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Tyler
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"Dude, you're in better shape every day," Donnie, the newest transfer to the Chicago Blades, said on Tuesday.
We were in our team’s gym. Hanging out with the guys was hands down the one thing keeping me sane. I felt I was part of the team just because we were working out together. The guys had lost the first away game, and morale was low. Jett was avoiding conversation.
"I feel great, and my physical therapist says my shoulder is healing." During the session, I was also lifting arm weights, but I was under strict instructions not to do them on my own so I wouldn’t accidentally reinjure anything. Here with the guys, I only did cardio, weight training for my legs, and core muscle building. We had a team trainer, but my PT was a control freak, and until I was good as new, I didn’t mind following the program.
I wasn’t one to follow the rules, but I’d do anything to get back on the ice.
"How is your volunteering going?"
"I like it. Working with kids reminds me why I started playing and loving hockey in the first place: because I liked the game. Winning is just the icing on the cake." I increased the speed on the treadmill again, thinking about Kendra. Every time I remembered how she grew up, it had felt like a punch to my stomach. I’d always had my whole family backing me up no matter what. I honestly couldn't imagine how it must feel to take the world on by yourself. I had immense respect for Kendra and her sister.
Last night, it had taken every ounce of my self-control to leave Kendra’s apartment. All I’d wanted was to stay. I wanted her. But even though she’d tried to put on a brave face, she’d been shaken, and I wasn’t an asshole. I wasn’t going to take advantage of her.
I had a great plan. I was going to lay the groundwork while she was away, and once she was back, all bets were off.
"Dude, we need to bring the Stanley Cup home this year too," Steve said. He was on the rowing machine. Damn thing was practically a full-body workout.
“I second that,” Bob said. He was closest to us, lifting weights and eavesdropping. Bob was on the first line, left wing—and nosy.
“Hey, why don’t you all stop gossiping and focus?” Steve called out.
“Yes, Captain,” Bob replied.
Once I finished training, I went to our lounge area, where we relaxed after workouts. We also had a huge screen and comfortable couches here. We used the room mostly to watch games and analyze plays, both of other teams and ours.
To my surprise, our manager joined us. He rarely came here. John Daniels was fifty-five and was known as the most business-oriented manager in the league. He had gray hair cropped short, and always wore a suit. I respected him for his ability to bring in the best players. But he saw this as a business only, and I didn’t like it.
“Boys, don’t let me keep you from whatever you’re doing,” he said as Steve pressed Play on the last game. “I only want to talk to Tyler.”
We stepped outside the room.
"How is your shoulder?"
"Didn't you get the report from the physical therapist?"
He nodded. "I did, but I want your take on it. There's a lot of medical jargon in there. I want to know how you feel about it."
"It's solid. In about two more weeks, I'll probably be able to start training with the team again and shortly after ready for play."
He looked at me, nodding and frowning. "Good. Keep up with the physical therapy and the weight training. And the volunteering, how is that going?"
"I'm enjoying it. The coordinator the center assigned me is great to work with. Kendra’s very involved in what she does and one of the best people I’ve met.”
Daniels cocked a brow. “I trust you’re keeping things professional?”
I frowned. “Meaning?”
“Exactly what I said.”
“My personal life is no one’s business.”
“You’re on thin ice, Maxwell. Don’t fuck things up.”
With that, he walked away, leaving me even more pissed at him than I already was. Daniels was way out of line. He had no business telling me what to do in my personal life as long as it didn't affect my performance. No one dictated what I could or couldn’t do. No one.
I was still fuming later that afternoon, but I had a skate session with the kids, and I for sure was not going to miss that.
"Tyler, what am I doing wrong?" Rupert asked, skating and stopping right in front of me. He’d missed again. Poor kid.
"Buddy, your hold on the stick is still not a hundred percent where it should be."
He slumped his shoulders. "I'm the worst on the team.”
He had the most trouble, no question, so I gave him a pep talk.
"Practice the way I told you, and you'll eventually get the hang of it. But it’ll take a while. Just don't give up."
"But everyone else can already do it," he argued.
"I know that's frustrating, but there's no way around this. You just have to keep trying. Practice even when you’re not on the ice. You’ll get the hang of your stick, and it’ll become second nature."
"You're always so good at everything."
I shook my head. "I didn't start like that, buddy. I started like all of you, playing at school, doing my best. It takes commitment, true dedication. Just set your mind on it, and you’ll eventually get it done."
"Really? You were like us?"
"Yeah. I was a kid too.” I grinned. “Come on, go back to your teammates and show them what you can do."
"I'm ruining the game."
"No, don’t say that. Be confident, okay? I can already tell you're getting better," I assured him.
I enjoyed training these kids even more than I thought I would. They had enthusiasm and innocence, and they had a competitive streak too, but not in the do-or-die mentality that was the battle for the Stanley Cup. I'd always assumed I would coach a professional team after retiring, but it was unexpectedly rewarding to work with kids. As a bonus, there was no fucking management to answer to.
