“Why did you punch him?”
“I have my reasons.”
“And you won’t share those reasons?” Her right brow arches.
I just stare back.
“What if I say it’s a condition to not trade you?”
I force myself to remain still. “Then it was an honor playing for the Bobcats.”
We face off like dueling gunslingers from an old movie. Expression steely, arms tense. Hands hovering over the trigger, but neither of us shoot.
I love wearing the Bobcat black and gold. Playing in L.A. for the last three years is as close to a home as I’ve had in years. The stability of being in one place. The security of that leading me to buy a bar and name it for my dad. Working with Stefan Carlson, a man who first coached me at university and brought me to join him when he made the leap to the NHL. Hell, even my Stockholm-syndrome friendship with Wes. I’ll not hurt someone I care about to keep that. I’ve had to rebuild before. Fuck, it’s been my life since dad died.
“I can respect that.” She sighs, breaking our standoff. “I took over in November. This will be the first full season under my leadership, and I want…Ineedto win. Can you help me win?”
“I’ll try.”
“I didn’t ask you to try.” Her brows knit. “Will you play to win?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” A grin spreads across her face. Turning on her heels, she saunters toward the door.
I can’t help but blink.What just happened? Am I staying?
She stops and looks over her shoulder. “Oh, Iverson, tell that new girlfriend of yours I’ll be in touch to discuss universal design for the arena.”
My nose scrunches. “My girlfriend?”
“Penelope Meadows.”
“Pen isn’t my?—”
Her husky laugh cuts me off. “Oh, Rowdy Rowan you don’t think I can spot a planted story from a mile away? I’ve been on a first name basis with my family’s publicist since I was ten.”
Universal design? Story?My hands clench and unclench at my sides.
Sasha made calls, but I thought it was to make the pictures go away. There shouldn’t be a story.
“You two make a cute couple.” She winks then points to my discarded dumbbell. “Try not to break the equipment or I’ll take it out of that outrageous salary I pay you,” she warns and walks out the door.
As soon as Madeline is gone, I pull my mobile out of my gym bag I’d tossed into the weight room’s corner. Plopped back onto the weight bench, I quickly googleuniversal design. It sounds like a term a villain from a dystopian sci-fi film uses to enslave humanity. Rather, it’s an architectural term that focuses on the creation of spaces accessible for all. Spaces that don’t requireaccommodations because everyone, no matter their ability, can easily access it.
The article pulls me back to Pen talking about accessible trails as we hiked down to the waterfall’s pool. “There’s a trail at this state park about an hour away from where I grew up that is wheelchair accessible and has clear borders to trail your cane if you’re visually impaired.” She’d vibrated with excitement as she described how individuals with physical disabilities could have the same experience as those without while on the walking path.
My mouth curves into a smile. It’s not just Pen’s passion and advocacy, but the mere thought of her that tugs in my chest. I’d told Sasha to make Pen go away. Sitting here, surrounded by the silence of an empty weight room, I know that’s impossible. Since Pen’s bright smile blasted me at the Buffalo airport, I’ve been gone for her. Even if I never see her again, she’ll never be gone.
I typePen Meadows and Universal Designinto Google. Several links come up. Opening the top result, an article from theLA Press, that knot in my gut pulls tighter.
Universal design may be the new goal after a famous hockey player assists a popular social media disability advocate at the airport.
Thanks to Rowan Iverson, L.A. Bobcats star defensemen, Penelope Meadows, a legally blind social media influencer, was able to safely navigate two different airports during her recent trip from Buffalo to Los Angeles.
“This is bullshit.” My fingers move before my brain catches up. I dial Sasha and place the call on speaker phone.
“Good morning, Rowan.” A smile is evident in Sasha’s voice.
