Page 10 of The Chemistry Coach
“It doesn’t have to be parasocial.He could know you too.”
“But what if he doesn’t like me?”
Daisy could almost hear Patrick’s eye roll.“Then he is exactly the dumbass I’ve been telling you about.He’d be stupid not to like you.”
“But then what if hedoeslike me?”
“Then you fuck his brains out and get married and adopt seven dogs, like you’ve always planned.”
Daisy didn’t have a comeback.It sounded pretty great.Unlikely, but great.
She let the silence drag on between them, and Patrick filled it.“What are you scared of?”
She drummed her fingers on her desk and sighed.“What if meeting the players is scary?What if I’m doing this podcast or I get hired by the team and I get to meet them, and they’re jerks to me if I say the wrong thing, or come across weird?What if they ruin the team I’ve been rooting for since you introduced me to hockey?”
Patrick didn’t beat around the bush.“Yeah, what if?But also, what if they aren’t?You’ve met a lot of hockey players.Maybe not NHL players, but hockey players nonetheless.Some were jerks.Some were nice.And through it all, you loved hockey.Nobody can take that from you.”
Daisy remained unconvinced.“But it’s not just hockey.It’s this specific team.I feel like I know these guys.Hell, I’ve been following Connor Greene since high school.I’m best friends with his ex-girlfriend.I’m his biggest rival’s ex.”
“What would you tell a fan who thought they knew me?”
Daisy hated how Patrick got to the root of a problem so quickly.She let out a dramatic sigh.“I’d tell them one minute of your time isn’t indicative of who you are as a person, and the information they can find about you on the internet doesn’t do you justice.”
“Bingo.I’m surprised we had to have this conversation.But do you feel better?”
“No, but none of my issues are hockey related now, so I guess that’s a win.I have to go.I still have to finalize my work plans for tomorrow.”
“Gee, you’re welcome, happy to help.”
Daisy smiled at the teasing lilt in Patrick’s voice.“Yeah, yeah.Whatever.Thank you.I love you!”
“Love you, bye.”
“Bye.”
Daisy hung up.Talking things out with Patrick always helped.The mood boost the call gave her persisted through the end of the day.
Unfortunately, after her hellish day, a relaxing evening spent cozying up with a Ben and Jerry’s wasn’t in the cards.She’d agreed to meet Roxie for dinner to talk about how the first few episodes of the podcast were performing.So she sat in her favorite diner with her second plate of french fries listening to Roxie talk about new recording equipment they should test, and how many five-star reviews they had accumulated in their first few weeks.Under normal circumstances, it would be fascinating.Right then, however, she couldn’t bring herself to care.She had a bigger worry at the front of her mind.
Daisy couldn’t stand it anymore.Interrupting Roxie, she blurted out, “I met Connor Greene today.”
Considering Roxie had spent years of her life dating the man, she should be more composed, but Roxie squealed.“Where?”
Her questions came at such a rapid pace, Daisy couldn’t keep track.The confidentiality agreement she signed meant she couldn’t share the details.Patrick was one thing; he was in the NHL.Roxie aspired to be press.But Daisy had already brought it up.She had to give Roxie something.
“Um, actually.I saw...all the Connors.”She twisted a strand of hair between her fingers.
“What!?”Roxie demanded, slamming her hands on the table and leaning into Daisy’s personal space.Her excitement about the other Connors was more understandable.
Daisy cleared her throat and glanced around the diner, giving polite, apologetic smiles to anyone who seemed annoyed at her friend’s outburst.“Shh.Be quiet.I can’t tell you the story if you keep yelling after everything I say.”
Patrick took most of the credit for Daisy’s hockey obsession, but Roxie could also take some blame.Her friend clasped her hands tight together and leaned back in her seat.She gathered her thoughts and then nodded in a way that was supposed to be serious but was contradicted by the eager grin Roxie couldn’t quite get under control.
“Okay.I’m good.Cool as a cucumber.Tell me the story.”
“I met them at work.”
Roxie gasped and whisper-shouted, “What were they doing at your work!?”
