Auggie appears, wiping his hands on his pants. “I’m back! Coach Madden! What are you doing at the aquarium?”
“Checking out the fish, just like you,” Flip says.
“I love the sharks the most! Are you still going to be my coach next summer?”
“I sure am. Are you going to be the MVP again?”
“I’m going to try!” Auggie animatedly tells Flip about the last goal he scored for his school team.
“I’m so sorry we intruded on your date,” Laura whispers to me.
“Not at all. I love how involved Flip is in the community.”
“He’s such a great coach,” Laura agrees. “He’s so patient with the kids.”
“He has an incredibly kind heart,” I agree.
An announcement comes over the PA that the shark movie starts in ten minutes.
“Oh! We have to go! I want good seats,” Auggie says. “See you in the summer, Coach Madden.”
“See you in the summer!” Laura waves as Auggie pulls her toward the theater.
“Auggie seems sweet,” I note.
“He’s a lot of fun. I’ve been his coach for the past three summers.”
“Laura seems like a fan,” I observe.
“Of hockey?”
I can’t tell if he’s being intentionally oblivious. “And you.”
He kisses my cheek. “Well, I’m a fan of you.” He thumbs over his shoulder at the otter still showing off behind us. “And so is that guy.”
I laugh.
“Hungry?”
“Famished, actually.”
“Me too, but that shouldn’t be a surprise.”
Flip leads me to the private restaurant inside the aquarium, which has a 360-degree view of the sharks swimming around us. It feels like we’re the ones inside the tank.
“This is amazing,” I tell him once we’re seated.
“I’m glad you like it.” Flip squeezes my hand. “I wanted this to be a date to remember.”
“It was already going to be memorable because it’s with you,” I admit.
“I feel the exact same way.” His smile is soft.
The server stops by, and we order drinks and the cauliflower wings to start. The menu is plant-based, and everything sounds delicious.
“Thank you for being accommodating with Auggie and his sister,” Flip says once it’s just us again.
“You really love coaching those kids, don’t you?” He refuses to allow Hemi to use his volunteer coaching as a promo opportunity. Tristan and Brody do it, too.
