His grip was strong, but he released Josh after a moment. “Josh…”
“Walker,” Josh clarified.
“Oh, yes. I’ve seen you play. I’ve been watching tapes of the team.” He stared at him like he was sizing him up. “You’re a smart player. Not always positionally sound, but that will come with age. It’s the smarts that are important. You’re either born with a hockey sense or not, and you were. You just weren’t born with the natural ability to always do what your brain is telling you.”
Josh rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly nervous under the critical eye of his new assistant coach.
“You don’t have the best of hands. But you’re fast, deceptively so. And you work hard. It shows in your game. I respect that. How has training gone this summer?”
“I train with a few guys in New York. It’s been good. I’m heading to Columbus in a couple of days.”
“I’ll see you in training camp then.”
Josh felt like he was being dismissed, so he said his goodbyes and made his exit with Sarah close on his heels.
“That was intense,” Josh said, finally able to breathe again.
“That’s just Coach,” Sarah laughed. “He can be a hard-ass, but he’s a fantastic coach and a pretty good dude. He’s probably a little off his game today. Their family hasn’t completely moved past Danny’s death.”
“Danny was a favorite, huh?”
“Well, Coach got here about the same time Danny did. It was the season you made Columbus. He was the kind of guy everyone liked, and he fell completely in love with the coach’s daughter. I had to listen to him go on and on about her. Finally, I convinced her to give him a chance. They were still together when he died. It destroyed her. She’s my best friend, but it’s like I lost her too.”
Josh put an arm around his old friend’s shoulders and squeezed her to his side. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too,” she sighed. “Getting out of Portland is probably the best thing for her, even though I’ll miss her.” Sarah turned to look at him, the light back in her eyes. “Maybe you could be friends with her! You’re perfect.”
“Sarah, I can’t just get a stranger through their grief. I don’t have superpowers or something.”
“Of course you do, Joshy. You are the best listener I’ve ever known. She needs someone to be there for her while I’m stuck here in this stupid city.”
“I don’t even know her. Maybe she won’t even like me.”
“Everyone likes you.” She levelled him with a stare. “I’m not asking you to work miracles. Just watch out for her. She’s so broken right now. You have no idea how bad the last year has been for her.”
Josh sighed at the desperation in her voice. He never could say no to Sarah.
“Fine, I’ll at least introduce myself.”
“Good, I saw her go out back a few minutes ago.”
“You want me to do this now?” He ran a hand through his hair. “Why do I feel like you’re pimping out my friend services?”
“Because I am.” She pushed him towards the back of the house. “Now go.”
“Yes, mother.”
Josh said hi to a few more people as he headed towards the back. There were a lot of people there who were trying to put on their smiles in spirit of Danny’s memory, but it only made for a strange mood. It was a relief for Josh when he pushed open the back door, letting the fresh air bathe his face.
The moon provided the only light, causing him to almost trip over a pair of sandals in the dark. The pool stood in the center of the yard, surrounded by a concrete skirt. The water rippled out from where someone had recently submerged themselves. Josh considered walking closer to check on whoever it was and then thought better of it. Instead, he leaned back against the house.
Sarah wanted him to be friends with this girl, but he wasn’t promising anything. This was going to be an important season for him, the last of his entry-level contract. If this girl was as troubled as Sarah said, he didn’t need the distraction. But, who was he kidding? Josh knew he was too damn nice for his own good. If he could do something to help her, he knew he would.
The water surged seconds before a head broke the surface, sucking in air.
She didn’t notice her audience as she kicked slowly around the pool. Finally, she stopped and looked up towards the house, her eyes finding him.
“Who is that?” her low voice called out.
“What are you doing in there?” he asked, knowing how stupid it sounded as soon as he said it.
“Swimming,” she answered, a slight tremor in her voice. “You can go back inside now.”
He almost did. She obviously didn’t want him there, and he wasn’t so sure he wanted to be there either. It would have been so easy to let her be someone else’s project. That’s what he wanted. But, that wasn’t who he was.
He walked towards the pool and she became clearer. Her long hair hung in ringlets, sticking to her face. Black lines streaked down her face, but her eyes weren’t swollen. Just the water then. No crying, he thought. Interesting.
They didn’t talk much, and Taylor was glad for that. She let everything go and just floated on top of the water. Danny was still on her mind - he always was, but she wasn’t ready to talk about him.
For months, her parents had been trying to get her talk about her feelings. They’d even sent her to a therapist. She spent an hour sitting across from a lady with a clipboard, but refused to speak.
Danny’s family wanted her to say something at the memorial service, but again she declined.
When Josh first sat down, she assumed he’d been sent by her parents to get her to say something about it, anything at all. Send the cute, unknown boy out to help her. It’d be a good tactic if she could feel anything at all. She knew she should feel guilty for everything she’d put her family through in the last year, but she couldn’t muster up even a shred of remorse.
Now this boy sat nearby, watching her but not asking her to say anything. He didn’t demand she deal with her grief like everyone else in her life did. She didn’t know him, yet she found it so comfortable to be around him. Maybe it was because he didn’t know how broken she really was.
