“You have beer in there?” he asks me and the look I shoot him is more of a “watch it” look than a glare, and he holds up his hands. “I was joking.”
“Me too,” I assure him, sitting down in my chair. “Listen, I’m going to be talking to everyone. Making sure everyone is on the same page as I am and checking in.” He sits down in the chair in front of me, putting his ankle on his knee. “I know that I’m new in this role, and I don’t have much time under my belt as someone who played in the NHL.” I chuckle, folding my hands together. “I was on the ice for one year and then knew I was better behind the bench.” His eyebrows shoot up at that confession. “Just want you to know I’m here for you if you need anything.” He nods his head. “And if at any time during the season you want to talk to me about anything or anyone, my door is open. My main focus apart from winning is making sure that you guys are in the right headspace for dealing with all the things that come with being a professional athlete. Lots of coaches don’t worry about the mental health of players, but I’m not one of them. Will I get pissed off at some point in this season? You bet your ass I will, but if at any time you think you can’t handle something, I want you to come to me and we’ll get you the help that you need.”
“Thanks, Coach.” He nods his head.
“Now, that’s not to say I’m going to be the fucking teacher if things don’t go your way on the ice. I’m not a babysitter either.” He laughs at that. “So I’m not going to sit down with you if you and your friends are not sharing your toy.”
“Got it,” he states, getting up. “It’s pretty cool that you’re doing this. Not many coaches give a shit about what their players are going through.”
“Thanks, Owen,” I tell him. “Send in Kaiden, but pretend I chewed your ass out so he’s scared,” I joke with him and he laughs as he walks out of my office. I meet with about ten players by the time it’s lunch.
I walk out and head to the kitchen to eat before I join a couple of the guys on the ice. I step foot into the room and then grab a plate, filling it with chicken and then pasta before looking over to see Jaxon, Kirby, and Knox sitting at a table. “This taken?” I ask of the empty chair, and they all shake their heads. I pull out the chair, sitting down. “What’s going on?”
“What’s going on with you?” Knox asks me and I look at him.
“Nothing, why?”
“Heard you are having a one-on-one with everyone,” Jaxon mentions, taking a bite of his food. “We were just insulted that we weren’t any of them.”
“You guys are the next round,” I inform him. “I hit the young kids first.”
“Wow,” Knox says, “are you saying we aren’t the young kids?”
“That’s one-thousand percent what I’m saying.” I look at the three of them. “You three have to lead on the ice and in that room. I don’t even know if the open-door policy thing is going to work. They might just talk shit behind my back. But I want them to feel like I have their back.”
“They are one-thousand percent talking behind your back,” Jaxon shocks me by saying, “but it’s better than them not talking about you at all.”
“That is not better,” Knox states. “Who told you that?”
“Tori,” Jaxon replies, and even the mention of her name has my ears perking up. “She said when someone talks about you, it means you are living rent-free in their head and you are their Roman Empire.” He holds up his hand. “I don’t even know what that means, but I think it’s good.”
Kirby shakes his head. “I can see it,” he says. “Speaking of her, I have to swing by her place after work to take care of a couple of things she wants done. She’s in the house you almost took over,” he informs me, and I did think of staying there when I had to look for emergency housing. It was right on the beach, exactly like I like it, but it just wasn’t for me.
“Why the fuck are you going to her house?” I blurt and all three sets of eyes come back to me. “Aren’t you taken, and isn’t that your sister?”
“Thanks for having my back,” Jaxon says, laughing, “but it’s probably because she’s living in Lexi’s old house.”
“Like I would cheat on my wife.” Kirby glares at me.
“That came out—” I try to think of words to not make it sound like I’m a fucking lunatic and just accused him of cheating on his wife. “I was just shocked.”
Jaxon slaps my shoulder. “I thought you were going to deck him.” He squeezes my shoulder.
“I didn’t mean anything, it was just—” I hold up my hands and Kirby just glares at me and leans back in the chair. “I guess you guys are going to talk about me when I leave now.”
“Most definitely,” Knox assures me, trying not to laugh, “and it’s not going to be good.” I can’t help but laugh at him and then Jaxon and Kirby join in.
“Okay, well, I guess I’ll leave you guys to it.” I grab my plate. “But seriously, when you have a minute, I’d like you guys to come to my office. I don’t want them to think I’m playing favorites.”
“Coach,” Jaxon declares, “everyone knows I’m your favorite.”
“I can tell you I’m not his favorite,” Kirby assures him, “but it’s okay, he’s not mine either.” I can’t help but snort when he says that.
“I said I was sorry,” I tell him, and he just nods his head as he side-eyes me, Jaxon and Knox snicker at him.
I head back to my office and see Cam coming down the hallway, looking at me and I can tell right away he’s not happy. Eric comes out of his office at the exact moment and catches Cam, stopping in front of me. “What the fuck are you doing?” he hisses at me as I move the conversation to my office so there is no gossip about us clashing.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” I reply, and Eric follows him into my office and closes the door.
