Cole Korhonen, one of the new wunderkinds of the New York Stars, walks into the bakery looking like sex on a stick.
And I mean that literally.
He’s so hot it should be illegal and though he quite clearly knows it, honestly, he couldn’t not be aware of how the entirety of New York City is jealous of his future wife, Mia Charles.
Still, his ego might be as massive as his thighs (potentially bigger) but his eyes are kind. That, in itself, shouldn’t be discounted. And when he orders a large iced latte with gingerbread syrup, I feel like I’ve found my person. Because fall is a lifestyle choice, not just a season.
Dressed in a surprisingly low-key outfit of jeans, Henley, and high-tops, he cuts a cool figure as he slips off his Ray-Bans on the hunt for me amid the crowd.
When a woman with a child crashes into him, he holds up his coffee cup out of harm’s way, steering any spillage off them, and carefully detangles the boy’s arms from his legs before signing a paper napkin with a smile.
Though the collision drew attention, this is NYC so no one takes any notice of anything.
Cole’s kindness, however, is renowned among hockey players. It’s safe to say that most of the boys who billeted with the Bukowski family in Winnipeg all treat their fans the same way—with appreciation and genuine goodwill.
Once the small interlude is over and, after finding me waving at him, he sighs and takes a deep sip of coffee before sitting opposite me.
We’re at Ellie’s Bakery in Midtown where the brownies are to kill for. I can sense Cole’s dismay when I fork up a bite of my own triple chocolate, double fudge brownie, nervously trying to cut the silence that landed between us after he arrived at my table.
As I wonder if tempting him away from his fiancée is possible with a brownie, Cole stares mournfully at my dessert.
Thankfully, he breaks the ice.
Cole: It’s hockey season or I’d so be eating my weight in those brownies.
Talk about a way of speaking to my carb-loving heart. Could he be anymore perfect?
Still…
Me: You ordered gingerbread syrup though?
Cole: Zero calories. Coach told me I gained weight so I need to drop a couple pounds.
Me: Rude!
Cole: You’re right. It was rude. (He frowns at his coffee and then at my brownie.) I think, as a rebellion, I should order a brownie.
Me: I think that would be a wise decision.
Ten minutes later, there’s a twin to my dessert sitting in front of him. In the meantime, we discussed his first season with the NHL’s newest whizkids—the New York Stars.
Me: Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview, Cole. It’s the first one I’ve ever held for my Public Interview 101 class so I really appreciate it.
Cole: (studying me over his coffee cup) I’m not really sure I had much of a choice but I appreciate the gratitude.
Because that isn’t a topic I’d like to dwell on, I clear my throat and dive into my prepared questions.
Me: How did it feel making the gargantuan move from New Jersey to New York?
I find myself relieved when he grins at me.
Cole: Crossing the river was crazy stressful. More stressful than when I moved from Saskatchewan.
When he winks at me, I’m one-hundred-percent certain that my heart flutters.
Cole: I love New Jersey but New York’s always called to me. I figure that’s because Mia (his fiancée) was born and bred here.
As interesting as his relationship is, especially after a fire tore down Mia’s baseball hangout, I’m more interested in the man himself.
Me: You love NYC and have an affinity for it but your social media is all about your love for Canada. Who do you support when the Olympics come around?
He gives me the side eye as he takes a sip of his latte.
Cole: Duh. Team Canada, baby. (I try not to swoon.) Anyway, I play on the national team when they call me up. Seriously, greatest honor ever.
Me: I’m pretty new to hockey so I didn’t know that was a thing.
Cole: How new are you?
(Full disclosure, readers, my father owns the New York Stars.)
Me: Very new.
I don’t tell him that I started supporting the team when my father dragged me to a game and I saw how pretty he is.
Me: I’m into gymnastics in a big way but team sports were never my thing.
Cole: They have team gymnastic competitions.
Me: Yes, but they’re judged on individual performances.
Cole: Makes sense.
Once the brownie arrives, his smile lights up the bakery.
Even the server is taken aback by its power and I can’t deny that I’m a little flushed.
