He was still grinning as he got dressed. And Kyle came over and sat down beside him. "Okay if you smile anymore I'm going to get the doc to check you over."
Kip laughed. "Sorry, just, my girlfriend is here. It kinda makes me feel like I'm sixteen again."
"Your girlfriend? Hold the phone?" Corey stood up. "Hey Kippy here has a girlfriend," he boomed to the whole room.
Kip felt his smile return and his face flush. "Shut the fuck up man." He swung at Corey half-heatedly.
Corey sat back down. "How the hell do you have a girl? Because, last week, nothing."
"It was too early last week. Don't worry about it. Get your head in the game. We need to win." Corey shoved Kip's head and walked off.
Kip finished dressing and went out to the ice. He skated to his goal, before he ventured a look up to the stands. Colton and Mandy were sitting there, talking to each other. The sound of skates on the ice drew their attention and they looked down to the ice.
Colton jumped up and started waving. Mandy grabbed his hand and pulled him back to sitting. She said something to him and he picked up his camera and looked through the lens.
Kip smiled and lifted his stick in a greeting to them. Mandy looked pleased and waved back. There was a whistle on the ice and Kip forced his attention back to the ice.
As he skated over to the rest of the team, he noticed Corey looking at the bleachers. He elbowed Kip in the side. "Is that her up there? With a kid? Never took you for that kind of guy."
Kip glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah that's her. Them. You can grill me later. Oh yeah, you can give the kid an autograph as well."
Corey laughed. "Sure thing."
The practice went well Kip decided as he left the ice. He was in desperate need of a shower. Of course, that got his blood running hot again as he recalled his first shower this morning.
He was standing in the walkway, waiting for Mandy to come down. He'd gotten the go ahead for her to come meet the team. Which was more nerve wracking than her watching.
****
Mandy was ready for a nap and it was barely even noon. Watching Kip practice was enough. But then she had to meet the team. She would have skipped that part, except for Colton. He was going to get some autographs. They ended up autographing the jersey Kip had bought him.