Page 80 of In The Game

“You’re in for a treat. Barrett is awesome.”

“Yeah?” Now I’m curious.

“Kennedy wouldn’t be playing hockey without him. She started skating at five, but when they increased the athletic fees, we had to drop out. At the time, Camp Conway was brand new and I was skeptical, but I figured if Barrett Conway was running it, it must be legit.”

“Same, the prices for skates are ridiculous, we couldn’t do it without assistance,” another mom chimes in behind me.

“And the hockey lessons alone brought Grayson up from Bantam A to AA after one summer. It’s a dream.”

“Wow, that’s awesome,” I reply.

“Coach Conway would do anything for these kids. How is he not married?”

“Girl, right?” the second mom exclaims. “He’sthatfineandhas a heart of gold? I mean, he’s the most down to earth guy I’ve ever met. Plus, he gives a huge portion of his salary to the camp.”

Are these paid actors? Did he know everybody would be fawning over him like this? Not gonna lie, it’s kind of working. I’m keeping my mouth shut and nodding along. He isfine. And it’s great to hear firsthand how well he treats others. He’s a genuinely nice guy—which makes me love the naughty Barrett even more. It feels like a secret side of him that’s just mine.

Barrett takes the center of the turf ice and is handed a microphone.

“Hey, everybody.” The parents and kids applaud, and he smiles big. “Who’s excited for Gear Day?” Louder cheers.

“What’s Gear Day?” I whisper to the woman next to me.

“Oh my God, it’s the best!” she whispers. “I don’t want to spoil it, you’ll see!”

“I’m excited to announce we’ve got some new sponsors, and I’m going to let their representatives take the mic here in a second. But first, I want to give a short history of how Camp Conway came to be… Youth sports is something I’ve always been passionate about, and years ago, when I was still deciding how to best help the community, I met this woman—Raleigh.”

I try not to gasp.

“She and I hit it off immediately. She played hockey up until college and we bonded over our love of the sport, among other things. She was a goaltender—parents of goalies, you’re already familiar with the added cost for specialized gear.

“Anyway, she told me that the only reason she was able to play was due to an athletic financial support program. At the time, it didn’t quite hit me, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how necessary it was. There’s a lot of gifted players hiding out there that are trapped due to circumstances outside their control. Camp Conway is dedicated to developing their talent and keeping them in the sport. I know for a fact we have kids playing this season that will someday get scouted.

“If you’re here today, it means you care. That goes for everyone from volunteers to parents to players. You are all such an important and integral part of Camp Conway, and I am so happy you’re here. Thank you for caring and believing in this amazing program. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, we’ve got some awesome surprises for you.”

I’m in awe, speechless, and touched. I had no idea that my hockey playing years would impact something as big and important as Camp Conway.

Who is this man?!

The panties have dropped.

Various brand ambassadors take the “stage” and they each say a few words about their contributions and why they chose to get involved in the camp. There’s a short speech welcoming the new campers and huge equipment bins are wheeled out. Barrett takes the mic again and announces all the newcomers get brand-new duffels, one-piece sticks, pads, Camp Conway jerseys, each embroidered with the child’s first initial and last name. It’s like an episode of Oprah. The returning kids with their hockey duffels still get new jerseys and sticks. You would think it was Christmas morning.

“Oh, there’s one more thing,” he says, passing the microphone to a representative wearing the logo of one of the top hockey skate manufacturers in the world.

“Hi everybody, I’m Chris. I’m here today on behalf of Bauer. As you know, we’ve been partnering with Camp Conway for a few years now. About six months ago, Barrett reached out to say there was a big need for skates.” There are huge gasps among the families. “We wanted to help make that expense a little easier on you so we can keep these kids on the ice. So today, with help from the Minnesota Lakes and Camp Conway, every player will be receiving a brand-new pair of Bauer skates.”

The crowd goes nuts before he can even finish his sentence, and for good reason. My skates in high school were around seven hundred dollars, and that doesn’t count the regular skate sharpening every few weeks. The only reason I was able to play was because of the financial assistance I received.

Parents are wiping away tears and smiling. The brand reps are getting choked up too. It’s overwhelming. Kids spin around to find their parents and share shocked expressions. Barrett and Chris laugh, sharing a handshake and slap on the back. It must feel amazing to give such a significant gift to these families. His generosity astounds me.

Barrett’s the real deal. And not only is he into me, he genuinely wants to be involved in Arthur’s life. I stare at him as he shakes hands with some of the other men and women I assume are sponsors. When he’s done, he turns around and his eyes find mine. He gives me that gorgeous smile and wink. I haven’t stopped smiling, and the whole training arena is bursting with joy.

What the hell am I waiting for? Friends are always telling me to get back out there. If I’m looking for a sign, maybe this is it. There isn’t a better man than Barrett Conway to take a chance on.

He walks off to the side and speaks to a grinning woman with a clipboard. They nod back and forth and then he hands her the microphone. She sorts the kids by hockey level. Barrett looks at me and crooks his finger. The parents continue to enthusiastically chatter among themselves, allowing me to sneak away unnoticed and meet him on the sidelines.

“Whoa,” I say, beaming. “That was something else. You made a lot of people very happy today.”

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