Page 5 of Slap Shots & Sweethearts

"Are you and the rest of the family hockey fans?" I ask her.

She pauses. "We've been big fans since your first visit."

"If I can get you tickets, do you think you could make it to a game this weekend?"

"Oh!" Her eyes are so big, I see where Noah gets it from.

"If Noah's feeling up to it, and you and the doctor are okay with it."

"That would mean so much to all of us." She says.

She hugs me so tight, I feel the squeeze in my ribs.

"Let me see what I can do before I leave today."

She lets go and I see her wipe away a stray tear. "Thank you, Matt. So much."

"Don't thank me just yet. I have to make a call first."

Noah's mom goes back in the room, leaving Ivy and me in the hallway. Ivy gives me a knowing grin, while the staff members at the nearby desk look at me like I'm some kind of hero. Feeling uncomfortable by their attention I excuse myself to the lobby by the elevators and pull out my phone.

My heartbeat picks up, and I tell myself it's because I'm nervous for Noah and his family when I press the call button next to Hannah's name. When she answers, her voice is like a balm to my soul.

"Matt? Are you there?" she asks, and I can tell she's said my name at least once.

"Hey, I'm wondering if you've given away your tickets for the Sweethearts game yet."

I hear her typing on her keyboard. "You're in luck, I have tickets left."

"Great. I have a family that could really use them."

I hear the curiosity in her voice as she asks, "How did you meet this family?"

On more than one occasion I've reached out to try and brighten a family's day. Hannah is the one I always reach out to as she is so good at putting something really special together. The last family I reached out to her for ended up coming to one of our practices and walking away with a gift basket with all sorts of goodies and swag.

"Friend of a family member."

"Uh...huh..." She says. "Well pass along my email to whoever needs it and I'll get the details squared away."

Aside from Lou and Nate on the team, I haven't let anyone else at the arena in on my secret. The last thing I want is for the kids to think I'm visiting as a publicity stunt.

"I owe you, Hannah."

"I'll add it to your tab," she jokes, her voice light and teasing.

"Maybe I could buy you a drink?" I say and immediately want to bite my tongue. But in for a penny... "Or buy you dinner?"

She laughs softly, "And what would my brother Lou say to that?"

He'd hate it, and probably make my next practice a nightmare. "I'm not asking Lou."

"But you're willing to withstand his wrath?" she asks, her tone is losing its playfulness. Replaced by a more guarded sound as she says, "Didn't you help him scare off the last guy that tried to date me."

"That guy wasn't right for you." I defend myself.

Truthfully, I didn't know much about him. Lou just told me some guy was bugging Hannah and he needed help getting the guy to back off. So I'd thrown my stuff into the back of Lou's jeep and we'd gone for a drive to drop by the guy’s work. I'd stood in the lobby flirting with the receptionist while Lou went back into the guy's office and had some words.

"Right." The playfulness is completely gone from her voice, She sighs, and it's a heavy sound. "I'll get the family their tickets Matt, but I don't appreciate being the center of whatever joke you want to play on Lou. Leave me out of it."

---