Page 43 of Lose You Twice

I pause outside an office with a nameplate.

Donnelly Pierce

My hand hovers near the door for one second.

Then I knock.

“Come in.”

Donnelly is exactly what I expect and not at the same time.

He’s broad, gray-haired, and wearing a gray quarter-zip with a purple PCU hockey logo on the left. His desk is covered in forms, tape rolls, a label maker, and a travel mug that has clearly survived things. He looks like he has spent years dealing with hockey players and has not forgiven them for it.

He stands when I walk in.

“Wren Calloway?”

“Yes.” I step forward and shake his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Donnelly.” He gestures to the chair across from his desk. “Please, have a seat.”

Donnelly glances at the paper in front of him as I take a seat. “Work-study sent your application over. You’re a junior this year?”

“Yes.” I have no idea what to do with my hands, so I start spinning the ring on my right pointer finger discreetly in my lap.

“Major?”

“Human development.”

His brows lift a little. “Planning on?”

“I’m still figuring that part out,” I say honestly. “Maybe family services. Maybe counseling eventually. Honestly, anything that doesn’t require me to take another statistics class.”

His mouth twitches. “Fair.”

I relax one inch.

“Tell me more about your availability. On here it says mornings, some afternoons, some evenings,” he says.

“Yes. I have classes, and I help with my younger siblings, so I’d need to work around school pickup some days. But I can do early mornings, some later evenings, and weekends depending on notice.”

He studies me for a second. “This job isn’t glamorous.”

“I assumed.”

“It’s laundry. Inventory. Hauling things. Setting up practice jerseys. Breaking down after games. Restocking tape, laces, towels. Labeling. Travel prep. You’ll be around equipment that smells bad enough to make you question every choice you’ve made.”

I can’t help the small laugh that leaves me. “I have two six-year-old sisters, a thirteen- and sixteen-year-old brother. I’m not easy to scare.”

That gets me another twitch of a smile.

“Good answer.” He leans back. “You know hockey?”

“A little.”

His expression says he knows that’s not the full truth.

I hold his gaze anyway. “My best friend’s brother plays.”