When he’s reacting to unexpected circumstances, he’s honest and authentic. He doesn’t have time to rehearse lines or put on a façade. I’m not sure he does those things in Portland. I don’t think he needs to do those things in Portland. When he’s there, in that bubble, things go according to a plan he knowsand understands, and it doesn’t require prepared lines or fake expressions, because nothing throws him off-kilter.
And even though I shouldn’t think about what we’re doing as a relationship, there’s a little voice at the back of my mind that wonders how well the other women he’s dated have known him.
When he’s in his perfectly arranged world where everything goes his way, does anyone ever see him unsure, or vulnerable, or anything other than fully in control? When he simply follows a carefully laid out plan, doesheever think about emotions other than satisfaction, pride, and cockiness?
The scrimmage was amazing. Everyone loved it. He was fantastic.
But he’s going to complain about it. Because he wasnotcomfortable.
I smile. His grumpiness doesn’t intimidate me. And if he’ll let me, I can make him feel a lot better about everything.
I set my tray down as Zeke says, “Hell yeah, sounds awesome. Let’s do that.”
I start passing out plates of pie.
Beckett notices me and says, “We’re brainstorming more ideas. Like, what if the Zamboni came out just randomly at some point and drove around while we try to dodge it? Whichever team manages to pass the puck around it the most times before it exits gets a bonus point. What do you think?”
“Love it,” I tell him honestly. I also love that they’re over here talking about more things to add to the games. “Just email both Sutton and me whatever you guys come up with. We are very happy to have any and all of your ideas.”
“That’s fucking dangerous,” Lawson protests. “We can’t be skating around the damned Zamboni.”
Beckett nods, but he looks thoughtful. “Yeah. Okay. What if we get a fake mini-Zamboni with pedals? And one of the mascotsrides it around?” He looks at Lawson. “Would that be safe enough for you?”
Lawson doesn’t even reply. He does, however, give Beckett a you’re-an-idiot look.
“What about some different face-offs?” Josh asks, possibly jumping in to keep Beckett and Lawson from coming to blows. “Like we do rock, paper, scissors one time?” He grins. “Or we have a dance off and the fans vote and whoever wins gets the puck.”
I laugh. “Absolutely.”
I glance at Alex. He’s rubbing the middle of his forehead. That makes me laugh.
“Can we turn the lights off? Or change the color of the lights?” Teddy asks.
I prop the tray on my hip. “Probably. I promise that Astrid, Sutton, and I will try to make anything work. Why?”
“What if we did light up pucks? Like flashing disco light pucks? Or glow in the dark?” Teddy asks. “We could do different lights around the ice so it’s not totally dark and?—”
“Or black lights!” Ingrid says. “Like when they do glow-in-the-dark bowling.”
I nod and start to reply, but Wes chimes in, “We also have a huge budget. It’s pretty great being owned by a billionaire who seems intent on making things totally over the top.”
I catch Alex’s eye now. “Astrid definitely likes over the top,” I agree. “And she’s broken her piggy bank wide open.”
Alex rolls his eyes. “Her husband’s piggy bank,” he mutters.
I would love more backstory about Astrid and her newfound fortune and sudden ownership of this team. And her very hot, very rich husband. Who continues to live in Portland.
But I know the most important things: she’s definitely enthusiastic, and I don’t doubt her authenticity and commitment to the Revelers and Rascals.
“Are you open to ideas about what to do between periods? Like with the fans?” Quinn asks.
“Of course,” I tell them. “Listen, we haven’t brought a lot of this to you guys because you’re all busy, and we know that this hockey thing is part-time. But we want you guys to love this. Sincerely. If you love it, everybody else will love it even more. You all were amazing tonight. The way you had fun with it, the enthusiasm you showed. Thank you so much.”
“It was a good time,” Wes says. “And I’m looking forward to work tomorrow. I’m guessing we’re all gonna hear a lot from people out in the community, our families, and stuff.”
That actually gives me a thrill. “I hope so. Tell them all they can send in ideas, too. This isn’t just my show.”
“You’re so good at it, though,” Ingrid says. “I mean, we’ve been working on all of this stuff for a while now. I think we all understood the basic concept. But bringing it all together tonight, and actually performing, really made it real.”
