The bus lurches slightly as we pull onto the highway, the campus disappearing behind us.
Mercer stretches his legs into the aisle. “You think he’s secretly thirty?”
Barrett laughs. “Or a former NHL player hiding from the media.”
“Guys,” I say.
“What?”
“Leave it alone.” Mercer looks back at me, surprised.
Then he grins. “Ohh. Blake’s defensive.”
“I’m not defensive.”
“You are.”
Mercer leans over the seat-back, studying my face like he’s discovered something interesting.
“You like him.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“Team loyalty,” Russo says solemnly. “The guy helped us get here.”
Mercer shrugs. “I still think it’s weird. But if he turns out to be secretly married with three kids and a mortgage, I called it.”
Russo laughs.
I shake my head and look out the window as the highway stretches ahead of us.
I can’t believe there’ll be scouts in the stands - there to just watch us. To watch me. This could be my chance.
And about Shaw?
I’m curious too.
But right now, I’m just glad he’s coming with us.
Finally, the bus pulls into the hotel lot and I immediately start scanning.
Other teams. Other players. Scouts, probably, though they’re harder to spot.
“See any NHL guys?” someone asks.
“Too early.”
I can sense the tension in the group.
The hotel lobby is chaos.
Teams checking in. Staff trying to direct traffic.
I grab my bag and head for the elevators.
21
21
