up when they’re together.
I had no idea how many lives would be impacted that day when Olivier pulled me from my car. He didn’t just save my life. He changed it. He changed me. I’m a softer, more trusting version of myself now.
“Ready to head home?” he asks me when the sales associate approaches us, Giselle’s new dress in a garment bag.
“I am.”
He grins and says, “Let’s go watch some hockey.”
“Which one is West?” Grandma Jo asks, scanning the ice.
“He’s the goalie,” I tell her. “Look at the Jumbotron. They’re scrolling through all the players’ photos and you’ll see him.”
Olivier had Blaze merchandise delivered to my family, and Grandma Jo got a jersey with Jonah West’s name on it. I still can’t get over how strange it is to see my always-formally-and-perfectly-dressed parents and grandma in red Blaze jerseys.
“This is really something,” my dad says, looking around Olivier’s owner’s suite.
He has his own bartender and a server who only waits on the people in his box. It’s extravagant, but since he’s working on meeting me in the middle, I’m working on doing the same by not overanalyzing how much things cost. He is the team owner, after all.
“I can’t believe the number of people here,” my mother says to me, shaking her head. “I had no idea sports were so popular.”
My privileged, out of touch mother is way outside her comfort zone tonight, and I appreciate her being here. It may be just so she can be seen in the company of a billionaire, but she’s here, and I’ll take it.
“You guys have to try the nachos,” Giselle says to us. “And the blue ICEEs are great, too.”
The server looks at us and asks, “Would you like anything?”
“I guess…nachos and a blue ICEE?” my mom says uncertainly.
“Same for me,” I say.
I’m definitely taking photos of Mom eating nachos and drinking and ICEE. I need the photographic evidence or Julia will never believe it.
“Daph?” Olivier says from close by.
“Yeah?”
“My PR manager is asking if we’ll go do some photos real quick before the puck drop.”
“We?”
“Yep. Olidaph.”
“Ah.” I breathe out and stand up. “I guess we might as well.”
We follow the PR manager to another VIP box and when we walk inside, Jada and her kids are waiting for us, all of them dressed in jerseys and smiling at us.
“Oh my gosh!” I cry, rushing to Jada to hug her. “You guys are here? I had no idea!”
“A little surprise for you, babe,” Olivier says.
I hug each of Jada’s kids and talk to them about how school is going. Olivier and Jada catch up, too, and we all pose for photos.
The suite starts to fill up with other invited guests, and when the lights go down, Olivier and I go back to his box.
“That was such a nice surprise,” I say in his ear. “Thank you.”
He squeezes my hand and we take our seats.
“Oh, he’s a hottie!” Grandma Jo cries when Jonah West’s photo is displayed on the Jumbotron.
Everyone laughs—even my mom. Then we all take in the pregame sound and light show, the roar of the crowd like nothing I’ve experienced.
When the puck drops, the real excitement begins. Olivier clutches my hand during exciting moments and swears when things don’t go his team’s way. He’s completely engaged in the game, and even though I don’t fully understand what’s going on, I like seeing how much he loves it.
“Block it!” Giselle yells, jumping out of her seat. “Come on!”
She’s just like her father, on the edge of her seat throughout the game. They’re both bummed when the Blaze lose 3–1, but my parents have the same expressions they have after watching an opera.
“That was really exciting,” my father says. “And I’m sure we’ll get them next time.”
“Is Jonah high or something?” Giselle grumbles. “He looked like a statue someone set in front of the goal.”
“Goaltending isn’t as easy as it looks,” Olivier says. He puts his arm around me as we walk out of the box and asks, “Did you like it?”
“I did. I want to learn more about hockey, though, so I actually know what I’m watching next time.”
“I might know a guy who can help with that,” he says, kissing my forehead.
Grandma Jo approaches us and says, “Thanks for everything, Frenchman. I think I’ll need to take you up on that locker room visit some other time because it’s way past this old lady’s bedtime.”
“Anytime, Grandma Jo.”
We hug her and my parents, and then walk Giselle down to the car,