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As I skate back to the bench, I lift aze travel up fifteen rows to see Brooke clapping and screa for me

I sit down on the bench and s awesome—

I exit the shoith a torapped around my waist and make my way over to my locker

“Bishop” I hear the gravelly voice of Coach Perron

Looking over my shoulder at him, I raise my eyebrows in question

“Give ot to be the weirdest way a coach has ever asked etting a coach or an overprotective father when I walk toward hih, that he purposefully waited until I ca but a towel to put me at my most vulnerable

When I reach the coach, who is standing in a quiet corner of the locker room, I’m surprised when he holds his hand out to ht You keep that up and you’re going to be one of the league leaders”

He shakes my hand with a few hard pumps and releases me

“Thank you, Coach,” I tell him

Figuring that’s all there is to the conversation, I start to turn back toward the lockers His voice stops ether on the plane and during the team meals”

I try to keep my shoulders loose and relaxed as I turn back to hi a step closer so our conversation is not overheard It’s one thing forme, but quite another for them to be privy to a personal conversation like this

“Any thoughts on the engageenial voice

My entire body locks tight andterritory right now because I don’t know all of the conversations that Brooke has had with her father on the subject

So I try to be vague “Well, we haven’t had iven the fact we had training caame”