Page 96 of Hockey Player Seeking Fan

She smiles.

“Because I want to say that I’m married to the MVP of the NHL… or is it NFL?”

She wrinkles her nose. “Or is it NBA?”

“Oh my gosh, really, Erica?”

She bursts out laughing.

“Gotcha. I know it’s not the NBA. Now go. Scoot. Make me proud.”

“Always,” I say. “I love you, Erica Carrington.”

“I love you, Tyler Kane. Now go.”

I run down the steps and back toward the ice. Coach looks at me, shaking his head.

“Are we going to have to have a serious talk here? Am I going to have to ban?—”

“No, Coach. I’m good. I’m real good.”

“Oh?” he says, tilting his head and eyeing me. “You’ve never had a girl come watch you play before.”

“I haven’t.”

“You’ve never had a girl at your games—at least not one you were dating.”

“I haven’t.”

“You dating her?”

“I hope so,” I say with a wide grin.

“You hope so?”

“Yeah. I kinda love her. And I think she kinda loves me.”

Coach rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

“Is that what this was all about? You got bit by the love bug?”

“You got a problem with that, Coach?”

“No. But you’re gonna play good hockey?”

“I’m gonna fucking kill it,” I say. “Trust me.”

“Good,” he says. “Now get on the ice and show me why I’m paying you the big bucks.”

“Yes, Coach.”

I skate onto the ice and glance over at Elliot. His jaw is wide open, and he looks pissed. I skate toward him. If he’s staying on the team and I’m going to be with Erica, we need to have words.

“I fucking knew it,” he says. “You just wanted to?—"

“I’m going to say this one more time, Elliot. Because obviously Erica is my woman. I didn’t know when you were going on a date with her that this was going to happen. However, I still don’t think you treat women well, and I will be watching you. You hear me?”

He blinks.