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“What the hell happened there, Randall?” Dad asks, coming up behind me and Mav.
“Dunno. One second I was on my feet, the next I was eating the boards.”
“Girl can skate; that’s for sure,” Mav says.
“Damn right,” Dad agrees.
“Anything hurt?” Uncle Alex asks, glancing over his shoulder and arching a disapproving brow before he turns back to Winter. “That was a hard hit you both took.”
She sits up. “I’m good. More embarrassed than anything.”
“Nothing to be embarrassed about. You took down a guy who’s more than half a foot taller and outweighs you by a significant margin.” Uncle Alex stands, seeming satisfied that she’s telling the truth, and extends a hand. “Let’s make sure you’re concussion-free before we resume play, eh?”
“I’m really okay,” she says.
“I’m sure you are, but it’s for my peace of mind.”
She lets him help her to her feet. I should’ve been the one to do that, but I was too busy flirting. Miller and Uncle Alex flank her as she skates over to the bench. My dad and I grab the sticks scattered across the ice.
“I know what the issue is.” Mav tips his head in her direction. “Her skates need sharpening. Her feet keep slipping.”
Dad squints and watches her glide across the rink. “You’re right.” He turns to me. “I’ll find out what size she wears, and we can get her a loaner pair.”
“Seven men’s, nine women’s,” I tell him. “I’ll get Lovey to grab them.”
He arches a brow, but doesn’t ask how I know this.
I break away from Mav and Logan, skating to where Lovey, Rose, and Clover sit in the stands.
“What happened? Is Winter okay?” Lovey’s eyes are wide with worry as she twists the end of her ponytail.
“She’s all right. Her skates need sharpening. You mind grabbing her a pair from the rental stands?” I tell her Winter’s size, and she disappears down the hall.
I skate over to the bench to make sure Winter really is fine.
“Oh. It’s okay. I don’t have cash on me, and I forgot to bring my debit card.” Winter chews on the corner of her lip, cheeks flushed all over again.
“There’s no rental fee for the skates or the sharpening,” Uncle Alex says.
“Lovey’s gone to get a loaner pair,” I tell them.
“Thanks. I feel bad. I didn’t realize how dull my blades were.” Winter’s gaze shifts to me, then away, cheeks flushing an even deeper pink.
“It happens to the best of us. Don’t worry about it,” Uncle Alex reassures her.
A minute later, Lovey returns with a pair of skates in Winter’s size. She passes hers back to Lovey so we can have them sharpened while we’re on the ice.
If we thought Winter was a good player before, she’s amazing with a pair of sharp blades. The only thing that trips her up are the tight turns in the crease, but that’s nothing a few lessons with me wouldn’t fix.
My dad and Uncle Alex exchange a look when she scores a goal. I can see their wheels turning. There’s still a handful of weeks left in the summer program. She could be a huge asset to the women’s team.
Winter’s team ends up winning the scrimmage by one goal. We all pat one another on the back, and Winter gets a ton of praise. My dad and Uncle Alex take her aside as the rest of us head for the locker rooms to shower and change.
“I would bet my left nut our dads are trying to recruit her,” Mav says as he pulls his jersey over his head and removes his pads. He was offered an NHL contract this year, but he turned it down. To anyone on the outside, it probably seems like a mistake, but Mav isn’t obsessed enough with hockey to make it his career. It wouldn’t have made him happy. Not the way teaching seems to.
“Girl’s got skills.” Logan unlaces his skates. “How do you know her, anyway?”
“Rose works with her at Boones, she knows Clover from the library, and Lovey knows her from the foodbank. I think they volunteer there together or something.” I conveniently leave out the fact that I almost took her out with my Jeep this morning.
