Kit-cat cracks her eyes open to peer at me.
I resist the urge to cover my face. “Don’t judge me like that.”
The yoga pants photo has a geotagged location on it. Merrywood Farms. Curious, I click on it. The map shows a local address for Heston Lake, along with a stream of photos tagged at the same place of people riding horses and stretching on yoga mats in a pavilion surrounded by goats. Maya’s photo is there a few more times posted from other accounts than her own.
I Google the farm and find the website offers bookings for a bunch of activities. I save the form for goat yoga to show coach after tomorrow’s practice.
If she doesn’t want to hang out in my world, I just need to get her to see me in hers so she’ll give us a shot.
EIGHT
EASTON
In the morning,most of the guys are moving slowly while we gear up in the locker room for our early rink time before our game later. I grin at Cameron while he gingerly tugs on his leg pads next to me.
“Feeling it?” I pull my practice jersey on before checking the blades on my skates. “That’s why I cut myself off at two drinks.”
He huffs weakly, whipping me with his jersey. “Shut up. You’ve been in the same boat.”
“I definitely like being the one not hungover.” I dodge the glove he chucks at me.
Noah catches it. He’s half-dressed, hanging out in the middle of the locker room. He’s been selling all of us on surfing after he picked it up over his summer back home in California.
“It’s this little beach town my family visited right before I came back for training camp. The dude who runs the surf shop in South Bay is rad.” He mimes surfing. “Someone come fan my hair so you can get the full effect of how badass I looked cruising those waves.”
Elijah snickers at his antics, stopping when he spots someone in the hall. “What’s up, Kincaid?”
“See you out there guys. Let’s have a good practice.”
Cole Kincaid is one of the assistant coaches. He started about two years ago when our old defensive coach retired. He’s seen me, Cameron, Noah, and Madden develop to the players we are now. Having a younger coach much closer to our age has been great.
We go to him whenever we need anything. He’s the one we call when we’re in the shit. He’s like an older brother for all of us.
“Bauer!” Several guys say it in unison at the sight of Coach Kincaid’s black lab mix padding after him through the locker room wearing a blue bandana with the Heston U Hockey logo.
The dog eats up the attention, his whole body wriggling in excitement. He’s like our mascot after Kincaid got the dog in the middle of the season last year.
“Look how big you’re getting,” Noah says while the dog weaves through his legs. “Toss me a puck.”
Madden pops it in the air with an underhand throw, losing his permanent moodiness for a moment while we all watch Bauer go nuts for his favorite toy whenever Kincaid brings him to the rink. Once he’s got the puck to gnaw on, he takes it around to everyone like he’s showing it off.
Noah comes over and holds his phone up, rolling right into recording a clip for the team’s social media. “Are you a dog or cat person?”
“Get the phone out of my face, Porter,” Madden grumbles. “I’m too hungover for this.”
Noah chuckles. “That’s what you get for not taking my hangover cure last night. I’m telling you, hydration is key. It’s how I can still lift in the weight room the morning after to keep these sexy guns pumped up no matter how much I’ve had.”
He flexes and smacks a kiss on his bicep. I snort, giving Coach Kincaid’s dog attention when he brings the puck he’s chewing to me and drops it once I pet him. The dog’s tonguehangs out in a happy pant while he melts down to flop on his back at my feet.
“Better not be too much.” All of us straighten at the stern call from Coach Lombard before he enters the locker room. “I see players in my locker room rather than on the ice for practice. Are we going to fix that?”
“Yes, sir.” Noah loses his playful nature.
“Let’s hit the ice,” I announce.
Everyone picks up the pace, putting on the last of their gear. I head for the rink with Noah and Cameron.
Noah pats my shoulder. “That chick was hot last night. Did you hit that?”
