Page 47 of Cross Ice

Safe flight. I’ll be at my desk.

I read it twice. Such a small, ordinary thing. He’d be waiting. Then I put my phone on airplane mode and watched San Jose fall away beneath us.

Portland greeted us with gray skies and a drizzle that wasn’t quite rain, the kind of weather that made you want to get inside as fast as possible. We got off the team bus outside the hotel in downtown Portland, a place that looked like a hunting lodge and smelled like cedar and expensive coffee. The equipment staff started unloading gear while Leah from travel handed out key cards.

I texted Evan as soon as I had mine.

Nico

Hotel’s nice. Lots of exposed wood and a coffee bar in the lobby that has seventeen types of oat milk.

Evan

That’s extremely Portland. How was the flight?

Nico

Thompson beat his high score on whatever game he’s been playing since October. He announced it to the whole plane. Fortin slow-clapped.

Evan

I already like Fortin.

Nico

Don’t tell him that. His ego doesn’t need it.

I was smiling at my phone in the middle of a hotel lobby while my teammates streamed past me. Fortin shoulder-checked me on his way to the elevator and gave me a look that said he absolutely knew what I was doing and found it hilarious.

I found my room, pulled out my phone, and opened my messages with Griffin.

Nico

You around this afternoon? Want to talk if you have time.

The response came within minutes.

Griffin

For you? Absolutely. Come to Beaverton? Coffee shop near our practice facility. Beaverton Beans. What time works?

I did some quick math.

Nico

2?

Griffin

Perfect. I’ll bring Wesley. See you then.

After a light skate, I let André know I’d be gone for a couple of hours, grabbed an Uber, and headed to Beaverton.

Beaverton Beans was small and tucked away, a local spot that probably didn’t see many tourists. I walked in and spotted Griffin and Wesley at a corner table in the loft.

Griffin stood when he saw me and squeezed my shoulder. “Good to see you, man.”

“You too. Thanks for meeting with me.”