I kick off my skates as soon as I step off the ice, swapping them for a pair of slides. Tossing my gear into my bag, I zip it up and sling it over my shoulder. Down the hall, I head toward the interview room, pausing to knock.
“Come in,” someone calls from the inside.
I step inside, grab a bottle of water, twist off the cap, and take a long chug.
“Thanks for joining us, Boone,” one of the reporters says, smiling. He’s wearing black rimmed glasses, perfectly styled brown hair and looks like he’s never covered sports a day in his life.
“We’ll go over a few quick questions, then let you get on your way.”
“Sure,” I say, settling into the chair across from him.
He waves at the camera man behind him to get started.
"So, to start off, we're well into January now and the Stanley Cup play offs begin in just a few short months. How are you feeling about how you and the team have been showing up on the ice?"
"Great. We've been winning our games, putting up great scores and working well together as a team. I don't have any complaints. I've been feeling strong on and off the ice and focusing on the goal: Winning another tournament for the city."
The interviewer nods, "And how has that focus been maintained while courting your now wife? That was a surprise to all of us in the media to find out about this weekend."
I take another swig of my water to stall because Caleb and Coach both advised this was going to be the main topic of the interview today.
“Yeah, I figured it might come as a bit of a surprise, but it wasn’t a surprise to us. Rosie and I have been keeping things private for a while now. She’s not one for the spotlight, and I respect and admire that about her.”
The interviewer smiles, pen poised over their notebook. “It must be quite an adjustment, though, balancing such a high-pressure career with married life. How are you managing that?”
“Well,” I begin, choosing my words carefully, “Rosie’s incredibly supportive. She understands the demands of my schedule, and we’ve been working as a team to make sure both of our careers get the attention they deserve. I think that’s the key to any successful marriage. Teamwork, on and off the ice.”
He nods again, clearly eating up the answer. “And was the decision to get married mid-season a spontaneous one, or had this been in the works for a while?”
“Let’s just say that when you know, you know. Timing wasn’t conventional, but life doesn’t always wait for the perfect moment. It felt right for both of us. I’m a big believer in following my gut.”
There’s a pause as he glances down at his notes, a sly smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I have to ask—has Rosie been to many of your games before? We haven’t seen her in the stands until recently.”
“She’s been to a few, yeah,” I say with an easy shrug, surprised by how well that lie rolled off my tongue because ask me that a week prior and I would have tripped up. “Like I said, she’s not big on the spotlight, and has her own career that's demanding of her time. Having her here when she can come, means a lot to me, but it isn't an expectation.”
“Okay, looking ahead to the playoffs, do you think having this newfound stability in your personal life will impact your performance on the ice?”
“Absolutely,” I say, my tone firm. “Having someone in your corner, someone who believes in you, it always makes a difference in your confidence. Rosie gives me that extra push to keep striving for the best version of myself, both as a player and a person. She makes me better.”
And strangely, that's the truth.
The interviewer smiles. “How about a quick word with your new bride?”
My eyes cast to the doorway where I notice Rosie’s standing, smiling, her hip leaning against the frame watching me.
She’s wearing a fitted maroon dress that molds to her body tightly paired with long, black boots that reach up to her knees leaving just a sliver of skin between where the dress hem ends and boots begin.
“Sure, if she doesn’t mind.”
Rosie bites her lip for a moment then nods, before stepping forward and sliding into the open seat next to me.
“First up, thanks for joining us and congratulations on marrying the Mayhem's most eligible bachelor," the interviewer says.
Rosie nods with a confident smile. "Of course, and thank you. He's quite a catch."
My hand finds hers almost on instinct, squeezing it under the table where no one else can see. Unlike dinner this past weekend, she only flinches for a moment before settling into my grip and I like how it feels to hold her.
"So, tell us, what do you think about Boone's contract being up in one more year and the decision that he'll need to make regarding staying in the sport if the Mayhem decide to offer an extension?"
