“Okay, we’ll tell him and then call you back in here after we’ve broken the news to him. That way we still stand united,” Martin says. I think he says this because he probably knows Cam isn’t going to take this well. If anyone should be taking over for Martin it should be Cam. He has many more years of experience than I do.
“We break it to the team in fifteen,” Martin states, “be ready.”
“Got it,” I confirm, getting up and walking out of the room at the same time Cam is coming out of the coaches’ locker room.
“Did they fire you?” he asks me, and the door behind me opens and Ken steps out.
“Cam,” he says, “you’re up.”
I move to the side and head back to the locker room, my head spinning at this news. At forty, I’m going to be the youngest coach in NHL history. I close my eyes and put my head back on the cement wall. I stare into space until I hear Martin shout my name from the hallway. Getting up, I walk out, seeing him standing there with Ken behind him. Cam is looking at me with almost a glare, which is quickly covered up. “Congrats,” he says when he gets beside me, “going to be a fun year.”
“Yeah,” I say to him as I follow Martin into the locker room. I stand here and then Cam moves to the side so I’m standing next to Martin. “Hey, guys,” Martin starts, and his voice is somber. The whole room must sense something is up because the room suddenly goes silent and all eyes are on him. “I have some news for you.” The room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. “This season will be my last with the Warriors.” I see Jaxon look over at Knox and then Kirby, the oldest ones on the team who lead the young ones. “It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but one I knew it was time for.” He takes a deep inhale. “We aren’t going to be sharing this information with the media just yet, but I wanted you guys to be the first to hear it and to hear it from me.” He looks over to me and nods his head. “I’m happy to say that I’ll be passing the torch to Zane.”
A gasp fills the room as I step up beside him, and he slaps my shoulder and then squeezes it, so I know it’s time for me to say a little something. I start off right away. “I know I have big skates to fill.” I chuckle nervously as I try to look around the room, but I just look at Coach. “But I’m going to try my fucking hardest.” I’m sure the whole room is thinking what everyone else is going to be thinking when it’s finally announced. “I just hope you guys give me a chance.”
Jaxon is the first one to speak. “Martin handing you the torch,” he looks at the guys in the room, making sure everyone is looking at him while he says this, “means something.” He looks back at me. “Looking forward to seeing how you’re going to lead us.”
“Thank you,” I say to him and then he looks at Martin, who looks at Jaxon once more before he turns and leaves the room. I follow them and can hear the whispers that are going on behind me.
“We tell the press tomorrow afternoon,” Ken states. “I’ll let you know when we are going to schedule the press conference.” I nod at them and then look at Martin.
“Twenty-four hours to change your mind,” I tell him, and he shakes his head.
“Not a chance in hell,” he retorts. “I was more nervous about breaking it to the boys than I will be breaking it to the media.” He slaps my arm. “Dress nice.”
“I’ll take out my best suit.” I try not to sound as nervous as I feel.
“Go home, rest. Tomorrow is going to be one of the biggest days of your life.”
I nod, turning and heading to my truck. The whole ride home I feel like I’m outside of my body, in a daze. I step into the house and I hear water dripping. I walk over to the kitchen and see a leak coming from the ceiling. Running up the steps to the upstairs bathroom, I see all faucets are off. I pick up my phone and search for emergency plumbers. It takes two hours for him to come by after telling me to turn off the main line. They break open the ceiling in the kitchen, seeing one of the pipes from my bathroom has a leak and the whole ceiling is actually wet.
“It’s not safe for you to be on the top floor,” he states, looking at the destruction, “at least until we get a contractor in here.”
“Great.” I exhale and then make my way upstairs to just pack a suit and a couple of other things to tide me over. When I walk back downstairs, he’s waiting at the door.
“We have a contractor who can pass by tomorrow late morning, early afternoon,” he tells me. “We’ll get a clear picture then.”
“Sounds good,” I say, grabbing my bag and heading out with him. I sit in my driveway and pull up the closest hotel to me and see if I can book a room. The only available room I can find is right near the airport. I book the room and check in online, bypassing the whole front desk. When I get inside, I dump my bag on the bed and then turn back around and head down to the hotel bar.
The whole place is packed when I step in, and the hostess looks at me. “Welcome.”
“For one,” I say, putting my hands in my pockets and she looks around.
“I don’t have any tables available,” she states as she does something on the iPad. “But there is a place at the bar,” she says. “You can order food there too.”
“That’s fine,” I reply as I follow her through the restaurant and pull out the tall barstool. I sit down and the bartender comes over.
“What can I get you?” he asks me and puts his hand on the bar top.
“I’ll have a whiskey on the rocks,” I order and he turns to walk away. I look down at the menu when the empty stool beside me is pulled out.
“Is this seat taken?” I hear a sweet voice and I look over and see a woman’s side profile. Her black hair is pinned back in a loose updo, a soft curl escaping the clip at the back of her head. When she turns completely, facing me, I swear I stop breathing. Her blue-gray eyes look into mine and I can say, without a doubt, she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. “Is it taken?” she asks me again.
I shake my head. “No,” I tell her, “not by me anyway.” She looks at the girl on the other side of the stool.
“Is this seat taken?” The girl shakes her head and turns back to the conversation she’s having with the person next to her.
“Perfect,” she says, sitting on the stool and putting her purse down on her side. She puts her hand on the bar and crosses her legs. I turn to face the menu and try not to think of the woman who is beside me. The bartender comes over and places my drink on a coaster then turns his smile toward the beauty beside me.
