"Very likely. Have a good day Kip. We'll chat by the weekend." No doubt. Kip found himself with a empty phone line. He closed his phone, feeling shocked. He put it down on the table and went upstairs. He showered and then went into the living room. He turned the television on, it was already on TSN.

With one ear listening to the television, waiting for news, he texted Mandy what he knew. He watched the sports channel for the rest of the morning, while he did some laundry.

He talked to the teams general manager, who said they would get Kip some extra coaching time. They were calling up a kid from the minors as a backup for him, but basically, the play offs were on his shoulders.

Fuck. He packed his bag and headed for Mandy's, thankful to get away. By the time he was there he was so tense from worry that his body had trouble getting out of the car. Life had shifted once again and it seemed his future rested on his ability to stop a three inch black rubber disc.

****

Mandy stretched out on Kip's bed alone. Kip was due back in the middle of the night after the sixth game of the Conference Finals. They'd pull it through. He'd pulled them through two other rounds. Mandy had no idea where he'd found everything he'd shown during the playoffs.

He'd been completely exhausted from all his extra practice, getting in better shape. His body was somehow more toned. Just the thought of running her tongue all over him made her shiver. She smiled and most restlessly under his blankets.

All future plans had been put on hold. She'd told him as much after the second round. He couldn't afford to focus on her. He needed to focus on the game. He was so close to that ultimate goal of his career, The Stanely Cup.

She was just as excited and exhausted as the team. She looked at her open book on her lap, but found herself unable to look at the lesson she was supposed to be planning.

He was supposed to call before he got on the plane. She stared at her cell phone, willing it to ring so she could try to get some sleep.

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She checked her watch. Waiting for the phone to ring was an exercise in frustration that she'd been working on for the past twenty-six minutes since she'd put Colton and Mark to bed. There was a big zoo trip planned by Kip, Corey, and the other guys who had kids in the city.

She jumped as the phone rang beside her. She grabbed it on the second ring, hoping Colton and Mark were asleep and wouldn't be woken. Their faces showed in the doorway as she said, "Hello?" Shaking her head, she motioned them into the room.




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