Connor looks extremely uncomfortable as he peers down at Ellie’s bare feet. I snort to myself, remembering his ridiculous aversion to feet.
“Noted. Hey, Coach. What’s your friend Sadie doing here? Just come to see a game?”
I’m trying to play it cool but Ellie’s assessing eyes have me crawling in my own skin. I’m doing a shit job at hiding my intrigue.
“Actually, she had a meeting with management this afternoon. They’ve decided to hire her part time as a health and wellness instructor as we prepare for playoffs. I’m not sure what magic those goats had, but you guys have been playing out of your minds ever since. Some of the guys actually asked for her info because they wanted her to help out with meditation, visualization, and mindfulness. Word got around, and the GM saw the benefit of hiring her on a short-term contract. Is that going to be a problem, Cap?”
Connor, the traitor he is, laughs for the first time in months. Fucker.
“Not at all. I think that’s a great idea. I could use a little help with meditation, myself.”
I hear Connor whisper under his breath, “I bet you could.”
He’s a dead man.
Ellie slips her shoes back on just as Sadie makes her way toward us. “Hey, Sades, we were just talking about you.” Ellie smirks at me, and I shrink down onto the bike, as if I can hide from the impending interrogation.
“I’m not sure I like the sound of that. All good things I hope?”
Sadie looks from her best friend to me and Connor. “Hello, gentlemen. You weren’t talking bad about me to my best friend were you?” She raises her eyebrow, attempting, but utterly failing, to look threatening.
Connor stays quiet next to me. Surprise, surprise. Leaving me to handle the conversation solo. Some best friend he is.
I sit up straight on the bike, crossing my arms over my chest. “Never. Coach Ellie was just telling us about your new job. Congratulations.”
Sadie’s cheeks turn a shade of pink I’ve never seen before, and it’s officially my new favorite color.
Her hair is down today and it cascades down her back in loose waves, making the purple streaks much more evident. The strands look as smooth as silk, begging for me to run my fingers through it. Okay, so maybe that shade of pink on her cheeksandthe purple in her hair are my new favorite colors.
She tucks her hair behind her ear before speaking again. “Oh. Well, thank you! I’m pretty excited to work with the team. They seem just as eager as I am to get started.” She flicks her attention to the rookies behind her that she just finished chatting with.
I bet they fucking are.
“Coach Ellie said you were gonna help some of the guys with meditation and visualization. Think I can get in on that?”
Connor chuckles under his breath next to me, and I fight every urge in my body to turn around and throw him off his bike. Keeping my eyes on Sadie, I anxiously wait for her response.
She bites her bottom lip and the tiny move does something to me. My heart starts pounding and my foot slips off the pedal of my bike, causing my body to wobble to the side of my bike.
Sadie reaches her arm out, her hand wrapping around my bicep, trying to steady me before I make an even bigger fool of myself. “Easy there, big guy. Maybe you do need some help with meditation and staying focused. Let’s chat tomorrow after practice.”
“Yeah, okay. Sounds good to me. Thanks, Sadie.”
She gives my arm a squeeze before letting go, and I straighten myself on my bike again. She and Ellie take off down the hallway toward the training room, my eyes not leaving her for a second.
Once she’s out of sight, I lower my head, grab the handlebars, and try to focus on the game tonight, getting lost in a rhythm on the bike.
Just as I think I’ve got my head on straight, visualizing different game play scenarios, I hear Connor’s voice interrupt my thoughts.
“Dude, you are in so much trouble.”
It’s almost the end of the game, but it’s tied. Since it’s still the regular season, if no one scores they’ll go to a five-minute overtime period, and then a shootout after that if no one scores in OT.
I was able to hang out with some of the training staff in the tunnel for the majority of the game. We chatted about what it’s like working for the team, while simultaneously taking in the action from ice level.
Let me tell you, these guys are even bigger, and better looking, when you’re up this close.
Connor takes a nasty hit near the end of the third period and one of the trainers rushes onto the ice to attend to him. He’s been battling a groin injury all season according to Sloane, the head athletic trainer.