“I’m Taylor,” she finally said.
“Hi, Taylor.” There it was again - that smile. It wasn’t full of sadness or fake celebration like everyone else in that house. It wasn’t a happy smile, either. That would have been out of place on a day like today. It just was. There were no expectations in his expression. He was just… nice.
“Do you like Portland?”
His question reeked of small talk. A year ago Taylor would have laughed at that. Now she was grateful for the lack of substance in the conversation.
“It’s okay,” she finally said. “But we’re moving to Columbus, Ohio.”
Josh smiled again. “You don’t sound too excited about that.”
“Oh, I’ve always wanted to go cow-tipping. And don’t forget the tractor shows.” She groaned, and Josh just laughed.
“It’s not so bad,” he said. “I’ve been to Columbus, and it’s actually a pretty cool city. No cow-tipping, I promise.”
“Well, at least the weather will be better.”
“I wouldn’t count on that.”
“Sounds like you know a lot about the place.”
Josh shrugged.
They continued their small talk and Taylor appreciated it. She had forgotten what it felt like to talk to someone who didn’t ask her how she was every five minutes.
The temperature seemed to be dropping as a breeze blew across the top of the water and her teeth clattered together.
“You must be freezing,” Josh said, jumping to his feet. “Hold on, I’ll go get you a towel.”
He disappeared into the house for a few minutes before returning. Taylor climbed out of the pool and let Josh wrap the towel around her shaking body. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms for warmth, but she stepped away from him as she grew uncomfortable with the closeness.
&nb
sp; Her sopping dress clung to her legs, making walking a challenge.
“Taylor,” her mom called, appearing at the door. “We’re heading out.” Her eyes landed on her wet daughter and she sighed. “I’m so very glad I spent all that time on your hair today.” She then smiled indulgently and shook her head. “Come on, sweetheart.”
Taylor glanced back at Josh one more time before following her mom into the house.
Chapter Two
Josh’s phone rang for the third time that morning. He knew who it was.
His brother Ethan had been calling him for days. They hadn’t said more than a few passing grunts to each other in two years. Not since Ethan flew off the handle and hit his girlfriend at the time, Michaela.
Michaela was like a sister to Josh. Their families had been close for as long as he could remember. At one point, Josh thought Michaela was going to be his sister-in-law. He was happy about that until he realized it meant she’d be stuck with Ethan. The brothers, on the other hand, hadn’t been close since they were kids, with Josh leaving home at sixteen to play hockey and Ethan being an all-around tool.
Michaela broke up with Ethan moments after his outburst and things spiralled out of control after that. When Josh found out, he’d confronted him. Fists had been involved, leaving Ethan with a busted face. Coach hadn’t been happy about the fresh black eye Josh was sporting when he arrived for the game, but it was worth it.
Since then, Josh avoided Ethan the few times he actually went home. His parents steered clear of the topic, so he didn’t even know what was going on in his brother’s life. Not like he cared.
Josh threw his phone in his gym bag and zipped it up. Ethan could wait another two years as far as he was concerned.
“Dude, you ready to head out?” Josh’s roommate called from the living room.
He’d lived with Grant Mackenzie since he’d made the team. Mack, as his teammates called him, was two years older and the star center-man for the Jackets. Josh, on the other hand, was third line material. Most people considered that his ceiling. Countless articles in The Dispatch told him just that. He couldn’t do any better than ten goals a year and grinder duty. That didn’t stop him though. When he was younger, people said he’d never make the NHL, not with his skill level. They were right. He didn’t make it purely because of natural talent. He was there because he worked harder than anyone else.
“Let’s go,” Josh said, slinging his bag over his shoulder and meeting Mack at the door.
They started the short walk down Front Street to the arena. Living in the Arena District definitely had its perks. For one, they didn’t have to drive to practice. All the greatest restaurants were right around them. And the bars. Mack liked that benefit.
“So, Josher,” Mack started, “You actually going to be any fun this year?”
“If by that you mean partying when we have off days, the answer is still no.”
“Come on, man. Take that stick out of your ass.” Mack mimed plucking a stick from his own butt, catching the eye of more than a few passers-by. “You’re my best bro. I just want you to enjoy the finer parts of being a hockey god.”
“We aren’t hockey gods.” He shoved his friend away with a laugh. “It’s called being a professional. I’m in a contract year.”
“So am I, dude.”
“Yeah, but you’re Grant Mackenzie.” Josh fanned his face in mock swoon. “I don’t have that kind of cache. I just need to keep my head down and do what I’m paid to do.”
“You’re too serious.”
“Maybe.” Josh shrugged. “But it’s worked for me so far.”
They wound their way through the lower level of the arena to the locker room. They’d been back for a few days, doing fitness testing, but this was their first day back on the ice and Josh knew what that meant. They probably wouldn’t even be putting on pads. Skating drills only.
“Yo, Zak!” Mack called when they entered the busy room.
The small Russian came over, a grin spread across his face. Viktor Zakharov was only about 5’10”, which would have been small for a forward. He was a defenseman, a position where size was an even bigger advantage. He held his own though.
