldtake a night off and actually let it heal, but hey...”
“Wouldyou?”
Carter grinned at him. “No chance.”
They went to a nearby sushi place that Carter liked.
“So,” Carter said as they waited for the way-too-many maki rolls they’d ordered, “who’s being traded, do you think?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t.”
“They’re gonna make a play for someone big. I figure we’ll lose some young talent in exchange for an experienced defenseman.”
“Well,” Scott said, “that meanswe’reoff the hook.”
“I was thinking Burke. He’s not that young, but he’s a good winger and we’re rich with talent on the front lines right now.”
