Chapter 22
Joey
Two Days Before NHL Draft Day
Emma thinks I don’t know how she’s feeling, but she’s wrong. Whenever I mention the NHL draft, her body language screams dread and despair, even though she claims to be excited for me. I love her with every fiber in my body, and I want us to be together. But asking Emma to give up the bakery is just too much to ask. I need to come up with a solution that’s a win-win for both of us. But, as it sits right now, it looks like we’ll need to make a long-distance relationship work.
My phone lights up with my agent, Sonny Richardson’s, photo. Despite the bad rap sports agents get, Sonny is one of the good guys. He’s also Levi’s agent, so I know I can trust him.
“Hey, Sonny! What’s up?” Being so close to draft day, my anxiety can’t help but escalate at this almost final hour phone call.
“Monty Ferguson is retiring.”
Did I hear that correctly? Or did my mind conjure up this piece of good news because I’m dreading being apart from Emma?
“What? I thought you said he had a couple years left in his contract?”
“He does. But the big guy’s been dealing with some injuries this season and it pushed him over the edge. I got a call from the Bruins this morning to see if you’d be interested in playing goalie for them next season.”
My legs give out, no longer able to hold me upright as the shock and excitement flow through my body. I slump down on the sofa. Are the stars aligning so I can play for the team closest to Emma? Up to this point, it looked like I was headed to Detroit or Ottawa.
“I’d love to play in Boston! But I thought they had a crackerjack backup goalie, Ferguson’s protégé.” The Bruins drafted the hotshot goaltender from Boston College a year ago, which led both Sonny and I to think that Boston was out of the question. I don’t want the guy to resent me the minute I walk through the door. If the kid has been sitting the bench waiting for his chance to play, he isn’t going to be happy about me trying to beat him out for the starting position.
“Get this. The kid’s been disgruntled for a while now, griping about lack of playing time.” My agent barks out a laugh. “They’re trading him to Anaheim.”
All this new information makes my head spin. Levi told me the Ducks goalie was retiring and even tried to recruit me, but moving all the way across the country simply wasn’t an option.
I’m in a daze hearing this news. “This feels too good to be true,” I blurt.
“Believe me, it’s true. Steve McCaffrey is driving down to Arcadia today to talk to you in person. I think you’ll like him and his wife, Candy, who is the team’s PR person.”
“He’s bringing the team’s PR rep along?” That strikes me as very odd.
“She grew up in Arcadia. I might have expressed your concern about your girlfriend and her bakery. Candy wants to float a suggestion by Emma.”
“What kind of suggestion?”
“Oh, something about cupcakes and family events at the stadium,” Sonny says. “I didn’t listen that closely, but your girlfriend should hear her out.”
The puzzle pieces are beginning to come together.
Why didn’t I think about this sooner? When Katie had her non-birthday birthday at the stadium, Emma mentioned that Katie kept asking about getting cake and ice cream. What if families could get that right at the stadium? Emma’s cupcakes would be perfect for such an occasion.
“What time are they arriving?”
“Around three. Candy wants to meet at Emma’s bakery, if that’s okay.”
“Sonny, that’s more than okay! How can I ever thank you enough?”
The man laughs. “Just doing my job,” he says, then hangs up.
It was killing me as I contemplated the idea of moving across the country away from Emma. I know some couples survive living apart, but that’s not what I want for Emma and me. Before Sonny called, I was bracing to try to make a long-distance relationship work. Now we might be only two hours apart!
Picking up my phone, I call my girlfriend as my hand literally shakes with excitement.
“Are you sitting down?” I ask the instant Emma picks up.
“Why?” Emma says, her voice laced with concern.
“You’re never going to believe what just happened. . .”