The skate session ended twenty minutes later, and while the rest of the kids changed, I showed Rupert some tricks and how to hold the stick. The guy had determination, and in my experience, if you wanted something bad enough and you were willing to put in the effort and sweat, it would eventually work out.
Half an hour later, everyone was ready to go. There was a supervisor in the stands too, as usual. I’d found out that the club picked the kids up with a bus, but they needed a teacher present. Mr. Dawson was their biology teacher.
“Kids, I have some bad news for you,” he said while we all went out. “The fundraiser didn’t work out. There’s not enough money for the field trip, so the principal decided the funds will be used to buy new school books.”
There was a collective groan from the group.
“But we did so much research about the Apple River Canyon State Park,” Tim said, sounding disappointed. He was the group’s spokesman of sorts. “How can we complete the assignment if we don’t see it?”
“We’ll watch videos,” Mr. Dawson said, trying to appease the kids.
The boys didn’t look happy at all. I didn’t blame them. If someone got me excited for a trip and then canceled it, I’d react the same way.
“What happened?” I asked the teacher as I nudged him over to the side of the walkway.
“I wanted to organize an outing for the boys, but even I knew it was a long shot. I shouldn’t have gotten the kids’ hopes up.”
“When was it supposed to be?”
“In two weekends.”
“Is The Illinois Volunteer Society involved with this?”
“No, no. The fundraiser was something the school organized.”
We chatted about it a bit more, and I started thinking about the possibilities. We said our goodbyes, and I headed to my car.
I mulled it over in my mind on the ride home, ideas forming in my head. As soon as I stepped inside my condo, I called Kendra, but she didn’t pick up. It was six thirty. Her workshop should have been over by now.
Tyler: Call me back when you can. I want to talk to you about something.
Kendra: We’re having drinks tonight, but let me find a quiet spot.
She called me a few minutes later.
"Hi," she answered, almost out of breath.
“Hey, you. Were you running?”
“Yeah, sort of. The group is trying to decide where to have dinner, and I wanted to call you before we leave.”
Fuck, she was cute.
“Couldn’t wait to talk to me, huh?”
“Ooohhh, your cocky side is strong tonight. In that case, I didn’t.”
I liked that she changed from shy to sassy in a split second—that she went toe to toe with me every time. Our dynamic was definitely changing, becoming more comfortable, and I liked it.
“So... what did you want to talk about?”
"The kids told me that the school was trying to do a fundraiser so they could go to the Apple River Canyon State Park. It didn’t work out, so I want to pay for it."
"Oh my God. Why?"
"Because they looked disappointed, and because I can do it."
She let out a sound that nearly made me think my ear was going to explode. I moved the phone a little farther away from my ear.
"I can’t believe you want to do this. First you took them to the pool, and now this? You're spoiling them."
"Someone should. They’re good kids, Kendra, and they were so excited to go. You should have seen how deflated they were when their teacher told them the news."
"No, I get that. I hate for this to have happened to them too. This is obviously out of the scope of your volunteering, but I can run it by my boss and the school. The school principal knows me because The Illinois Volunteer Society has brought some speakers for their Career Days.”
Career Days? Jesus, the kids are only twelve.
“I think it’s better if I speak with them rather than you contacting them directly. I can help them understand the importance of this to the kids, okay?" she went on.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever gets them to agree is fine with me. I totally trust you,” I responded. And really, I trusted her more than she’d ever know. The sincerity and kindness I’d found in this woman was a magnet for me. I then asked her, “Since this isn’t a preapproved activity, does that mean you'll join us?"
"Oh, so that’s the real reason you're doing it." I could tell she was teasing me, but I didn’t want to give her the wrong idea either way.
"No, the kids matter to me, you know that. But I want you there. It's a win-win. The kids get their trip, and I get you. I have big plans for the day."
"Should I be afraid?"
"No, just prepared."
“You know, you talk a big game, Tyler, but I only got two kisses out of it all.”
“That’s because I want you to trust me first, implicitly. And we’re not there yet.”
She gasped. “Why would you say that? I mean... did I do anything that made you think that?”
“No, it’s a guess. Am I wrong?”
“I do trust you. More than any guy, but I’m... careful. I’ve always been like this.”
I understood. Her life hadn’t been easy, and she always needed to fend for herself. I didn’t want to move too fast. I wanted us together on her terms.
“I thought so.”
After a brief pause, she added, “I love that you want to do this for them.”
“I love that you’ll be there.”
“With a bunch of others.”
“We’re going to sneak in some alone time. You should expect a lot of flirting,” I said.
“And you should expect the same in return. A word of warning. You might not be able to handle it.”
I grinned at the thought. “Game on.”