5
Cole
Game day was when the spotlight was on us, but there was a lot more to being a pro hockey player than what the fans saw. We had scrimmages and workout days, too. Those were just as important as the days we played another team. Maybe even more so.
Today was a workout day. We had drills on the ice, then went into the training room for conditioning. Everyone had a different routine they fell into, including me. But today I was doing something different.
June had me on a new workout to rehab my knee.
“You don’t have to supervise,” I told her while I was using the leg press machine. “Give me a list and I’ll do it all.”
“It’s my job to make sure you do it, and do itright,” she said cheerfully. “We’ve got deadlifts after this, and if you do it with poor form, it might make your knee worse.”
I’d been doing deadlifts since I was thirteen, but I didn’t tell her that. She was new, and couldn’t trust the players immediately. Trust had to be built. And honestly, plenty of my teammatesneededto be supervised. And not just Rhett.
“Rest time’s over,” June said. “Two more sets. Let’s go.”
At first, I was skeptical of June. Not because of anything about her personally, but because she was replacing Andy. He’d been our trainer since the team was founded, and I trusted him.
But I was quickly realizing that despite her youth, June was excellent at her job. She fit in well with the team, going with the flow in a seamless way. I was rapidly beginning to trust her as much as Andy.
Which was crucial when someone was instructing you on how to take care of your body.
We finished up on the leg press, then switched over to the free weights area. June helped me rack the plates on the bar, then moved to the side. I stepped up to the bar, bent down to grip it, then did five reps.
“You’re rounding your back a little,” she said.
I blinked at her. “No I’m not.”
“You are. I just watched you.”
She crossed her arms under her breasts in a way that stirred something inside me. I did my best to ignore it and said, “I have perfect deadlift form. Andy’s been supervising me for years.”
“Okay,” she said.
On the next set, I did everything the exact same, acutely aware that June was watching to the side. When I was done, I realized she had her phone out.
And she was smiling.
“Look at this,” she said, crowding close to me so we could both watch her phone. Her arm brushed mine as the video played. From that angle at the side, it was obvious that she was right.
“Shit,” I said. “I guess I am rounding my back.”
“Only at the very bottom of the movement!” she said encouragingly. “Easy to fix now that you’re aware of it. Sorry for shattering your illusion about doing it perfectly.”
“No apology needed. I’m man enough to admit when I’m wrong.”
“But only when there’s incontrovertible evidence,” she said with a grin.
I grimaced. “I do trust you. And I’m really grateful you’ve kept me in the games, rather than recommending I sit out. Nobody wants to take time off, but especially not me.”
“Because you’re the captain of the team?” she asked, tapping her watch.
I gripped the bar and said, “Because I’m about as stubborn as a muskox.”
She laughed while I did the next set, this time focusing on my form.
“Much better,” she said when I was done. “Are you from Canada? The way you pronouncedaboutgave it away.”
