COMPLETED. A university student. A professional hockey player. They've proved they can be friends. Can they be more?
Although they're both in their early twenties and living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, their lives couldn't be more different. Cami...
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I thought I had done a good job up until this point with not pestering Taylor about where he was taking me. But now, on the way to wherever-the-hell-we-were-going, surely would be a good time to spill the beans? It had been five minutes since Taylor drove out of the arena's parking lot and the only word he apparently knew was mum.
Fine. I thought he would have admitted our destination by now, maybe even explain why he was protecting the information like it was top-secret, but I could see that he wanted to play hardball. I wasn't above begging. But first, let's start with simply asking. Again.
"So, Taylor, where are we—"
"Fine, I'll tell you," he said, cutting me off.
I had never been so okay with getting interrupted. When I was younger, I would always be spoken over because my voice was so soft, which is why it now sounds like I'm saying a rehearsed speech whenever I address even a small group.
"We're on our way to see a good friend of mine," Taylor said as we hit a red light. "One of the best ones I have here, actually."
"Really?" I glanced over at him.
Was that a tinge of jealousy I felt? That's ridiculous. So what if I wasn't the only "good friend" Taylor had in Winnipeg?
"Yeah, his name is Devon and he's a really good kid," he continued.
Wait. A kid?
Taylor looked at me from the side, likely assessing my slightly confused expression before he dropped the most important nugget of information.
"He's a patient at the local children's hospital. I visit him from time to time and thought maybe you'd like to come with me. But if you're not comfortable with it, we can go straight to dinner. I was going to take you after..."
Whoa, whoa. Whoa. My brain could only process so much at once, and I was still trying to get past 'hospital.'
Taylor had a friend at a children's hospital, one that he visited? From time to time, as in, more than once? That was so completely... Taylor.
"Of course, I'd love to visit with you," I interrupted his never-ending stream of words. "How come you never mentioned this before?"
In true humble Taylor Hudson fashion, he shrugged. "I met him in August, at a team event. The Storm organization visits the hospital every year at that time. The players get to meet and play with some of the kids, and it's a highlight for the kids, which is great. But there was one boy and his parents that I met..."
"Devon," I said, putting two-and-two together.
"Yeah, Devon, that I formed a real connection with. So, I visit him whenever I can, which isn't too often, but I guess it's better than nothing."
"I think it's amazing."
Taylor scratched his neck, seeming uncomfortable with the compliment.
"I'm in a pretty fortunate position. It's just a small thing I do."