Me: So, what does it feel like playing with one of your billet brothers and under the management of your billet sister?
Cole: Hmm?
I fear I’ve lost him to the carb monster.
Though I repeat my question, he stares at the brownie with heart eyes.
Cole: Do you know what they put in this stuff? I’ve been to the bakery before but this is the first time I tried this particular brownie.
Me: It’s new to the menu. But I’m guessing a lot of chocolate. My aunt owns the bakery so I know that much.
His eyes narrow upon me, and suddenly, I’m at the forefront of his focus. Let me tell you, readers, it’s a heady place to be.
Cole: Do you think you could get me the recipe?
Me: No. Aren’t you a billionaire or something? You can just visit the bakery when you crave it.
Cole: You brought me back here to sabotage my weight loss regimen, didn’t you?
Me: Are you always this paranoid?
Cole: No, but I am when it comes to being denied brownies.
He stares mournfully at his plate which is over half-empty.
Cole: Liam Donnghal (the NY Stars’ captain) is so good at controlling his macros. To me, macros were meant to come with a side of cheese sauce.
Me: (laughing) Don’t they say that everything in moderation is good for the soul?
Cole: I’m sure they say it somewhere but not in competitive sports.
Me: I haven’t competed for a long time, but I had my own pre-competition quirks. Do you have any rituals that help psych you up for a game?
Cole: (blinking) I don’t think I can talk about that in print. Do you know your father threatened me with a fine if I didn’t sit for this interview.
Me: (blushing) He takes my college classes seriously.
Cole: I didn’t mind. There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for family. Though asking to meet here still feels like sabotage.
Cole: My pregame rituals shifted recently. That’s about as much as I can say.
Me: Oh. (blushing harder than before.) I know that you’re from ranching stock—
Cole: You make me sound like a stallion.
Me: (blinking)
Cole: I only have five more minutes before I have to head to the rink.
Me: So, your ranch—when you retire, will you go home?
Cole: I’m not a natural rancher but I would like to return to the Seven Cs. God only knows when. I’m still in my prime and I don’t intend on leaving the Stars until we’ve brought home the Cup at least three times.
Me: My dad will love you, then. Before he bought the Stars, he didn’t really like hockey. Now, he’s obsessed with that Stanley Trophy.
Cole: It’s the game of the gods.
Considering most of the hockey players on the Stars appear like gods…
Cole: Also, (wincing) please don’t call it the Stanley Trophy. It’s a Cup.
Me: Sorry. (trying not to dive under the table in shame)
Me: I understand that you need to leave soon so, here’s my last question—what was the first game you ever watched?
A soft smile curves his lips and his gaze turns distant.
Cole: Montreal vs. Winnipeg
Me: Who won?
Cole: Winnipeg, of course!
He taps his chin.
Cole: I may need to rewatch that game. It’s why, when it was time to decide where to play junior hockey, I chose Winnipeg. Funny how things turn full circle. Without that game, I’d never have met the Bukowskis and they changed my life.
His smile is definitely nostalgic.
In fact, I’m hesitant to break him from the spell as he stares at his coffee, a lifetime of memories making his regard both distant and intimate.
When I clear my throat, he peers at me and changes the subject.
Cole: Liam told me that you’re talking to him next week.
Me: (nodding) Dad said that he’d put in a word for me.
Cole: Fines are usually a good way to get what you want but if you need to soften him up after being bribed, then don’t bring him here.
Me: Why not? Everyone loves brownies.
Cole: (shaking his head) Just trust me on this one.
With that, Cole gets to his feet and bids me farewell, leaving me so that he can order two more brownies. To-go, this time.
Even as I watch him leave, I’m wondering just how annoyed the teammates are going to be when my dad hits each and every one of them up for an interview.
Despite that, I’m grateful for my link to the Stars. Their franchise might be new, but there’s no denying that they’re the season’s favorites. After last year’s brutal eviction from the playoffs, it’s clear that the team won’t stop until they’ve brought home the Cup. (Not Trophy.)
I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can about the individual players, not just the team that will see New York City win it all for the first time in decades.
