Page 13 of Heat It Up (Off the Ice)
She turns to me. “Thanks…thanks for driving me home.”
Joni’s eyebrow goes up and I inwardly cringe at her mistake. If I was her boyfriend, she wouldn’t be thanking me as if I were a colleague who had given her a ride home.
I pull her closer and do my best not to smirk at him. “I missed you.” I kiss her cheek and breathe in her apple scent. “I didn’t want to be apart from you longer than necessary. And if I could steal you away, I’d take you back to my apartment and make love to you all night.” I make sure I say it loud enough for Joni to hear.
Sofia’s face reddens and I grin. I’m not sure what’s more fun: teasing her or tormenting him.
I kiss her gently on the lips and linger there for a long heartbeat before pulling away. Her eyes are still shut and I can tell I’m affecting her like she’s affecting me. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not, but for now I don’t care.
She reopens her eyes as her grandmother speaks. Joni replies in Finnish. I have a feeling he’s not translating what I told Sofia.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I lean in so only she can hear the next part. “I’ll meet you at the same spot and at the same time as today.”
All she can do is nod. I’m definitely getting to her.
Before she can change her mind about hanging out with me, I say goodbye and leave.
Usually after I kiss a girl, I don’t dwell on it. I’ve kissed so many girls in the past year, they’ve all blended into one. But on the drive back to Helsinki, all I can think about is the kiss I shared with Sofia—and how I want to kiss her again.
Chapter Seven
Kyle
Nik isn’t at the rink when I arrive the following morning. He left a note in our kitchen, explaining that he would be late today. That’s okay. The summer camp isn’t just about helping the kids with their hockey skills. Conditioning is a huge part of it, too.
“Okay, guys,” I say to the group of fifteen-year-olds in the locker room. “Coach Tikkanen is going to be late. So you’re stuck with me for this morning’s drills. Grab your sneakers and join me on the soccer field.”
The boys scramble to their lockers to retrieve their shoes and head outside.
“What is it like playing in the NHL?” Kai, one of the group’s more talented players, asks as we walk. From what I’ve seen of him so far, he has a great chance of making it to the NHL if he keeps up the hard work.
“Tough and a lot of work,” I say. “But it’s worth the sacrifices to get there—if you’re smart about it and dedicated.”
“What about the girls?” Mikko asks, his English a little slower than Kai’s.
“You mean the female hockey players?” Or the puck bunnies?
“The girls who want to be with hockey players.” His eyebrows do a comical dance to get his point across.
“They’re there too. But you guys are too young to worry about them.”
From the way Mikko is grinning, it’s obvious the last thing he’s worried about is the puck bunnies. He’s looking forward to them.
As I contemplate what my position entails when it comes to sex-ed and warning the boys about the dangers of puck bunnies, I push the arena door open and let the guys out. If they were seventeen years old, I’d discuss the pros and cons of “relationships” with these types of hockey fans. But as is, I don’t need parents with pitchforks coming after me for stepping over any boundaries.
The temperature is crisp outside. Perfect for what we’re about to do. I indicate to the boys carrying the equipment to put the tote boxes on the sidelines. No one else is on the field yet.
“Warm up first,” I say. “Two laps around the field.”
For a minute, I watch them run. My entire body twitches for me to join them. I want to so badly, but I have plans this afternoon that don’t involve the sauna. Plans that don’t involve my fucked-up leg causing me problems.
Just one lap, a voice in the back of my head demands. But what’s the point of running only one lap if the boys have to do two? It makes me appear out of shape, which I’m not. Even before the physician gave me the okay after the accident to start physical therapy, I’d pushed myself hard. Anything to get me back on the ice again as quickly as possible. But it hadn’t been enough for me to return to the Bears or to any other NHL team. No one wants a player with a bummed leg.
To distract myself from the need to run with the boys, I lay out the equipment for the first drill. I can always hit the gym after my afternoon with Sofia and use the stationary bike. My leg can handle it better than running anyway.
The first boys to finish the laps stop in front of the equipment. Once everyone is here, I give them a few minutes to get stretched out.
“We’ve been working on balance for the past few days, and now you’re ready for something more advanced.” I place my left foot on my right calf, and bounce the ping-bong ball on the paddle, keeping the bounces small and controlled. I continue until I’ve bounced the ball twenty times. Not once do I drop it.
