AGENT OF CHANGE
VIKTOR
THERE’S A BIG LINEUP AT THE WAFFLE PLACE BY THE TIME WE GET THERE ON SUNDAY MORNING, even though it’s snowing hard.
Guess we’ll have to go somewhere else, I tell Evie.
She wrinkles her nose. Oh no, I was excited for waffles. This is all your fault.
I laugh and whisper into her ear. It’s your fault for looking so hot. We would have been out the door an hour earlier if I hadn’t woken up with a naked Evie draped over my body and an aching hard-on. But I can tell by the smile on her face that she’s not really complaining.
Tap, tap.
I look up, and Sinc is motioning to me from one of the diner windows. When we get inside, I can see that he and Coty have a booth we can share.
I give Evie a little smack on the ass as we move towards them and murmur, No more complaining. We get to fuck and eat waffles too.
She’s bright pink by the time we reach them. Her public embarrassment about sex is a hilarious contrast to her uninhibited ways when we’re alone.
Hey, Zee. Hi, Evie, Sinc says. We just got here, so perfect timing.
Sit with me, Killer, Coty says to Evie. That’s his nickname for her ever since she shot him at laser tag. She giggles and slides in beside him.
The waitress brings us coffee and we order right away.
If I knew you were coming too, I would have waited, Coty says.
Last-minute decision, I explain. Once I saw how little food there was in the fridge.
Plus, I love waffles. They feel like a special breakfast, Evie says.
Sinc nods. Andy used to come here with her friends whenever they had something to celebrate.
Thankfully, Evie asks Sinc about Andy, his favourite topic. In my opinion, his girlfriend needs to visit more so he can obsess about her less.
I tune back in when I hear Sinc mention the word transfer.
Transfer where? I ask.
He flushes. It’s not for sure. But the coach at the University of Minnesota is interested. A lot of his defensemen are graduating.
Coty whistles. That’s D1. Be a big promotion for you. Monarch is a D3 hockey school, while Minnesota competes at the highest level.
Sinc nods. I’m really torn, though. I’d like to be closer to Andy, but everything’s great with the Mustangs. You transferred before, right, Zee?
I give a short nod.
Evie’s gaze fixes on me. When was that?
After freshman year, I reply.
Coty nods. We couldn’t believe it. The guy’s D1 and so fucking skilled. Why was he coming here instead of one of the D1 schools who must have been thirsting for him?
I sigh, this is not something I want to get into. I wanted to play for Coach Norman. He’d tried to recruit me, and he was a good coach with high standards. He wasn’t one of those assholes who put winning over people. Yet here we are vying for first place, so good guys don’t always finish last.
Was it hard to change schools? Sinc asks. What do you think I should do?
Transferring is tough, but now that NCAA rules have changed, it’s getting a lot more common. But it’s a good situation here, and you might not be as lucky somewhere else. Especially a place where the competition is amped up.
Sinc nods. I make a mental note to have a one-on-one chat with him later. It’s a big decision. Playing D1 would help Sinc extend his hockey career after graduating, but he’s a sensitive guy and I’d hate to see him go to a program that wasn’t a good fit for him.
My phone keeps vibrating, so I take a quick look and then put it face down on the table.
Whose calls are you ignoring now? Coty asks.
Sid Novak. I take another sip of coffee.
Coty nods. Oh. Your advisor.
Your academic advisor? asks Evie.
Nope, it’s another name for an agent, if we’re still pretending that NCAA athletes aren’t professionals, Coty says.
Do all of you have advisors? she asks.
At our level, just the superstars like Zee. Coty snickers, but Evie turns to me wide-eyed.
I didn’t know you were going to pursue hockey after college.
I’m not. That’s why I’m ignoring his calls, I say.
Our waffles arrive. Evie’s are heaped with fruit and whipped cream, and she’s adorably excited. My imagination goes to dabbing whipped cream over Evie’s sensitive nipples and licking it off. And when she gets whipped cream on her upper lip, I point it out so I can watch her pink tongue lick it off.
Could you knock off the public foreplay? Coty mutters. Some of us are having a dry spell.
He should just be happy that I didn’t remove the whipped cream and make her suck it off my finger like I really wanted. Jesus. We fucked an hour ago, and I’m ready to go again.
What does your advisor want? Evie asks as we take a post-brunch walk.
He’s coming to Minneapolis for meetings and a Wild game. He wants me to meet with him.
And you’re not going? she presses.
I told him I’m not interested in playing hockey after I graduate.
