Page 20 of Full Contact

“Equipment genius Danny.”

“He won’t mind?”

“He’ll respect your opinion. Bring the old pair as evidence.”

Before we headed out to the ice, Coach Markel entered the locker room. He pointed. “Rook, the floor is yours.”

Rook stayed beside his stall. A hush fell over the locker room.

“Most of you heard this last season. For the new guys, this one’s my last.” He looked around the room. “I’d like to spend it playing hockey. You can all tell me how old I am in June.”

“We can wait,” Cross said. “If you think you’ll remember.”

“I’ll write it down.”

Rook picked up his helmet, and we all followed him out to the ice. I’d known since last season, and I’d had all summer to get used to it.

The rink air cooled the sweat at the back of my neck. Twenty minutes into our first session, Rook closed a gap on a younger forward with one small adjustment—a half-stride and an angle, nothing anyone in the stands would notice—and the kid gave up the puck at the wall.

I had seen him do it hundreds of times. This time I watched the whole thing, start to finish.

At the bench, I sat down next to him.

“Retirement seems excessive,” I said. “You could simply stop attending optional skates and team dinners.”

“I’d never hear the end of it.”

I laughed. He drank his water and watched the next group go over the boards. A puck struck the glass behind us with a flat crack. Then it was our turn again, and we got back to work.

I got home from camp with two hours to spare, showered, and checked the condo. Nothing needed cleaning. Anna had taken care of it on her last visit.

Mark’s text arrived at three p.m. on the dot.

Mark: Downstairs.

He stood outside the building on the sidewalk with the two people whose work samples I’d approved in August—a camera operator named Priya and a sound tech named Ben. Both shook my hand. Neither said anything about the wedding video. Their equipment fit into a surprisingly reasonable number of bags.

Mark wore a navy polo instead of his usual office shirt. He held the lobby door while the crew carried their bags through, the sleeve pulling snug around his upper arm. I took one of the bags from Ben before I spent too long looking.

“You found parking,” I said.

“Ben found parking. I contributed moral support as we circled the block.”

Upstairs, I gave them the grand tour, pointing out where equipment could go and which outlets they could use. At the mouth of the bedroom hallway I stopped them.

“This stays clear. Hallway to the water bowl.”

Priya looked at the open stretch of floor. “The whole thing?”

“She doesn’t alter her routes.”

“What happens if something’s in her way?”

“She stands next to it until the responsible party is identified.”

Ben moved his bag.

“Can I put a light stand here?” Priya asked, pointing at a corner.