Page 61 of The Do-Over Girl

NASH

TUESDAY NIGHT GAME

It’s a good thing that the air was clear enough for Kali to spend the past two nights in my bed. I didn’t need that sleep. That’s what coffee is for. I take another swig from the mug on my desk in my office at the arena. I have an hour until the team arrives. Three hours until game time.

Archie walks in without knocking and stands with his hands on his hips. “Why don’t you have an IV drip put in for that coffee? The way you’ve been drinking it lately, I’d swear you recently purchased stock in Dunkin’s.”

I raise my hand and give him the finger. Standard greeting now. He grunts back, the standard response. He sits down for a last-minute game strategy session.

* * *

Dressed in a suit and tie,I emerge from my office a while later and head to the locker room. The guys should be arriving soon, but I’m betting Dylan is already there, skipping out on his last-period study hall. I hear a commotion coming from the lobby and hear Nikki’s voice.

Shit. The camera crew from the TV magazine show is already here. When I reach the lobby, my fear is confirmed, but it’s worse. They have Dylan cornered and a mic shoved in front of his face with the cameras rolling.

I hurry over to take control.

“Here’s Coach Lewis now,” Nikki says with relief.

I smile for the camera, throw an arm over Dylan’s shoulder, and tell him in a quiet voice to get to the locker room.

His relief makes Nikki’s relief look like the peewee division compared to the NHL All-Stars.

“I’ll be happy to do the agreed interview now while it’s still quiet. Do you want to come to my office or do this inside the rink?”

“Nice to meet you, Coach. I’m Linda Howard from PMTV, and the rink sounds great. Maybe we could sit on the bench...or stand near it?”

I raise one brow. “You have skates?”

She laughs. “Point taken. How about if we stand in the tunnel where the players come out onto the ice?”

I nod. “Follow me.”

“I’m guessing you’re not a hockey fan,” I say as we reach the designated spot with her entourage of camera crew and a production assistant.

“What gave me away? Never mind. I’m not necessarily a hockey fan, but I am a fan of good causes, and this is a great human-interest story.”

I nod, and she gives the camera the signal to roll and takes off with more questions about the school and community than the hockey program. I wish Kali were here to answer. I mention Kali’s name more than once to give credit where it’s due.

“I’ve seen Kali Austin’s name a lot on social media with the SaveAPA hashtag. You’re both alums of Andrews Point Academy, and you both came back to help. But according to the gossip on social media, there’s more to your relationship than the mission to save APA.”

Fuck. I don’t like where she’s going with this, and my expression changes to reflect my displeasure, but Linda, the TV Magazine lady, doesn’t flinch.

“Tell me, is she the reason you came back? Have you rekindled your romance—”

I put up a hand and shake my head. The camera’s light shuts off.

“No personal questions, Ms. Howard. How about if we talk about the hockey team.”

She smiles, unoffended. “Can’t blame a girl for trying. I have a feeling there’s a juicy story there.”

“What kind of TV Magazine show are you running?” I’m teasing, and she laughs. However, she finally lets me talk about the hockey team and Dylan Zappola.

By the time we’re finished, a crowd is filling the stands. School is out, and there’s enough hoopla, including a dozen media with passes, filling the tunnel and locker room area, stopping the guys on their way in.

Archie and I corral the team in the locker room and close the door to the gathering circus with an hour left to the game.

“Listen up, men.” That gets their attention. “I do not address you as men lightly because this is the time for boys to grow into their manhood. The more you embrace that reality, the better off you’ll be—and the more successful this team will be.