Chapter 49

KNOX

Coach Damon endspractice with a long whistle blow.

He looks right at me, then points and nods.

That’s the cue for a private meeting in his office right now.

It has the same feeling as being a kid in school and having your name called over the intercom.

Villi skates alongside me as we head toward the edge of the ice.

“Maybe he’s kicking you off the team,” Villi says.

“Thanks for that,” I say.

“You never know. You are a liability now. Who knows if you’re going to be focused. Ace has been playing great too. He’s the goalie of the future here.”

“Are you trying to pick a fight with me or just being a prick?”

Villi shrugs his shoulders, then skates in front of me and hurries toward the locker room.

I shake my head.

Yeah, that’s just Villi.

But you already know that.

Everyone knows how Villi is.

I stop at the locker room to ditch my skates and pads, then I walk to Coach Damon’s office.

The door is slightly open.

I knock and push the door open and enter.

Coach Damon sits behind his desk, a glass of whiskey already poured.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

“We haven’t talked in a bit, Knox. Think we should?”

“You heard.”

“Kind of the talk of the town around here, Knox.”

“Okay. Not sure what that has to do with hockey.”

“Everything and nothing,” Coach Damon says. “I’ll leave it up to you… feel like talking?”

“Not sure what to talk about.”

“Knox, I’ll be real. I’ve met your father before. Many times. Do you remember him pestering me for weeks on end when you were getting ready to accept here?”

I nod.

“I can’t imagine him being silent about this.”

“He knows. If that’s what you’re wondering.”

Coach Damon nods. “So what’s the plan?”

“What if I told you this was one of the times I didn’t have a plan? And that I don’t need one.”

Coach Damon sighs and pushes back from his desk and stands up. “Look, Knox, I’m not sure where you are with this. You need to get a plan together. You hear me? Where are you going to live? You know? Think about it all. You can get some off campus housing. You can reach out…”

My jaw tightens.

See, a lot of us have reached the point where agents and lawyers are all over us all the time. The university and Coach Damon do a great job of keeping things away from us as best they can.

The reality though is that we can do whatever we want.

We can sign to a hockey team right now… travel the world. Play internationally.

Or work through the draft.

Or just… I don’t know… just make the call to an agent and get things rolling.

There’s a big sense of adulthood in that decision, even though I’m well beyond eighteen.

“Last thing I want here is to be in your way,” Coach Damon says. “There’s a reality to it all. I wish you would have told me, Knox.”

I nod. “I apologize for that, Coach. If you really want to know, it wasn’t a serious situation. It was a one-night stand.”

“Okay,” he nods.

“The thing is, we have an obligation to each other now. We’re seeing where it all goes. We’re on the same page. I think that has to count for something.”

“That counts for a lot, Knox. Just know I’ve got your back. Anything you need. You have every right to finish out this last little bit here. But you also deserve to go out there and chase down a life now. Just know no matter what happens, I’m proud of you. You’re the best damn goalie I’ve ever seen in my life. I hope someday I get to watch you up close with the pros. I hope I get to wear your jersey and brag to everyone I can find to tell them that you played for me in college.”

Coach Damon blinks a few times.

I think he’s getting a little choked up.

I really haven’t let too much of the future sink into me just yet.

But, yes, of course… this is all going to come to an end. And soon. Very soon.

Coach Damon is going to end up with a whole new team.

“Coach,” I say. “It doesn’t matter what happens… you’ll always be part of my life. When the baby is born, you think you won’t know? Hell, Coach, I might even call you while she’s in labor. Just to be there. If you can.”

“Ah, Knox,” Coach Damon says with a voice-crackling chuckle. “That’s good to hear. Listen, you have the world waiting for you. We should set up some meetings. I know you’ve been avoiding some of the agent talk for a while, but it’s time. I’ve got a suggestion for you. Of course, we should include your father too. Since he’s-”

“No need,” I say. “My life. My future. My family.”

That seems to catch Coach Damon by surprise.

He exhales slowly. “Okay. Uh… okay. My suggestion would be Cooper Heppworth. He’s smart. He knows the game. He was a star goalie in college himself. Ended up getting hurt in his rookie pro year. Rehabbed for a year and still couldn’t play. Smart guy. Knows the game. Knows the money side of it all too. He appreciates how to plan a future rather than just sign a contract. Just throwing it out there.”

“You’ve never steered me wrong before, Coach,” I say. “You want me to have a plan… looks like I have one now. I’m going to take a shower, you’re going to set up a meeting with this Cooper guy.”

“Sounds good, Knox.”

I walk out of Coach Damon’s office.

My heart feels really heavy right now.

Change. Prep for the future.

Of course it’s time. That’s how things go. I’m not naive enough to think I can hang around Puckford for the rest of my life and just be in my twenties and play goalie, party and fool around with pretty girls.

I did all that though.

My sights have not changed from the day I showed up at Puckford University…

Play goalie. Set records.

Graduate (or finish my degree in a different fashion).

Play in the pros.

Adding in getting someone pregnant didn’t fill a spot all that much, but here I am.

As soon as I get back to the locker room, of all people, Gabriel looks and points to my bag.

“Your phone has been going off like crazy,” he says.

“Shit. Okay. Thanks.”

“Hope everything is okay.”

I don’t respond.

I crouch down and dig into my bag.

I have texts not from Willow.

I have text from Violet. From Ruby. From Mila.

Violet’s scares me the most…

Knox - I just talked to Willow and she’s crying her eyes out! Did something happen between you two? WHAT IS GOING ON????