Page 18 of Josh’s Play

“And I told you I’m not going to let you fuck up your hand. Wait. For. Me!”

Had he deliberately slowed down to put his skates on, or was I just impatient, standing on my blades and watching him lace up? He was in Hampstead-maroon sweats with a heather-gray hoodie; its lettering matched the pants. His hair was floppy and dancing with red highlights under the fluorescent harshness.

I had to stop staring at him if I was going to make it through the morning.

“Why are we here so early?”

“Workouts begin in an hour. I told Coach about our project. He said we could use the rink beforehand.”

“Wow, you have practice at six thirty in the morning?”

“We do.”

“Last weekend, I don’t think I got to sleep before four a.m. on Saturday morning.”

He stood up quickly and snapped his eyes at me at the same time.

“Were you at a party?” He sounded casual enough, and it only highlighted how quickly he had snapped to attention at my comment.

“Um, we went to The Valley. I met this guy.” I shrugged like it was no big deal, but all of a sudden, it felt like a very big deal.

“Oh,” he said quietly, looking away and heading to the door. “Come on. Let’s skate,” he muttered.

I watched his back as we followed another gray hallway toward the ice rink. His shoulders slumped, and he appeared hunched over. I couldn’t picture him walking down this hall on the way to a game with that posture. Awkward in my skates, I hurried to reach him, tapping him on the back as I waddled ahead of him.

“I didn’t … we didn’t hook up, but his buddy and my roommate did. I was stuck in the dorm common room chatting with the guy until his buddy … returned.”

“Oh,” Cam said again. It had been a throwaway line about being up late the weekend before, but as I took in Cam’s reaction, it seemed so much more significant. The guy and I probably could have fooled around, snuck into the bathroom to kill some time while Devon and his friend were busy, but as I thought about it while looking at Campbell, I realized I’d deflected the guy’s every move. I wasn’t sure I understood why, and I didn’t want to try to figure it out while I was staring at Cam’s expressive eyes.

I tried to lighten the mood. “Come on, Finn. Let me show you how it’s done.”

“I’m supposed to be showing you.” He laughed as he easily took the lead and entered the rink. There was a peaceful quiet to the empty arena, which wasn’t huge like I expected it to be. About twenty rows of benches circled the ice all around. I let my gaze travel around, taking in the advertising and accolades hanging on the walls and from the rafters. Two shirts were suspended from the ceiling, and I could see the names and numbers emblazoned on them from my vantage point.

I was staring at them but could sense when Campbell sat on a bench and began to take the safeties off his blades. I looked back to watch him watching me. He lifted a chin in the direction of the two jerseys that hung from the ceiling. “Only two HU players have gone pro. I’m hoping my jersey makes it up there.” He shrugged and tapped his knuckles on the bench.

I sat down next to him. “You really have it all figured out, don’t you? Plan A—hockey. Plan B—run a hockey program.”

“Hey, the rec center is more than just hockey! There’s a gym and indoor basketball court, a track, and tennis courts. We do summer camp and after-school programs! They’re even installing pickleball courts next year!”

I smiled at his enthusiasm and noted the pride in his voice when he talked about the center. I watched his eyes light up.

“The center sounds really special. Like you’d really love working there.”

He looked down when he responded.

“Oh, well, I try not to get too excited about hockey. I wouldn’t want to jinx it.” He formed a fist and knocked his knuckles on the bench again. “And the center really is special. I would be proud to be able to run the place one day.”

I shouldered him and jutted my chin toward the jerseys. “That’s the dream, though, right?”

“Absolutely,” he said softly, his knuckles brushing the bench once more. He shouldered me back and let it linger, his broad muscled arm touching mine, his head leaning close but due to our height difference, hovering above me. His face was soft, his eyes bright. It was a few beats before those expressive eyes went wide, and he got up quickly. He turned and was on his knees before me. I was confused for a second, but luckily, I was just able to suppress a moan when I realized that Campbell was just taking off my safeties.

He stood and held out a hand, offering for me to lead the way onto the ice. “Let’s see what you’ve got, Shelley.”

I took to the ice and started gliding around the rink, thinking about the Winter Festival that happens every January, and how I would go with my family when I was younger and friends as I got older, traveling in loops around the pond with them. I put my hands behind my back and circled around to find Campbell standing at the entrance to the ice, watching.

Skating backward, I commented, “Told you I could skate.”

He simply nodded and took me in. All of me. And I let him, skating backward for a few more beats, looking at him in understanding, without flinching or demurring or turning away. The intensity of his stare increased, and I loved having his eyes on me. It was clear I was wanted. He couldn’t hide it; maybe he wasn’t even trying. I turned as I got to the far side of the rink, but as I rounded the curve and was opposite him, I turned his way again. He hadn’t moved.