Page 10 of Spring Break with a Slap Shot

"Let’s see…" I sip my coffee, buying time. "I guess... I play the violin. Not exactly rock star material, but it's my secret skill."

"See? Full of surprises," he teases, and there's warmth in his tone.

Marina laughs, breaking the moment. "This is like some kind of alternate universe breakfast club."

"Except with more coffee and less detention," Kaleb adds, earning chuckles from all of us.

The sound of a ringtone cuts through the laughter, and Marina frowns, checking her phone. "Sorry, guys, I need to take this,"she says, slipping out through the sliding glass doors onto the porch.

Kaleb leans against the counter, arms crossed. “So, Harmony, what do you think so far of this little chance encounter? Crazy? Fun? Or just plain weird?”

I chuckle softly. “A mix of all three, I’d say. You guys are like living characters in a sports movie.”

Dakota grins as he fills his own mug. “Just wait until you see us in action on the ice. That’s when it really gets interesting.”

“Speaking of which,” Kaleb pipes in, “we’re heading into playoffs soon. Big deal for us.” He raises an eyebrow at Dakota, who nods in agreement.

“Yeah! This is where things get intense,” Dakota adds. “No more messing around. We’ve gotta be on our game.”

“What makes playoffs different? Marina is the one that knows all about hockey. I only know the basics,” I admit.

“Well, it’s not just about skill; it’s about tradition too. Like the whole no-shaving thing.” Kaleb smirks, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

I tilt my head slightly. “Yeah, I’ve seen something about that. What is it that you actually do?”

Dakota laughs and runs a hand through his messy hair. “Yup! It’s a tradition where players don’t shave their facial hair during playoffs. It’s supposed to bring good luck and team spirit.”

Kaleb nods in agreement, his expression turning serious for a moment. “It symbolizes that we’re all in this together and willing to endure discomfort for a common goal. Plus,” he adds with a hint of humor in his voice, “have you seen some of our playoff beards? They’re legendary.”

“Legendary might be an understatement,” Dakota chimes in with a laugh. “Kaleb here is the true Viking look-alike and looks like he’s been lost at sea for weeks by the end of it.”

I giggle at the image they paint—hockey players morphing into lumberjacks mid-season. “Do you actually buy into that superstition?”

Kaleb shrugs casually. “I guess it becomes part of our identity during playoffs. You grow attached to your beard; it’s like your battle armor or something.”

“And trust me,” Dakota adds with an exaggerated wink, “you don’t want to mess with hockey players and their rituals. It gets… hairy.”

“Ha!” I exclaim, laughing and shaking my head.

Kaleb leans closer to me over the counter and lowers his voice. “You know what else we do? We wear our lucky socks and eatspecific foods before games—some guys even wear the same underwear throughout playoffs.”

“What? That’s disgusting.” I look at Dakota. “Tell me you don’t do that.” Before he can answer, Marina walks back in.

There is a look on her face that lets me know the call was not a pleasant one.

"Everything okay?" I ask concerned.

She shakes her head, taking a seat next to me at the bar. "It was my supervisor," Marina starts. "There might be some big funding cuts coming our way. It could affect the entire marine biology project."

A collective silence settles over us.

"Damn," Dakota finally breaks the silence, "that sucks."

"Anything we can do to help?" Kaleb asks, and I'm touched by the genuine concern in his voice.

Marina forces a smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "Thanks, guys. I'll figure something out."

Chapter 8-Dakota

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