“You ready to sweat?” Zak asked in his thick accent. When he first started in the league five years ago, he didn’t speak any English. Now that barrier was no longer there.
“As ready as we’ll ever be.” Mack sighed. He wasn’t big on conditioning. It was the one knock on his game. They said he was incredibly talented, but perpetually out of game-shape.
“So, Mack, you actually going to score some goals for us this year?” Zak punched him in the shoulder and laughed.
“Dude!” Mack shot to his feet. “I was the leading scorer last year!”
“I didn’t get to raise the Stanley cup last year,” Josh joined in, looking at some of his other teammates. “Did you?” They all shook their heads, grinning.
The corner of Mack’s mouth tilted up as he poked Zak in the chest. “Maybe that’s because too many pucks get by you on defence.”
“Nah.” Josh laughed. “It’s all you, man.”
“Screw you guys.”
“Alright, guys,” Olle Isaksson, the team’s captain, yelled, trying to quiet the room. “Coach had a family emergency so our new assistant, Coach Scott, is leading practice today. Coach James will be there too. So lace ‘em up and get out on the ice.”
When they stepped onto the ice surrounded by thousands of empty seats, all the joking from the locker room was gone. This was business, but it was more than that. After a long summer, coming back to the arena, back to the team, felt like coming home.
Coach Scott introduced himself. Josh thought the way he spoke at the gathering after the memorial service for Danny was because he was upset. Now he wasn’t so sure. He had that no-nonsense, kind of harsh way about him.
After a few minutes, he had the team line up at the blue line and begin their skating drills.
“Pick it up!” he yelled.
It wasn’t long before Josh’s shirt was soaked. No matter how hard you train in the off-season, these conditioning days kill you.
Mack wheezed beside him, and Josh had to hide his grin. There was a chink in the All-Star’s game after all.
About the time Coach Peterson would have had them quit, Coach Scott started ramping it up. Looking down the line at his teammates, Josh noticed a few that looked like they were ready to keel over.
Josh had just passed center ice when an intense wave of dizziness came over him. His heart slammed in his chest as he stumbled, unable to regain his balance. And then it was gone.
“You okay, Walker?” Coach Scott asked.
“Yeah,” he lied. “Fine.”
“Okay, then. You guys are done for today.”
After their showers, Josh and Mack sat side by side in their lockers, putting on their shoes. Mack looked sideways at him, but Josh gave him a ‘don’t ask’ glare in return.
It wasn’t the first time it had happened. A little over a year ago, when he was training in New York, he’d started getting light-headed during practice. He’d assumed it was because he was training too hard. He backed off and it didn’t happen again until a game that October. He didn’t think it was a big deal, so he didn’t tell his team doctor. It hadn’t caused any problems.
For a guy like him, playing in a grinder roll on the third line, missing games because of injury or illness could derail his season, which would give some of the guys in the AHL the chance to take his spot. He knew many of them were better than him. Heck, some were projected first-liners. He didn’t want to give them the chance to prove they were NHL ready. He’d worked too hard for that.
“Let’s go grab some lunch before the team meeting this afternoon,” Mack said, standing and stretching his arms.
“Sounds good.”
Josh grabbed his phone from his bag and checked it. No more missed calls. He wondered if Ethan had given up. He stuffed the phone in his pocket, realizing he couldn’t
let Ethan get to him, and followed Mack.
Taylor fingered her hair for the millionth time. It was amazing how different a haircut could make you feel. She wanted different. She didn’t want to be herself anymore.
Well, this hair was definitely not Taylor Scott. Her long locks were gone, leaving behind a pixie cut that was short on the sides and longer on top. Her mom was going to hate it, but she wasn’t going to get mad at her. No, apparently it wouldn’t do to yell at the sad little grieving girl. She wanted someone to yell at her. Maybe if they start treating her normally, she would eventually feel normal again.
No. Nothing was ever going to be normal - at least not the normal she wanted.
But she was here, in Columbus, Ohio. That Josh boy had been right. It wasn’t hick-ville like she’d been expecting. To be honest, she was glad to leave Portland, where everyone in her part of town knew her.
Here, the people on the street were just strangers. Strangers who didn’t know her. Strangers who didn’t know Danny.
On the bridge of her nose sat a pair of glasses, a new purchase since she stopped wearing contacts. It was a new her.
She looked up when her dad entered the diner. It was their compromise. He wanted her to meet him for lunch, but she refused to go anywhere near the arena. So they chose this place nearby.
His eyes scanned the room, not seeing her. She stood up and his face showed his surprise when he recognized her.
“Hi, Sweetie.” He reached the table and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “New look?”
“It was time for a change.” She gave him a weak smile, and he didn’t press, opting to change the subject instead.
“So, I’m pretty sure I’ve already made the guys hate me,” he chuckled softly.
“Stop, Dad,” she cut in. “You promised.”
“I know, honey. I just miss your input.”
“I told you I want nothing to do with hockey. Not now. Not ever. I can’t deal with that. I don’t want to hear you talk about it. I won’t go to games. I don’t even want to be in the arena. And for God’s sake, keep the guys on your team completely separate from me.”
Dreams_A sweet hockey romance Page 2