Page 9 of So Pucking Perfect
Being on the concourse, that was when the real silliness came out. When I could give hugs and pass out little trinkets, and the kids’ eyes would light up like I’d just gifted them the world.
Was Reid watching? I really hoped that he was, for reasons I didn’t understand and refused to spend any time thinking about. I took a deep breath as I pushed myself a little faster on the ice. It was time for my big finale, where I would launch into a jump, do a little spin that would go faster and faster, until I ended in duck pose. Later in the evening, we would have a little competition with some kids to see who could stay in the duck pose for the longest amount of time. I, of course, would fall on my butt several times and make a big show of it.
I caught Reid’s gaze as I sailed past the team. My breath caught. His gaze was as piercing as ever. Was he impressed by what he saw? Or did he see my mascot skills as something frivolous and unnecessary? That thought brought me down. I think that was why, when I went into my jump, I somehow managed to be on the wrong foot, I couldn’t get the momentum I needed, and instead of twirling out into a spin, I fell spectacularly. The crowdlet out a loud “ooh,” and Les, who was prepared for any of my antics on the ice, was able to keep the banter going.
“Looks like Benny was trying to pull out the fancy stuff tonight. How’d that work out for you, Benny?”
Thankfully, all parts of my costume stayed on. My ass hurt something awful, but not bad enough that I needed medical attention. Instead, I had to play it off like I had done it on purpose.
Whoever was in the sound booth that night did the great job of playing the ridiculous sound effects that reminded me of the old timey cartoons. I put my paws to my cheeks and shook my head, covering my eyes in dismay. One of the refs skated past me.
“You all right?” he asked.
I gave a subtle nod, then hopped to my feet. I pretended to sway and slip, making an elaborate show like I was going to fall over again. Then I stood still and put both hands in the air in a thumbs-up gesture, and the crowd went wild. I covered my face with my hands again, making an exaggerated shake of my head, and skated toward the edge of the ice. The show was over, at least for now. I’d have to come back out later between periods.
Reid was there, opening the gate so I could get off the ice without having to climb over the boards. I managed to stay in character, even though my ass and thighs were aching. I was going to feel this for the rest of the night, probably tomorrow too.
“You good?”
I nodded. I couldn’t speak in my uniform, and I knew if I did, I’d get in big trouble. I actually didn’t know what would happen, but it was written in my contract that I couldn’t talk in costume.
I lifted my paw and gave an exaggerated wave to crowd, with a slight bow. A few kids who were close by waved from their seats. I would be out there to see them soon.
I didn’t pay attention to how the announcers closed out the segment. Someone would go around with the t-shirt cannon and prizes would be raffled off to people in the crowd. Meanwhile, I had to get my skates off and get ready to go through the crowd. My hip ached where I had landed on it, and my thigh felt like maybe I’d pulled a muscle. That would be fun to deal with. Tomorrow was going to be rough. We had to travel, and I’d be stuck in a cramped plane seat for several hours.
The pain in my ass was nothing compared to the embarrassment I felt at having fallen in front of Reid.
I’d avoided the man for weeks, only for him to see me look like a clown in front of a crowd of people.
I rolled my shoulders back. I had work to do.
“You good?” Kier asked. He had his clipboard ready, along with a bag of items to hand out. He, and a few other handlers, would walk through the crowd with me and make sure no one caused any issues.
I nodded and gave a thumbs-up. The faster I got into the crowd, the faster I could watch Reid work.
Chapter 7
Reid
Securing a win for my first home game with the Badgers was more than I could have asked for. Pre-season may not officially count, but it was always better to start off with a winning record rather than a losing one. Now we just had to keep that momentum for the next two weeks. We would be traveling between five different cities, playing a game at each one. It would be great to learn how my team interacted and adjusted to the travel.
Myself? I hated it. I’d much rather be home, but it was a necessary evil to the job. At least when we were done with this two weeks, I would be at home for a while. I hefted my carry-onbag over my shoulder and got onto the private jet the team used for travel. It wasn’t a luxury jet by any means, but it was one that could fit all of us and our gear comfortably. I preferred to sit more toward the front of the plane. I didn’t want my team to think I was keeping an eye on them. I intended to snag one of the first two seats. I should have picked a different one, especially when I saw Rowan sitting there. But against my better judgment, I sat down next to him. He stiffened when he saw me, his eyes widening in surprise.
“I can move if you want me to.” He pushed on the armrest as if he was going to stand, but I put my hand over his.
“You’re fine. Stay.”
I should have kept my hands off him. His skin was soft to the touch and warm. Reluctantly, I pulled my hand away when all I really wanted to do was lace my fingers into his. It was insanity the way I craved his touch.
Since our talk, I’d done a bit of soul-searching. As subtly as I could, I asked around about him. Not that it was hard. I simply had to mention his name and people’s faces lit up. Rowan was well-loved within the organization. Even the owner and general manager seemed to really like him.
What really showed me that he was not the man I thought he was, was how the team interacted with him. He was their kid brother, the one they teased and played with, but secretly let win just to boost his confidence. They relied on him for a morale boost, seeking him out when they were down without evenrealizing it. He was always there with a reassuring smile and a pat on the back for them.
Rowan was an important part of the team. And he wasn’t going anywhere.
Clearly the man I met all those years ago was not the man sitting next to me on this plane.
He wasn’t the one who brought in Nix’s favorite donuts last week when he found out that Nix’s parents had to put down their pet cat. He wasn’t the one who picked up Cord’s dry cleaning when he was running late a few days ago.
