Page 22 of Hockey Heart

Now he smiled.

So did Hayden. He looked annoyingly handsome when that pig-headed man smiled at his son. I’d met a lot of shitty parents and maybe he wasn’t so bad. He obviously loved that kid like nothing else.

“Hey,” I watched Hayden rub the back of his neck with a big paw as he spoke, comforting himself, “Just wanted to say, well, y’know, thanks. For Maiden. No one’s really looked out for him before like this. Honestly, I don’t know how we’d do it, finding another school. Not again.”

He looked different now. The big, strong, belligerent hockey player was suddenly now a concerned dad. Worried and thoughtful and caring. He was still a giant jerk, but at least he showed he hadsomefeelings.

“He’s a good kid Hayden. We’ll try and get him on the right track,” I told him.

“You promise?”

I closed my eyes and nodded sincerely. When I opened my eyes again, he looked so sad and forlorn that my instincts were to go and hug him, to tell him it would all beokay. Instead, he just said in a shy kind of way, “Thanks Sarah,” and walked away with his big slumped shoulders.

I smiled to myself. So, hedidknow my name.

I’d already half-turned when I heard his voice again from down the corridor, “Um, look…”

He was stood awkwardly leaning on one foot as I waited for him to say whatever it was on his mind.

“That night,” he sighed, “I know it was awful. I guess I put it on a bit. Thesewomen…” He began to roll his eyes and wave his hand at how ridiculouswomenwere. Then he caught my glare and quickly backed down.

“What I mean is… I can’t have another puck bunny coming into our lives and messing us all up. It’s not good for Maiden.”

“Puck bunny?” I asked.

“Oh… Yeah. It’s just what some of the guys call ‘em. But, look, I didn’t know you were, well,normal. So, yeah. I’m sorry. I guess.”

“Okay, Hayden.”

It didn’t make it okay, not by a long shot. But the apology was appreciated. Maybe there was hope for theHellraiseryet.

“Y’know, I don’t date. It’s me and Maiden and that’s it. But, you seem so nice and I feel bad. I’d be happy to take you out one time to try and make up for it.”

Wait. Did he just ask me out?

“Just to be clear, I don’t date. Just friends, okay?”

Okay, no. He definitely did not.

I should’ve told him that he didn’t deserve it and right where he could shove his offer, but I didn’t. This other side of him was so vulnerable that it felt like talking to a completely different person.

“Well, I’m not paying for you this time, okay?”

He chuckled and relaxed a little when I didn’t just tell him to go fuck himself.

“Yeah, okay. No bidding wars, just a drink. There’s a place on Calverton where no one really bothers me. It’s not quite as upmarket as the other night, but…”

“Do they do chicken wings?”

“Um, actually they do.”

“Good,” I said, smiling at him.

He smiled back, and I hated myself that my tummy fluttered with butterflies when he did. Stupid, handsome, pig-headed Hayden Raynor.

“So, tomorrow at like six? Place is called Freddy’s.”

“Alright then, I’ll see you there. Have a good evening, Hayden Raynor.”

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