Page 10 of So Pucking Perfect
Evan boarded after me and handed a small cooler bag to Rowan.
“Ice, then heat. Rotate every half-hour, man. And make sure you get up and walk around on this flight. You’ve got two hours of just sitting, and I don’t want that hit bothering you. It’ll feel way worse if you stay sitting.”
Red covered Rowan’s cheeks. “I’m fine,” he said.
Now that I really looked at him, his eyes were glossy like he was tired, and he winced as he moved.
“Yeah right, man. We all saw that bruise on your ass from that fall yesterday.”
That fall hadn’t been part of his routine? I hadn’t been sure. That was the first mascot show I’d ever watched in all my yearsof being around the game. I’d ignored the antics in the past, but these days I was more and more curious about Benny the Badger. And the man inside the costume. I shot him a look, and he must’ve seen something on my face because he was quick to shake his head.
“It’s fine. I’m fine.”
“Talk to the trainer when we land,” I said.
He shook his head. “I can’t—”
“Don’t argue with Coach, Ro!” Evan pointed at him. “Coach, you tell him. Don’t let him tell you he’s fine. He was hurting yesterday.” He walked toward the back of the plane and took his seat a few rows behind us.
“I won’t bother the trainer. I really am fine,” Rowan said.
“I’m sure you are. It probably wouldn’t hurt to talk to him. They’re very knowledgeable.”
He bit his lip, taking the heating pad that Evan had given him and tucking it next to his hip. He winced as it touched his side.
“That fall yesterday wasn’t a choreographed move?” I asked the question I already knew the answer to.
He shook his head. “No, it was my first time doing that stunt for the crowd. I botched it.”
We were quiet for a while as the rest of the team boarded. It felt like eternity before the plane departed. Everyone seemed to be lost in their own little world, headphones on, reading their books, or talking to their seat mates. On longer flights, Mario and I might talk strategy or review previous games, but for short ones, I liked to relax.
Rowan stared directly ahead.
Being so near him made it impossible for me to relax. I’d done this to myself. The plane was plenty big, and I could have sat in a dozen other seats. I’d failed in my attempt to avoid Rowan. Given the first opportunity, I managed to put myself directly in his presence for two hours for no reason.
He continued to sit straight, never relaxing, only ever staring directly ahead. I finally pulled out my tablet and began going through some games just so he would hopefully relax. I debated moving just so I could give us both a reprieve, but I didn’t want him to think… what? What exactly was I trying to convey to him by sitting next to him?
After twenty minutes he turned off the heating pad and tucked it away.
“Let me know when you want to get up and walk around,” I said.
If possible, he scooched further from me. He had himself smashed against the window. Not that he needed to get farther away, the seats were plenty big. We had room.
“I’m fine,” he said. “Evan’s just a worrywart.”
I nodded. “Yes. It’s what makes him a good captain.”
“Have you thought about who you might name as Alternate?” he asked, looking at me fully for the first time.
The moment I met his gaze, he turned away.
“I’m sorry. That was… I was just curious. You don’t have to—”
I put a hand on his knee. “It’s fine, Rowan. You can ask me questions about the team. I’ve thought about it. Evan, Mario, and I have discussed it, and we’re not quite ready to make a decision yet.”
He nodded and seemed to relax a little.
“You want the job?”
