Grant’s always been that kind of guy, the big brother who came to every competition and wore a shirt with my face plastered on it. Our skates were the oldest ones on the ice. We had to fundraise for games and competitions that required travel. When the summer came where only one of us could go to camp due to finances, he declined a developmental academy’s invite to a prestigious event for select hockey players so I could spend two weeks in Boston training with a former Olympian.
He deserves every bit of success he’s earned, from the contracts and sponsorships with Bauer and BodyArmor to two Stanley Cups. He doesn’t even mind that he’s not a starter, preferring to join the second line off the bench to give the team a spark when they need it. A lot of my friends have sibling relationships that are stilted and sad, but that’s not ours, and I’m so glad.
“I’m a little stressed, but that’s because I’m trying something new. And I really want it to go well,” I tell him.
“It’s going to go well. Your triple dipper quadruple?—”
“That’s an appetizer at Chili’s.”
“Whatever it’s called. It’s one of the best in the world becauseyou’reone of the best in the world.”
“Even now?” I ask.
“Even now.” Grant snaps. “What’s that mantra you used to say? In the mirror, before a big event.”
“‘Inhale confidence, exhale fear?’”
“Yup. That. Here. I’ll do it with you. Deep breath.” He sucks in a long puff of air, and I mimic him. “That’s the confidence. And now we’re going to let go of the fear.”
I blow out the breath, feeling lighter after. “Okay. That might’ve worked.”
“Because you’re a genius.” He grins. “I should get going. We have a lifting session scheduled at the arena, then a team dinner. You still need to come to one of those, by the way.”
“I don’t have anything in common with the people there.”
“The girls that are part of the team come. Lexi, Emmy, Madeline, and Piper. You know most of them.”
“I’ll think about it.” I smile. “Thanks for stopping by, G.”
“Confidence, remember? You’re going to kill it,” he adds, jogging over the ice toward the tunnel. He almost slips, righting himself at the last minute. “Whoops. Pretend like you didn’t see that.”
I laugh and do one last lap, repeating the mantra until voices echo over the ice. There’s a deeper one, followed by a high-pitched laugh. I stop and fix my skirt, hoping I look professional enough. Brody comes into view, and beside him, there’s a girl who is the spitting image of him.
They’re a perfect pair, from her dark hair to the way she moves. Not nearly as broad, but her nose matches his, and so do her eyes. The only difference I can find after a quick once-over is her smile. Hers is big and bold, full of life from someone who hasn’t been burned by the world yet while his is more subdued, like you’re lucky to catch a glimpse of it.
“Hi.” I wave and head their way. “I hope it’s okay I’m here early. I wanted to get a quick warm up in.”
“The ice is yours to use.” Brody pins me with a look I can’t decipher, his eyes briefly flicking to my legs before moving back to my face. “Hannah, this is my daughter, Olivia.”
“Hey.” I smile at her. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
“I’m going to get this out of the way now before I fall and embarrass myself, but I’m, um, a big fan.” Olivia’s cheeks flush. “I promise I’m not going to stalk you or anything.”
“Liv.” Brody shakes his head. “Why would you even mention that?”
“It’s okay. I’m flattered. It’s so nice to meet you, Olivia.” I bounce my gaze over to her dad. “Are you going to hang out?”
“No. Liv won’t let me watch her practice, so I’ll be back in an hour and a half to pick her up.” He fixes the bill of his backward hat and clears his throat. “I’m also, ah, not available tomorrow like I mentioned. Can we do next Monday instead?”
“Of course,” I tell him. “I don’t have a lot going on at the moment, so I’m flexible.”
“Wait.” Olivia glances between us. “You two hang out?”
“No,” Brody says. “But we are friends.”
“He’s helping me with something. I might try my hand at hockey next,” I joke.
“Please don’t. Their jerseys smell horrifying.” She wrinkles her nose. “Like, truly awful.”