But you love hockey, she states.
It’s easier to discuss these things now that Evie knows about my family situation. But it’s also frustrating to have to reopen topics I’ve made up my mind about.
You know where I’m going after graduation.
She nods. What about after that? If you can find your brother and get your grandmother to move to Canada. Then what?
I don’t have an answer to this because those two tasks are so monumental that I can’t see beyond them.
Measure seven times, cut once, Evie says.
Just pulled that from your bag of clichés? I ask, but I love her sayings and how they remind me of home. It’s like we have a shared history.
But she’s way ahead of me. Have you ever noticed that you get defensive whenever I’m right?
Yeah, but the meeting is on a Thursday. I’d have to miss classes and practice, plus drive all the way to Minnie and back.
She knows I’m throwing out excuses. If this was something important, I’d make it happen. But four hours in the car for a fruitless meeting doesn’t sound appealing at all. Unless I could make it more fun.
Would you like to come? I’m not sure if it’s an invitation or a challenge. Evie is rigid about following the rules, which I now chalk up to her father.
Surprisingly, she doesn’t hesitate for an instant. Sure, I’ll go.
Look at you, playing hooky. I tease.
I’ve always wanted to skip school. Not a lot of opportunities when you’re home-schooled. Then she pulls out her phone, no doubt consulting her schedule to ensure she has no tests or papers due. She’s not a free spirit, but she’s willing to push her limits. And I like to push those limits too.
On Thursday, I pick her up at her residence right after breakfast. Evie watches as we pass students heading to class in the light December snow. Oh wow, this feels so daring.
Yes, you’re a total bad girl, I agree.
She smacks my arm but through my jacket, I can hardly feel anything. I know you’re making fun of me, but it’s another first.
One of the many qualities I like about Evie is that she gets excited about the oddest things. And her list of firsts is lengthy. Every sexual act is new to her, and she’s enthusiastic about them all.
I laugh at her indignation. Well, on the list of misdeeds, this ranks pretty low. However, if it makes you feel better, I could punish you later.
Evie inhales audibly. Oh my gosh, how do you do that? You say one sentence, and I’m all excited. She looks at the dashboard. And it’s not even 9:30 in the morning.
Are there rules for when we can talk about sex? I wonder.
Not for you apparently. But don’t get me all hot and bothered when it’s hours until we can do anything about it.
Okay, I’ll stop for now. How about after 10:00?
Watch it, or I’ll ask you personal questions. Aren’t guys supposed to love talking about themselves? she muses.
Go ahead, take your best shot, I offer. Because she never asks relationship questions, I don’t have to worry.
She taps a finger on her lips, which makes me want to kiss her. Hmmm. Okay, why did you transfer from D1 hockey?
I should have known by Evie’s reaction on Sunday that this question was coming. But it’s not really a secret, more like something that most people have forgotten.
In my freshman year, there was another player.
He was a junior, an asshole, and Russian.
From Russia, although he played at a US prep school first. He was a good player, I admit.
I’d heard that he got signed by an NHL team out of college, but he never made it to the show.
Anyway, he used to taunt me constantly about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying that it was going to be over in no time. He was a big Putin supporter.
Not big enough to stay in Russia and play in the KHL development system, though, she replies with unexpected bitchiness.
Her answer is so perfect that I just enjoy it for a moment. I’m quite fond of Evie’s inner badass.
That’s what I should have said to him. Too bad I wasn’t dating you then. Instead of a woman who didn’t understand why I was so pissed off because it’s just politics, who cares?
I continue with my story. The biggest problem was that the coach didn’t give a shit.
If he’d just called Ivanov in and told him to cut out the bullshit, I could have kept playing there.
But because he was an important player and I was a rookie, I had to take it.
And I had too much pride to do that. Sure, I could have transferred to a different D1 school, but I decided to go with a coach whose character I knew already.
I don’t need preferential treatment, just fairness.
It seems like the minimum. Evie is scowling, and I can see that she’s getting upset on my account.
I reach over and squeeze her thigh. Anyway, all that bullshit is years ago. I never think about it anymore. And the Mustangs are a great team.
She nods and sips from her stainless tumbler of coffee.
Did you want to go shopping while I’m meeting Sid? I could drop her off at the Mall of the Americas, which could keep her busy for hours.
Um, actually Annie told me about this place I want to visit. It’s called the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.
I get Evie to input the location into my map app, and it’s quite close to the arena area where I’m meeting Sid.