LOVE TAP

Chapter 2. Ryan

It was the end of the first period and they were only up by one point. Ryan could feel the cool sweat run down his back as he headed for the dressing room, eager to sit down and have a moment to clear his head.

"Ryan! Wait up!" Shawna one of the announcers for the team called after him. He kept his pace steady as he continued to make his way to the dressing room, not wanting to participate in whatever entertainment she had planned during the first intermission.

"I know you can hear me, Ryan!" She ran after him, and he stopped knowing that even if he made it to the dressing room, she would just pull him out to fulfill whatever duty she had assigned him anyways.

"What's up, Shawna?" He turned to face her as his teammates continued to walk past him, patting him sympathetically on the shoulder.

As team Captain, Ryan was often obligated to participate in all kinds of promotions and contests to keep the fans entertained. Ticket sales were important, so the team manager had no problem using Ryan as his own personal puppet.

"I have a shooting contest during the first intermission that I need you to come and judge. The kids are so excited to meet you." Shawna smiled at him as if this were an honor and not an obligation.

"Sounds good." Although I would have rather gone to the dressing room for a break, I know how much these kids look up to me, and the least I could do would be to show up for them.

I followed Shawna down a separate hallway connected to the gate they use to bring contestants onto the ice. I removed my helmet knowing that there was no need for it if I was going to be on the ice with children.

As we made our way down the hall, I could hear a bunch of young excited voices talking about how cool everything was, and this was the 'best day ever.' I couldn't help but smile, as much as I disliked always having to do these gimmicks and promotions for the team, I had to admit that when it involved children I quite enjoyed it.

"Can I get everyone's attention," Shawna spoke up to be heard above the children's voices. I hid behind the corner, knowing the drill, Shawna would want to introduce me for more 'effect'.

"I would like to introduce you all to Ryan Collins!" As soon as she said my name, the children erupted in cheers and applause. I took that as my cue to step around the corner and reveal that I was there.

"How are all of you doing!?" I asked over the shouting children, high-fiving each one of them as they ran up to me.

I looked around the room at the group of parents that were escorting their children to participate in the contest. I waved a hand acknowledging that they were there.

As I scanned over their faces, I found myself stopping the moment I got to a blonde woman that was standing there staring at who I assumed was her son. She had a big smile on her face as she watched him having the time of his life.

There was something about her that immediately caught my attention... She was stunning, with blonde hair and green eyes, standing there in her blue jeans and fuzzy sweater, she was dressed casually as if she wasn't trying to impress anyone, but she seemed confident that she was beautiful.

I see beautiful women all the time, girls are always trying to get my attention, but this girl was different... She wasn't even looking in my direction, just completely hypnotized by her love for her son...

I assume she is married, after all, most of these parents were wearing wedding rings and some had their spouses there with them.

"Okay everyone grab a hockey stick." Shawna led them to a stand filled with hockey sticks in assorted sizes that we used for contests like this. The kids all ran up to the stand, each grabbing the stick they wanted or what their parents felt would work for them.

"We have an assortment of targets set up on one of the nets, as well as a line that you need to shoot from and try to hit the target. The closest kid to hit one of the targets wins a prize!" Shawna said with excitement and all the kids vibrated with anticipation as they lined up in front of the gate, ready to go on the ice.

"Ryan will be there to give you pointers and he will judge who was closest to the target." Shawna bringing me into the equation made the kids that much more excited.

Each parent held their child's hand as they slowly walked onto the ice, being careful not to slip and fall. They each went in the order that they had been lined up in, taking their turn to try to win a prize...

I tried my best to give them pointers, but some of them had clearly never held a hockey stick before... Shawna must have chosen each participant at random from the crowd.

So far, none of them had come even close to hitting any of the targets. It was now the little boy's turn whose mother I couldn't seem to keep myself from glancing in her direction... I wanted to talk to her, but I knew that wouldn't be professional since I was supposed to be helping the children with their shots.

"Hey buddy, what's your name?" I asked the boy as he made his way towards me.

"My name is Dax." He smiled up at me as he grabbed hold of his hockey stick, getting himself ready to take his shot.

"Have you ever played hockey before?" I asked him, knowing the answer must be yes... So far he was the only kid that knew how to hold a stick properly.

"Yep! I play hockey on a team now. My dad was amazing, he was supposed to play in the NHL but he died when I was a baby. My mom says I get my hockey skills from him." Dax smiled up at me, proud that he was going to follow in his father's footsteps.

Although a part of me was happy to hear that his mother is single, I also couldn't help but feel awful for Dax that he lost his dad so young...

"Okay, well it's clear that you know what you are doing, but I am going to give you a few pointers." I maneuvered him a bit to line him up with one of the targets, but it was obvious that Dax had no interest in my help, he wanted to show me what he was capable of himself.

"Don't worry Ryan, I got this," Dax said with confidence as he stared at his target with a serious look on his face.

I couldn't help but chuckle at how casually he had spoken to me like I was just another guy off the street and not an NHL player giving him hockey advice. I like this kid.

Dax brought his arm back and hit the puck with his stick as hard as he could. It went flying towards the target and hit it dead on. The crowd erupted with cheers as the light behind the net began to flash and air horns started going off.

"You did it!" I congratulated Dax and he looked back at me and smiled briefly before he went running towards his mom. The blonde-haired woman lifted him in excitement and spun him around. They both had the biggest smiles on their faces, and I couldn't help but smile with them. There was something about the two of them that I couldn't get enough of...