Page 183 of Offside Rules

My phone buzzes.

Mom: We have the game on. Tell him good luck.

A second message follows.

Mom: Your dad says to keep his head up.

I smile and show Ellie.

"She’s come a long way."

"They both have."

Dad called Wolf himself when the contract was announced. Then he invited us to Boston for Christmas.

Both of us.

I’ve already bought the flights. Wolf’s dad and Marcy are joining us for Christmas Eve Mass, followed by dinner at my parents’ house. Mom tolerates a lot of swearing during hockey season, but nobody gets fed on Christmas Eve until they’ve been to church.

I haven’t mentioned that part to Wolf yet.

Beau sent a message this afternoon too.

Beau: Tell Ziegler to save me a few penalty minutes. I don’t want him using them all before we play you this season.

I passed it along.

Wolf’s response was not suitable for the family group chat.

They’re getting there.

Ellie leans over while I put my phone away.

"Have you hired a replacement yet?"

"For Wolf?"

"For your delivery driver. I assumed you were keeping him for the other position."

"I’ve hired someone for the days he can’t do it."

"How generous of you to accommodate his hobby."

"What can I say, the man is a great getaway driver. Plus, he doubles as an amateur mechanic."

She laughs, and I look back at the ice.

He drove Sprinkles all summer.

First with me beside him, reading out the next stop. Then on his own while I stayed at the shop, until my customers started asking where he was on mornings I made the deliveries. Now with the shop booming and deliveries needing an extra route, I need more help and the hockey season is a full-time gig for him.

One woman sent him home with a sandwich because she thought I wasn’t feeding him enough.

He’s still bringing that up.

Between the routes, he went to physical therapy, worked with Theo, and eventually started skating with the guys. I watched him come home frustrated, exhausted, pleased with himself, and occasionally all three in the same afternoon.

When the Hawkeyes offered him a new contract, he came straight to the shop.