The fans cheer as the blonde in a Grays’ jersey with our goalie's name and number on it waves.
“And this is Nora!”
Nora, in her yellow overalls, also waves as the fans cheer. She looks out of place with her purple, gold, and green jersey, though.
“Okay, ladies, so I haven’t told you what you’re going to be doing, right?” Sydney asks.
They both shake their heads.
“Well, let me tell you theprizeyou’re playing for first!” she says with a laugh. “The winner gets a movie night date with none other than one of the Grays’ favorite players-now-coachAlex Olsen!”
The crowd goes wild. The cheering and screaming is loud and long.
But I don’t look at anyone but Nora.
Her eyes are wide, and her whole body is suddenly tense.
I grin.
She doesn’t like the idea of another woman winning a date with me. I’d bet a thousand dollars on it.
“I know!” Sydney says to the crowd. “And it’s a movie night date in an undisclosed location!”
More cheering.
Nora is now glancing around.
I’d also bet she’s looking for me. And I’d bet that images of the park in Rebel are going through her mind.
“And all you have to do to win is be the best at lip syncing and dancing to the song we give you!” Sydney says. She laughs. “We’re going to let the fans decide who does it best, so be sure to bring your best performance.”
I burst out laughing at the look on Nora’s face now. They have the three women up on the jumbotron, and she looks part horrified and part I’m-going-to-kill-him, with maybe a dash of okay-that’s-pretty-funny.
I’m completely in love with her.
She’s absolutely going to win.
Sydney’s been instructed to claim Nora’s the winner even if Bruce, Harley, Leo, and Ruth are the only people who cheer for her.
But am I going to make her lip sync and dance on the ice in front of an arena full of hockey fans first?
Oh, I most definitely am.
“You ready, ladies?” Sydney asks.
“Totally!” Becky says.
“I am,” Nora says. Much less enthusiastically.
Becky goes first. She lip-syncs the first two verses of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” She doesverywell and gets loud applause.
But when the jumbotron focuses in on Nora’s face, her expression is pure determination.
I love it.
She isnotgoing to let another woman win time with me.
Okay, Wildflower, bring it.
