33. PARKER
THIRTY-THREE
PARKER
Things with Connor are amazing. The team is on a winning hot streak, and because of the recent stint of away games, it means that I’ve been able to get my software to a workable level. My CGI characters are no longer matrixing or needing an exorcist, so I’m taking that as a good sign. I’m planning to show it to Macklin and get his endorsement before taking it to the coaching team. They’ll be the ones to give me notes on what they can use it for, along with what plays might be beneficial to add into the system today. If they’re interested, it won’t be long before we can move it to uploading actual player data, which will be the real game changer.
“Wish me luck, Conishkin,” I tell him as I return him to the cage. I’m still not convinced I’m a pet person—even the cleanest animals are too dirty for me—but I do love that he keeps me company while Connor and Mom are away.
Maybe I should sign up for a friend app? Do they have those? There are dating ones, so friendship ones shouldn’t be too much of a stretch.
Conishkin gives me a motivational squeak before climbing into his wheel and running like his life depends on it. The voluntary cardio goes to show he’s far more like his namesake than me.
Even with all the work I’ve put into this program, I’m not convinced the coaches will want it. It’s a weird thing, putting so much time and energy into something I’m proud of, only to find out all that time, energy, and pride were misplaced. It happened with some of my earlier designs before I hit on my last success, and even with that huge sale behind me, I feel like I’m starting from the ground floor again.
My guts are queasy with nerves, and all I hope is that they keep an open mind and look for the potential to make their lives easier here. Being resistant to change is a natural human emotion, and that’s amplified by superstitious jocks when they’re on the hot streak of their careers.
I know how good this will be though. I want our team to dominate.
Because at the end of this season, I want that Stanley Cup.
I want the marker that buying this team was the right move for me and that the universe will reward me with the ultimate sign that I’ve made Dad proud.
Keeping the Kiki brothers together—as misguided as that was—felt like kismet, and this is the next stage in my plan.
With the brothers and this software working together, I really think we’re in with a chance.
I can feel it in my bones.
That’s not me trying to diminish the rest of the team either. They’re all working together like it was meant to be, but I’ve noticed how their energy changes based on how the brothers are playing. The rest of the team looks up to those two, especially Connor. If Connor is playing his heart out, the rest of them match that dedication.
Dad was right.
Connor and Easton were born for this.
Part of me wishes that Lachie also played for Colorado, but I’m not about to get greedy .
It took me four outfit changes before I felt ready to leave the house this morning. As much as I’d love to wear a suit and hide behind my camouflage, I’m also overly aware of what Macklin said about being approachable, and if there was ever a time for needing that, it’s now.
The sweatpants and hoodie are too restrictive though. Sweet baby Jesus, my palms are sweating.
The whole drive to the practice facilities, I tell myself that it’s okay. I know what I’m talking about, and when I get going about something I love, I’m good at getting other people excited too. My prototype is behaving and will give them a good idea of what my vision is.
And I will make it clear there are no layoffs. By … giving them a pay raise? Is that too drastic? I’ll have to brainstorm it later, but the first thing to do is to get them to believe in me the way I believe in them.
I take a moment to get out of my anxiety brain and into work mode before I grab my laptop and get out of the car. I’d considered emailing Macklin ahead of time to give him the heads-up, but I didn’t want him thinking this was a “we need to talk” scenario, so I’m going to blindside him instead. Perfect plan. Foolproof way to win someone over.
Fuck.
I get inside, find his office empty, and make my way out to the ice. The whole team is there running drills, with Macklin calling out things from the side. I’m sure they are very important things, but I’ve never attended a training session before, so this is all new to me.
My gaze finds Connor on the ice, and I watch him for a moment, mesmerized by the way he moves out there. He’s so strong. So confident. Like he was born for hockey.
I chuckle to myself as I remember all those games in high school I’d go to and watch, completely obsessed with hating him while not able to move my eyes away.
I remember how excited Dad would get. “Look at the way big Kiki read that pass and little Kiki was ready for his intercept. They’re like one brain out there. Phenomenal hockey!”
I’m ready to agree with you, Dad.
If only I’d had that chance when he was still around to hear it.
I wait for Macklin to turn back to making notes on his clipboard before approaching.
“Hey, Coach.”
“Mr. Duchene. What can I do for you?”
“First of all, Parker is fine.”
Surprise lights up his eyes. “Here to watch training?”
“Actually, I was hoping to run something by you. It’s something I’ve been working on that I thought could help the team.”
He checks his watch, then calls out to Dion, one of the assistant coaches, to take over. “Want to do this in my office?”
“Actually, I’ve got everything with me,” I say, sliding onto one of the benches around the ice. It’s freezing in here, and I’m not so sure my fingers won’t go brittle and snap off, but in a choice between warmth and getting this over with, I’m committed now.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about what I can bring to this team since I bought it,” I say.
