Page 98 of The Risk

“You don’t let anything come in the way of your goals,” he continues. “Your own needs come first, and that’s how it should be. That’s the reason you’re destined to be a superstar.” Coach shakes his head again. “This girl that’s causing you all this grief? Forget about her. Focus on winning, focus on this sweet new job you’ll have come August. One misstep on the ice can end a career. Loss of focus leads to dangerous outcomes, and not only the risk of injury. A bad game reflects poorly on you, and you’d better believe that your new bosses are watching every single game and studying your film afterward.”

He’s right.

“So get your head in the game. Forget this girl. There’ll be others. When you’re up in Edmonton I guarantee you’ll find a lot ofcute bunnies to keep you warm.” He leans forward and claps a hand over my shoulder. “We good?”

I nod slowly. “We’re good. Don’t worry. I’ll get my head on straight.”

“That’s what I like to hear.”

And yet the first thing I do when I step out the main doors of the Bright-Landry Hockey Center is contact Brenna again.

Coach’s speech got to me, but not in the way I’m sure he’d hoped. I don’t want to be the man who gets hurt by one woman and goes on to despise the entire sex. I don’t want to be bitter and angry.

I can’t force Brenna to go out with me again, but at least I can let her know that she’s still on my mind.

ME:Hey, Hottie. Me again. Feel free to keep avoiding me, but just know that I’m here if you change your mind.

24

BRENNA

IT’STUESDAY MORNING AND A SKINNY BLONDE IS GIVING MEthe stink eye.

My friend Audrey is supposed to be meeting me at the Coffee Hut, but she’s five minutes late. Maybe the skinny blonde at the counter is pissed that I’m taking up a two-person table for myself? But that’s bullshit. She’s alone, too. Why should she get the two-person table? This is America.First-come first-served, girlfriend.

Still, I send an SOS to Audrey, because the coffee shop is packed, and I can’t nurse the same cup of coffee for much longer without the barista coming by to tell me they need the table.

ME:Where are you? Peeps are trying to steal our table.

AUDREY:Still waiting to talk to the prof.

Ugh, really? She’s still at the lecture hall? The journalism building is a ten-minute walk from the Coffee Hut. Her next message confirms my fears.

AUDREY:I’ll be at least 15. Do you mind waiting or should we meet this afternoon?

ME:I won’t have time this afternoon :( Class starts at 1, ends around 5. We can do dinner maybe?

AUDREY:Can’t :(

Grrr. Despite sharing a major, Audrey and I haven’t hung out in a while. We don’t interact much during classes, since most of the time we’re assigned a story on the spot and then ordered to go forth and write it. I’ve barely seen my friend Elisa this month, either. I guess it’s that time of year. Final papers and exams, the hockey season at its peak, and before we know it, it’ll be May and the semester will be over.

ME:OK, I’ll wait. I miss your face.

AUDREY:Aw love you, boo. See you soon.

“Brenna Jensen?”

I lift my head to see the stink-eye girl from the counter. She’s two feet away now, and her expression hasn’t gotten any brighter. It matches the overcast sky beyond the window.

“Who’s asking?” I ask warily.

“I’m Hazel. Hazel Simonson.”

I give her a blank look. “Okay. Do we know each other?”

A groove digs into her forehead, but I’m not quite sure what that signifies. “Jake never mentioned me?”

My hand tightens around my coffee cup. “You know Jake?”

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