Hockey Is My Boyfriend: Part Two by Melanie Ting Page A

with you.” He frowned suddenly. “You’re not embarrassed to be with me, are you?”
    “Well, no.” I wasn’t embarrassed to be with him as much as I was embarrassed to be with any guy. I wanted to be a good role model for the girls, and this didn’t seem right.
    Jimmy was even more intense than usual. “What happened last night was really special, Kelly. We have a real connection. It’s not just sex either. We’ve got so much going for us. I feel bad I have to leave on Saturday, but I’ve already got things figured out. I can pick you up next weekend and either take you back to Fredericton—or if I can swing the time off, I’ll drive you to Montreal.”
    “But—” Had I had landed in some alternate universe? “What’s going on here?”
    “You’re my girlfriend. And I’m your boyfriend.”
    Holy crap. Luckily, I had only given him a blow job. If we had sex, we’d probably be engaged. But realistically, this could still be a fling. We could sneak away and have sex. If he drove me to Montreal, then we could have sex at my apartment. And then it would be over. No big deal, even if Jimmy seemed to be way more romantic than me.
    Jimmy opened the door of the lodge for me, still holding my hand.
    “We can’t be doing this during breakfast.” It was too early for me to deal with all this.
    As usual, I found it impossible to predict what Jimmy was going to do or say next. He replied, “Look, everyone is going to know about us by lunchtime anyway. Why not get in front of it?”
    I could only think of a dozen reasons why not, topped by the fact this was supposed to be my secret fling. “Um, I have to help Loreal make sure all the girls get to breakfast.” I fled back to my cabin. Loreal was used to my morning gym times and had efficiently woken both cabins already. Dressing and teeth-brushing was in progress. I changed from my gym clothes to regular clothes and did a quick onceover with a washcloth in lieu of a shower.
    “Is everything okay?” Loreal asked as we marched down to the lodge.
    “Uh, I have a problem. But it’s too complicated to discuss right now.”
    All the girls obediently lined up for breakfast. I got my cereal and fruit, but before I made it to the girl’s table, Jimmy called me. “Kelly! Over here.”
    As if I didn’t always know where in the room he was. He had saved a seat for me at the big boys’ table. When I got there, Jimmy pulled out the chair for me. After I sat down, he placed his hand on my back and asked me sweetly how I was doing this morning, as if we hadn’t already spent time in the gym making out.
    “Good, I’m good.” Until I went through that 1950’s time portal and ended up going steady with the Beav.
    “Well, you look great. As usual.”
    Definitely, if a ponytail, jean shorts and the world’s oldest t-shirt qualified as looking great, that was me. I looked down the table, but to their credit nobody else was laughing at this turn of events. Probably none of them were awake yet.
    Loreal walked by, and I gave her a raised eyebrow meant to communicate my mystified state of mind, but apparently she didn’t read eyebrows and sat down with the girls. I ate my cereal in silence.
    Jimmy kept smiling as he made his way through one of the biggest breakfasts I have ever seen: eggs, bacon, sausages, toast, muffins, yogurt, fruit cup. And with only one hand too, as the other one had to be either around me or stroking my arm or holding my hand. All before 9:00 AM.
    The only thing that kept me from slugging him was the fact his touch was igniting a fire in my stomach, or actually in an area six inches below that. All before 9:00 AM.
    After breakfast, we split up to work our own schedules. I had an early morning practice session with the Peewees. Then I was supposed to supervise the crafts area, which was an optional activity hardly anyone showed up to. Except one ten-year old boy, who seemed to live in the craft room. His name was Max, and I finally asked him why he