“Money.” Macklin eyes me. “I think you’re underestimating how important the funding of a team is. You’re paying my wages, that’s all I care about.”
“Sure, and that’s great and won’t stop, but it’s not me. I’m not someone who can sit around throwing money at something. I want to feel like I’m making a tangible contribution.”
“Again. You are reeeeally underestimating the role of money in a franchise.”
I open my laptop. “Fine. Yes. Money. It’s important. I get it. So let me spoil you and give you something else as well.”
His eyes narrow a little. “I’m listening.”
My fingers fly over the keys as I open the program and punch in the commands for the trial run. “I’ve been working on assistance software for the video coaching team. Something specifically to help with game tape, but I’m open to ideas to expand it. Maybe generate new plays you want to run, that kind of thing.” I open the footage I preloaded into it from one of the games a few weeks ago. Munter sent a rogue pass to New Jersey that they were able to score off. “Please remember, we’re looking at a prototype here. If there are any glitches, roll with it. This is my vision.” I hit Play, and the footage rolls; then once it starts a second time, I slow the footage down and have my generated players take over and position themselves into the play it should have been. “I want to be clear and state up front that this isn’t being created to take anyone’s jobs. I want to make things easier. More visual. Instead of talking through it and having random arrows to try and convey how things should have run, you can actually show them. And if it’s something you’re on board with, we can really drill down and make it as sophisticated as we want. You and your coaching staff can give me all the requirements they need. I’ll show you how to generate new plays into the system. We can do full-body scans of our team so you can have lifelike Kiki brothers skating around on here. It’ll learn how they move and what they’re capable of …” I trail off, not wanting to scare him with how far these possibilities can go but too full of excitement not to keep rambling about all the what-ifs.
Macklin doesn’t talk at first.
“It looks complicated.”
“It isn’t,” I promise him, quickly navigating to the menu. “Here is the footage I’ve uploaded. It takes a few seconds to do. Then you can click on whichever one you want. This toggle here is the plays I’ve preloaded. We’ll have a list of all our players on the other side, and then when you’re reviewing the play, you’ll have the ability to switch out players to see how, based on statistics, any other player would have reacted in any given situation. That’ll give you flexibility with the lines. Across teams. The uses really are infinite.”
The shell-shocked look he’s giving me makes it clear I’ve gotten ahead of myself again.
“But let’s focus on the basics. For now, why don’t you take some time to go through it.” I hand the laptop over. “You can click on anything you like. It won’t break. And if it does, I’ll know how to fix it. Don’t be scared.”
Because that’s a big thing with technology. People are always scared. Learning something new and different can be overwhelming at first, but I’ve created this with the user in mind, and from everything I’ve seen in those game tape meetings, the user is short on patience, high on results, and wants to be more practically than theoretically focused.
After a couple of minutes of testing out the functionality, Macklin glances up at me. “This … you can guarantee no one will lose their jobs because of this thing?”
“Guarantee it. There are a lot of automations, but it still needs the human factor to upload and make sure the data being presented is correct and—” Do not overwhelm the man, damn it. “No one will lose their jobs.”
“In that case, this could be a game changer.”
The tension I’ve been clinging to all morning slowly releases. “Yeah?”
“If you can make it do all the things you say you can, it really will be something else.”
“I’m so relieved. I was worried you’d think I was overstepping.”
Macklin cuffs my shoulder. “What’s the point of having a tech genius with us if we don’t get to reap the benefits?”
“Nerds and jocks unite.”
He holds out his fist that I tap with mine. “What’s our first step?”
“We take this to the coaching staff so I can get all the notes together, then I start work. ”
“Excellent.” He glances over at where the team is leaving the ice. “I better get to it. Set a meeting, and I’ll make sure we’re all there.”
He walks off, and I smile at a few players as they pass. Connor is one of the last off, which I’m sure was on purpose because he hangs back by the seat I’m sitting on.
“Fancy seeing you here.”
I’m too excited to go back and forth with him. “Macklin liked it,” I whisper-shriek.
Connor’s face lights up. “I knew he would.”
“I’m so relieved. So fucking relieved.”
Which, of course, he knows because I’ve been stressing to him over it all week. “You shouldn’t doubt your genius.”
“I’m trying hard not to get excited and jinx us.”
“What do you mean?”
This is a lot to admit, but I trust Connor more than I trust anyone. If we’re being real in this relationship, he’s going to know all of me, even the weird parts. “You know why I bought the team.”
He nods.
“Ever since then, it’s like everything has been exactly right. The way we’ve connected, the way the team is gelling, the way staying home for away games has spurred this idea. Everything feels like it has perfectly built to this moment, and I … I think …”
“What?”
“Please don’t hate me for saying this.” I’m grinning hard. “I think this is where I’m supposed to be. Here. Developing this while you dominate out there. Between you on the ice and this software hopefully doing what I think it can do … this might be it.”
“ It ?”
“You’re gonna win me that Cup, Connor. For Dad.”