“I’m going to do a few more sprints,” I say, pointing to the sign again.
She nods and waves. “Good luck. I need to get ready for a road trip.”
“So you wouldn’t have come to the game even with a sincere invitation?”
She stops and turns to me, walking closer. She’s a few inches from me, and I have to tilt my head downto look at her. “For your information,” she says in a soft voice, “I’m always game for something fun to do. But alas, work calls, and I must go. Maybe next time?”
I stand there, speechless.
I don’t know if spells are actually real, but it’s like she’s put me under hers.
“I’ll count on it.”
CHAPTER 8
LANEY
Afew hours later, I’m on the plane with the hockey team for a two-game road trip. We’ll be playing against a team in Florida for the second round of the playoffs, which means four days away from Utah.
I still haven’t moved everything out of the “dead” apartment, but I’ll have time later. I sent a message to Chandie and paid for this month, so I should be good there.
“Are you ready for this?” Daphne asks. She’s the feature producer for the SMG group, which means she does all the research on player stories and background, community vignettes, and a lot of other heartwarming bits andpieces. The feature with the goalie at the practice rink two days ago was something she directed.
The woman is incredibly organized and has a four-month-old baby as well as her nanny with us on the plane.
“I think so. It’ll be nice to be in the warmer weather,” I say, thinking of the Florida forecast I looked up earlier when packing.
“Yeah, that will be perfect. How are you settling into life in Utah?” she asks.
I nod. “I grew up there, so I’m used to it. But it’s nice to be back. And I love the team so far.”
“They’re all really great,” Daphne says, rocking her baby back to sleep. “Where did you grow up?”
“On a farm out west of Salt Lake,” I say.
“What kind of farm?” Daphne asks.
“A little of everything to be honest. My grandparents made it a kind of homestead. We had gardens and a bunch of animals. Goats were the specialty, though. We made a lot of soap and lotion from the milk to sell. They even teach classes a few times a year to homeschoolers.”
I rarely tell people that, but I figure I have little to hide. I’m not just a sports reporter, but everything that’s shaped me into the person I am today, including growing up on a hobby farm with my grandparents as my guardians.
“I always loved goats. It would be so fun to see them. Do you have a favorite?”
I might not know much about Daphne yet, but I can see why she’s so good at her job. She’s been able to get me to open up about a lot of things in less than a few minutes.
“Pearl is new. We got her a few months ago. She’s my favorite.” I pause for a moment and say, “How long have you been in Utah?”
“Ever since the team moved here. My husband found a job locally, which makes it so much easier.”
“Have you had to move a lot because of your job?”
“Just twice. We’re hoping to stick around here for as long as possible.”
“How is it being a working mom?” Have I thought about what my life would look like in ten years? A few times, but I can never get a clear picture. I love what I do and hope to be able to do it for a long time. With the chunks of travel, though, it would be a juggle to have a family.
She grins at me. “I’ve done several interviews at home and had to work around naps and all of that. As tiring as it is, this is what I always wanted.”
I could see how having a schedule like that would be an advantage. Sitting still isn’t something I’m great at, so having things to do, and a plan, would be a good thing for me. Again, in thetheoretical future.
