Page 61 of Grumpy Puck

“Are you Honey and Boo Boo?”asks a lady when the performance is over.

“Yes,” Calliope says.“Though we don’t go by those nicknames.”

Knowing that we are celebrities opens up people’s checkbooks even quicker, and on top of that, Calliope gives away two more napkins with her number.

Around the time we gather a third crowd, a person walks over that makes me do a double take.

He is someone I expected to see earlier today.

“Tugev,” I grit out.“What are you doing here?”

He and his date look up from the rats, and he acts as though he’s seeing me for the first time.

“Mi… Medvedev?”he says, eyes widening.

My jaw twitches.I know he was initially going to say “Misha” but decided not to spew an insult that would undoubtedly cause a scene.

“What are you doing here?”he asks.

“I asked first.”I cross my arms in front of my chest.“And since we’re throwing questions around, why weren’t you at the game?”

“I brought him here,” says his date with a grin.She then extends her slender hand to me.“Hi, I’m Sophia.You must know Mason from hockey.”

“Call me Michael.”I shake her hand.“Did you also forbid him from playing earlier?”

“I didn’t play because I’m retired,” Tugev growls.

So that’s true?“How convenient.Just as I was going to kick your ass on the ice, you retire.”

“Oh, please,” he says with derision.“Had I been there, you and your team would have lost.”

“What he means is ‘congratulations on your win,’” Sophia says.

“I meant what I said,” Tugev says to her.Turning my way, he grudgingly adds, “I was impressed with your teamwork.Or more specifically, that you managed any at all.”

Is that a compliment or a diss?

In that moment, Lenin scores the last goal, and Calliope looks up from the rat game.

“Hey,” she says, looking at Tugev.“Aren’t you the guy Michael wanted to beat today?”

Tugev smirks.“I didn’t realize he cared so much about me.I’m flattered.”

I ball my hands into fists.“You wish.But you’re going to getflattenedif you keep?—”

Calliope puts a calming hand on my shoulder.“Did you tell him about your foundation?With both of you being so much into hockey, he might just be the perfect sponsor.”

“What foundation?”Sophia asks, looking genuinely intrigued.

Tugev doesn’t say anything, but he raises an eyebrow very pointedly.

“Right.”I grit my teeth, think of the kids, and go into my spiel.I even adjust for the audience, emphasizing that I’m interested in starting with hockey as the sport and Russia and former Soviet republics as the recruiting locations.

“That is amazing,” Sophia says and elbows Tugev.

“I agree,” he says.“Tell me more.”

Shocked by this turn of events, I talk for a while.To his credit, Tugev asks some intelligent questions.Soon, he and Sophia recommend me their lawyer, suggest some people who could serve on the foundation board, and invite me to more events where I can raise funds.

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