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I laugh and see several people whispering and pointing toward me. “One of the upsides and downsides of the job.” I pause a moment and look at the guy in front of me. “I remember at one camp I attended here, you told us to believe in ourselves and what we could do or would do. You stayed an extra hour after the camp was over and let me practice my slapshot until I got it right.”

With a smile, Brian nods. “I knew you had the potential to be one of the pros. Sometimes kids just need that fostering influence outside their family to nudge them on.”

How true that was. It was easy to believe I could do certain things because my mother was always boosting me up, but to have someone not connected to the family and not motivated by money tell me something like that, it changed how I saw myself when it came to hockey.

“I’ve looked back on those moments and that advice almost daily for the past several years. So, thank you.”

“Hey, watch it,” a female voice says. I turn my head to see a guy on the ground as Kenzie towers over him. I try to keep a smile back as I watch the scene play out. She’s dressed in a blue jersey that says, “Pistol Shrimp” and she’s fully decked out in hockey gear, only missing her gloves and helmet.

“I was just trying to say hello,” the guy says, scrambling to his feet. As the guy’s profile comes into view, I don’t recognize him.

She shakes her head. “I’ve known you for a couple hours on a date, a few days ago, and you want to kiss me after showing up unexpectedly? I don’t think so, Kurt.”

“You weren’t returning my calls,” Kurt says, sticking his hands in his pockets.

“That doesn’t usually mean you should hunt me down for it. How did you know I would be here now?” Kenzie’s eyes are on fire and I duck behind a post before she sees me.

“I did some research. When you said you played hockey at one point and that your dad is the manager, it wasn’t hard to figure out.”

There is no sound and I’m using every bit of energy to keep from peeking around the pole. I’m already in this position. I might as well not make it worse. Her dad is the manager? She’s Brian’s daughter?

“There’s the door,” Kenzie says. “Please don’t come back. Thank you for the date, but I don’t think things are going to work out.”

“But we both love sports and have similar tastes in movies.”

I hear a laugh, and can’t help but smile when I recognize it’s from Kenzie. “That’s great and all, and I did have fun on our date, but you just crossed the line. A girl doesn’t want to be kissed without permission or in stinky hockey gear.”

“So, I still have a chance? Or did you already find someone else?” the guy asks, his tone making me want to grate my teeth together.

“No, you got one strike and blew it. And why do you sound like it’s such a surprise? For your information, yes, there is someone. But my chances of it working out are slim to none. I’ve got to get ready for a game. Goodbye, Kurt.”

I don’t move until I see the guy dragging his feet like he’d just been sent to timeout. He makes it through the door when I spin around and see Kenzie face-to-face with me.

“Why were you hiding?” she asks, tying a bandana over her hair.

“I, uh, just got done talking to Brian.”

Her gaze darts over to the desk and back. “You know my dad?”

That confirms it. “Yeah, I remember him from all the camps I went to here. Did we ever overlap?” I ask, trying to remember that far back. I don’t remember a Kenzie among the handful of girls who went to the camps.

“The rink was my home away from home for a long time.” She finishes tying her hair back and I don’t know why, but this side of her is just another reason why I’m starting to fall for her. She’s strong and could put anyone in their place, especially the paparazzi. And she has a passion for something I love.

“We’ve been hanging out the last several weeks and I don’t even know what position you play,” I say.

“Wing. My brothers and I play on a team. My dad used to play with us but he hurt his knee last year.” She lowers her voice. “My money is on trying to get through the garbage heap that has been his house.”

“Kenzie, we’re on the ice,” a guy says from behind her. He’s not the same body shape as her, but if he grew long hair, they’d probably look identical.

She flips him off and turns back to me. “You don’t have to stay.”

Laughing I say, “I don’t think I can leave now.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Without a backward glance, she turns and walks away.

“Trey,” Brian calls. “Is Kenzie your friend?”

I nod. “Yeah. She’s organizing my house and we’ve been doing this dating docuseries together.”