Page 51 of Slapshot
Lex
Kaitlyn sits across from me at the coffeehouse. She’s tapping away on her computer, pen between her teeth. We’re supposed to be studying but only one of us is accomplishing it. I’m distracted. It’s my new thing, apparently. Even when she’s not around, I find myself thinking about her—remembering something she said or did.
She looks up and catches me staring. Her brows raise and an amused smile tugs at the corner of her lips. “You’re supposed to be studying.”
“I am.”
“Studying English lit, not me.”
“You’re more interesting.” If Kaitlyn were a class, I’d be acing it for sure.
She laughs. “If your grade slips, you won’t play.”
Fuck, she’s right. I straighten in my chair and pull up the study questions. The weekly quizzes are kicking my ass. I do all the reading, but my eyes glaze over for most of it. Sitting still to read anything has never been my thing. Still, I’m managing to keep decent grades so far.
“How’s your marketing project coming, the Vino and Veritas one?”
“Good. I had to submit the idea with notes and an outline. The professor loved it. Now I just need to finish typing up my analysis and recommendations. I think I’m going to use it for my interview with Hawthorne Marketing at the career fair.”
“What do you want to do when you graduate?”
“You need to read,” she says with a smile.
“Yeah, yeah. I will.”
“IfI get an internship with Hawthorne, then I’m hoping I’ll have an in after graduation. They’re the best marketing firm in Boston.”
“Huh.” I try to picture her in a big office in a downtown building.
“What?”
“Nothing, I guess I’m surprised you don’t want to work with your dad. They have a marketing department, yeah?”
“Yes, but there’s no way I’m working for him. I haven’t been inside Dalager Sports headquarters in years. Besides, you don’t want to work with your dad either.”
“That’s different. I might want to if it had anything to do with hockey.” I shut my book. Let’s be honest, I’m not getting any studying done right now. “What’s your deal with him anyway? Was he a shit dad?”
“No,” she says quickly and then her mouth pulls into a tight line. “We’re just not close, okay?”
I really want to know more so I can understand where all the animosity comes from, but her tone is clear that this isn’t open for discussion, so I nod. “Okay.”
* * *
Later that afternoon, I get her on the ice with me while I test out the five-eighths radius. The twins and Jonah stayed, too, and we run some light drills. Kaitlyn hangs by the side, observing.
“What do you think?” she asks as I skate up to her.
“You were right.”
She leans closer with a smug smile. “I’m sorry. What was that?”
I take her hand and pull her out farther onto the ice. “Let’s see what you got, Dalager.”
I pick up my stick and hand it to her. The guys stop and Pax sends an easy pass to her while I go and grab another stick from the bench. She stops the puck and adjusts her grip.
I hang off to the side while I watch her take a shot that slides in on the right side of the net.
Patrick pulls it out and sends it back to her, but this time I get in front of her.
