I can’t tell him about the biggest thing on my mind—I’m still scared of what the consequences of Eli and Tucker’s actions will be—though maybe Patrick is the one person I should tell about this. He works for me, he makes sure my career thrives and that anything that threatens that career can be taken care of.
I won’t tell him, though, because I refuse to have anyone else know. There’s no way I could look him in the eye again if he knew I was traded because my boyfriend made a deal with the owner’s son.
But I can at least admit to my other fears.
“I’m nervous.” I shift on my seat, letting that simple fact settle. When it does, it feels easier to say the rest. “I have no idea what it’s going to be like to play with these guys, what they all expect from me. I know how management is, I’m not naïve there. The big question mark is the players, the vibes in the locker room.”
“That’s understandable.”
I can’t fault Patrick for his painfully careful tone, for his almost pitying look. It’s not that I want him to feel sorry for me, but it’s nice how much he cares.
“The nerves are useless, wondering so much is useless, because I’m going to find out very soon what the rest of the season and the two after that will be like.”
And I promise myself that whatever that ends up being, I’ll deal with it.
I won’t allow anyone to bully me anymore.
I almost tripwhen I see our welcoming party waiting at the entrance to the practice rink. The outdoor parking lot has wider spots than normal, which I guess is to accommodate the expensive cars the players probably drive here, but the wind whips and bites as I process what this must mean.
I definitely wasn’t expecting Tanner Prince, the captain of the Demons, Dave Lussier, the alternate, Royce, the GM, and Gabriel Bernard, the head coach, to all be waiting to meet me today.
Sure, the GM and head coach are obvious, but Prince and Lussier?
“Good morning.” Patrick takes the lead, thank God, and offers his hand first to the players and then the older men.
I also shake everyone’s hand, but wordlessly—I can’t really come up with words right now.
I follow everyone inside and don’t absorb a single thing any of them are saying.
I’d be humiliated if anyone else knew, but all I can focus on are Prince and Lussier.
They look relaxed, Prince wearing a team-branded sweatshirt and Lussier only a T-shirt. Prince with his pure black hair and eerily light hazel eyes, smiles easily enough when he catches me looking. Lussier, on the other hand, is giving me nothing. His face is blank, but not exactly in a bad way?
I can’t figure it out completely, but he keeps his blue eyes on the GM at all times.
Soon enough Patrick grips my arm strongly enough to snap me back to the present and I see two people have joined us. A dark-haired woman maybe in her forties wearing a sharp gray pantsuit, and a younger guy with a big-ass camera.
I know what to do without anyone having to tell me. I shake Royce’s hand and put my PR smile on, and then do the same with Coach Bernard.
They each give me a quick pat on the shoulder and offer awkward smiles before leaving... they actually just leave Patrick and me with the captain and the AC.
What the hell?
“Right, let’s give you the tour, yeah?” Prince asks, his smile and posture carefree. And when I risk a quick glance, I see Lussier has also relaxed now that we’re alone.
“I... I’d appreciate that. Thanks, Prince. Lussier.” I nod at each.
That’s what you’re supposed to say, isn’t it?
“You can call me Nessy,” Prince says, and chuckles at my reaction—I’m pretty sure my confusion is bleeding through.
“It started as ‘your highness’ but guys just kept making it shorter until we got to Nessy,” Lussier explains. “And you can call me Lucy. What’s yours?”
“Thanks,” I say, and then falter because... “I’d really rather you just call me Lex or...” I trail off, my mind blank.
“We can do that,” Prince—Nessy, I mentally correct myself—agrees easily, and with a friendly pat on the shoulder he nods for us to follow him.
They lead us down the hallway, both clearly comfortable in the building, and I don’t know why but that does make me feel better. They show me the gym, the three PT rooms, the theatre for tape review, and the conference room for smaller meetings. Then they point toward Bernard’s office almost as an afterthought.
