Off the Stick

<p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Five years ago I did the one thing I promised myself I'd never do.</span></p><p></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>I fell for a hockey player.</em></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>But the timing hadn't been right. We were young-I had a scholarship for a college in the US and Dane Ax Axelrod was heading toward the pros. In the end we agreed to part on mutual terms and not stay in touch. It just made sense. But that didn't mean I wasn't damn proud of him when he got drafted.</span></p><p></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Which is why I never told him I was pregnant with his baby.</em></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Now I've just finished my degree and landed my new job with the Vancouver Vikings. It means moving to a new city and after having the daily support of my family parenting my daughter fully on my own for the first time.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Of course I knew Dane played for the Vikings but as a lowly junior analyst I figured I'd never run into him. Even if I did he'd never remember who I am. After all rumor was he'd been with hundreds of girls since then.</span></p><p></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Wrong</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>. I managed to run into him first thing and surprisingly he does remember me.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Which is a major complication.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Especially when Dane meets my daughter who just happens to be his spitting image.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>I've tried keeping Lennon's identity under wraps and never sought out Dane's parental involvement but Ax is no fool. He quickly figures out Lenni's his daughter and wants to get to know her. But I know what an NHL player's life is like. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Now I'm in the middle of a tricky situation-am I trying to protect my daughter from a man who may not be around much for her?</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Or am I just protecting my own heart from falling for him once again?</span></p><p></p>