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I nodded and tried again. This time my voice betrayed me, shaking as I described what growing up here had taught me.
“Want to know what I think?” Liam asked when I stopped.
“Always.”
“You’re trying too hard for perfection. The town doesn’t want perfect—they want you. The kid who grew up here, learned how to play hockey, and returned to share his experience. Messing up or your voice breaking doesn’t matter.” He finished tying his skates and looked up. “Talk to them like you talk to the camp kids, to me, to your moms. Be yourself.”
“That simple, huh?”
“That simple.” He stood. “Try again but imagine you’re just talking to Andre.”
The suggestion caught me off guard. “Andre?”
“He believes in you. Focus on him in the crowd. Tell him your story.”
I closed my eyes, picturing Andre’s encouraging smile, the warmth of his hand as he’d squeezed mine. Steadiness replaced anxiety when I opened my eyes.
The words flowed naturally this time. I stumbled in places but it felt authentic, unforced. When I finished, Liam beamed.
“That’s it. Try to do that this afternoon.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Now let’s coach some hockey.”
As we headed back, confidence replaced the morning’s doubt. The butterflies remained—they always would—but now they were manageable. I could do this.
“Hey, Liam?” I paused before stepping onto the ice. “Thanks.”
“Always got your back, E.”
EIGHTEEN
ANDRE
“I’m happy to say nothing’s changed from last night.” Olivia beamed as she spread jam on her toast. “Everything’s ready for today. The rest of the weekend is in good shape too.”
We sat at our usual meeting table at Red’s, having our traditional breakfast. The combination of anticipation and relief that we had pulled this off energized everyone.
“The live streaming setup is solid.” Wade tapped their tablet. “The crew’s already been out this morning for a last test of the outdoor locations. Testing for indoor locations will happen an hour before we’re supposed to start broadcasting.” They reviewed their tablet one last time. “We even have more crew than we need, so if extra hands are required anywhere, you can text the AV group chat and someone should be available.”
I sipped my tea, appreciating that we had no pressing matters. The past few days had been a whirlwind, but they’d led the charge of the wider group of volunteers making this work.
The vendor tents stood ready, the art installations were complete, all the venues reported they were ready with the programming, and even the weather looked like it would cooperate for the weekend.
Mickey’s voice broke through my thoughts. “You’re being suspiciously quiet.”
“Just going through mental checklists.” I picked up a piece of bacon, masking my expression.
Olivia’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? Because usually when you’re doing that, you’re rapid-fire asking us questions about every detail. This morning you seem…” She paused, studying my face. “Relaxed?”
“The festival starts in four and a half hours.” Wade looked at me with mock concern. “Should we be worried that you’re not more stressed?”
Heat crept up my neck. “Can’t I be confident in our preparation?”
“Uh-huh.” Mickey’s tone was knowing. “I’ve been part of planning or watching you plan countless events. You’re never this calm.” He studied me. “Does this have anything to do with dinner?”
Wade’s coffee cup hung in midair. “Oh yeah. You didn’t tell us anything about last night.”
