Chapter 8 Zhuri
eight
Zhuri
Ismooth my hands over my white blouse as I follow behind my agent, Melanie Barlow. It’s time for contract negotiations, and to say I’m nervous would be an understatement.
Women don’t make as much as men. That’s just a fact. But the WHL had our maximum contract set at five hundred thousand per year.
Is that a lot of money? Yes.
Is it barely a tenth of what some of the men make? Also yes.
I had the best stats in the WHL, and I was capped at a half-million-dollar salary.
The WHL is gone, though, and the NHL isn’t bound to max out like that.
I know Melanie will help me secure a great contract today, and I’ll just be grateful for whatever I end up with.
We come to a stop in front of Sean Eckhart’s office.
“We’re not leaving this room without a contract you deserve, Zhuri,” Melanie asserts, facing me. “Woman or not, you’re getting a contact you’re worthy of.”
“Thanks, Mel,” I smile. “Let’s go see what they’re offering.”
Melanie knocks on the door before Sean beckons us inside.
“Welcome!” he says happily before gesturing to the chairs across the desk from him. “Please, take a seat.”
We sit down and mentally prepare ourselves for what is likely to be a tough negotiation.
“I’ll try not to take too much of your time,” Sean states. “I’ve only met with Cameron so far, so I have another eighteen players to see today.”
Melanie rests her perfectly manicured hands on her lap. “Let’s get this negotiation started then.”
Sean laughs lightly. “I’m hoping you won’t feel the need to negotiate much once you hear our offer. But first, tell me what you’re hoping to see right now.”
“I know that tactic,” Melanie says. “You’ll use that as the highest you’re willing to go, offering something lower until we settle on a different number.”
“That’s not the way I operate, Ms. Barlow. How about this?” Sean fishes through his desk drawer and pulls out a notepad before grabbing a pen. “I’ll write down our offer before you share your desired contract amount. I can’t change my number once it’s written, so we’ll flip the notepad over after.”
Melanie thinks it over before looking to me. “What do you think, Zhuri?”
“I think it’s a good idea,” I admit. It seems like a good idea at least. I’ve always been paid the maximum contract, so I’ve never actually needed to have a negotiation over the amount before.
“Perfect,” Sean smiles. He blocks the notepad from our view, jotting down a number before flipping the notepad over to hide what he’s written. “What is your desired contract for our co-captain?”
Melanie sits up straight and speaks with confidence. “Three years, five million. Zhuri has long had the best stats in the WHL, and she deserves to be compensated accordingly.”
I still can’t wrap my head around what she’s asking for. My last contract was for four years, two million dollars, giving me the league maximum amount every year. Five million is a significant increase from where I was.
Sean’s smile only grows wider. “I think you’ll like our offer more.” He pushes the notepad across the desk.
I watch as Melanie flips the notepad over, and I almost fall out of my chair and directly on my ass.
Proposed contract: Four years, twenty million dollars.
Twenty.
Million.
Dollars.
That’s five million per year, literally ten times my current salary.
I sit there staring at the notepad with my jaw dropped because this is so much more than I dreamed I’d walk away with today.
“I…” I start before trailing off, not even knowing what to say right now.
“Offer accepted,” Melanie replies emphatically.
I look at her and laugh. “What happened to negotiations?”
“Negotiations aren’t necessary when that contract is worth four times what our ask was, Zhuri.”
Sean looks at me now. “Are you satisfied with this?”
“Satisfied doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings right now,” I smile. “Yes, I’d love to accept that contract.”
“Perfect,” he grins. “We’re happy to pay you what you’ve always been worth now that we’re not bound by the constrictions of the WHL.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Eckhart.”
Sean levels me with a look. “I know I’ve told you before to call me Sean. Mr. Eckhart makes me feel old. Sadie would probably tell you that I am, but my daughter’s always loved pushing my buttons.”
Once the meeting is over, Melanie and I part ways. I trudge down the hall in a complete daze, still unable to believe what just happened.
“You good?” a voice asks from up ahead, and I look up to see Cameron at the end of the hall.
“Yeah,” I say, walking over to where he is. “Just signed my new contract.”
“How much?”
“I’m not telling you that,” I scoff.
Cameron chuckles. “Zhuri, player contracts are public information. ESPN will be talking all about this later.”
I roll my eyes before I relent since he’s right. And why not boast about my new windfall? “Four years, twenty million.”
He lets out an appreciative whistle. “Congrats, Zhuri baby. Same contract as me.”
I look at him in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
“Yes?” He looks at me curiously.
“I got the same contract as a man?”
“Yes,” he laughs. “From what my agent gathered before our meeting, we’re rumored to be the two highest paid on the team.”
“Holy shit!”
Cameron claps a hand on my shoulder. “Welcome to appropriate compensation, Hart. Now the fans will expect even more out of you because of your large contract.”
“You had to ruin this for me, didn’t you?”
He winks at me. “See you around, Zhuri.”
I roll my eyes, but can’t wipe the smile off my face.
This new NHL seems to really be trying to equal everything out the way they’re aiming to. I expected that women would still have to work harder to be appreciated.
Turns out, they finally see our worth, and we’re getting paid exactly the way we always should have been—just like the fucking men.
“Aunt Zhuri!”
“Nova Star!” I hold out my arms as my niece runs over for a hug. “I’ve missed you, sweetie.”
“Mom says you’re busy teaching men how to play hockey.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “That’s the best part of my job.”
Nia walks out of the kitchen at our parents’ house now. “Go wash up, Nova. Nana and Pap will have dinner ready soon.”
Nova runs off toward the bathroom, and I finally kick off my shoes.
“Where’s Ty?” I ask.
“In there with Mom and Dad, giving them the son they never had.”
“I remember when you used to think they wouldn’t like him.”
“He knocked me up when we were eighteen, Z. We were together for three months at that point.”
I laugh and drape my arm around my sister’s shoulders. She may be two years older than me, but I’ve still got four inches on her. “And here you are, thirteen years later, with the best daughter ever.”
Nia playfully pushes me off her. “You think she’s the best because she’s obsessed with Aunt Zhuri since she’s a badass professional hockey player.”
“I mean, that certainly doesn’t hurt,” I tease. “When was the last time you and Ty had a night out together?”
She sighs. “It’s been a bit. Mom and Dad aren’t as spry as they used to be, so keeping up with a preteen is hard.”
“Plan a night out for you guys, and I’ll watch her. It’s the offseason; she can spend a night with me.”
“Yes!” Nova shouts excitedly, apparently walking back into the room as I was saying it. “Can I do that, Mom? Please?”
Nia smiles at her daughter. She and Ty may have only been nineteen when she was born, but they’ve done everything they can to provide for Nova and absolutely worship the ground she walks on. “Yes, baby. We’ll plan something.”
“I thought that was Zhuri I heard,” my mom smiles as she and my dad come out to join us, Ty following right behind them.
My dad comes and wraps me up in a hug. I don’t get to see them as much during the season as I’d like, even though they moved out to Denver after I got drafted. Said Minneapolis was too far away from me.
“We’re glad to see the new Comets co-captain joining us for dinner tonight.”
I chuckle before wrapping my arms around my mom now. “Technically, that’s a step down for me. I was captain of the Dragons.”
“And now you get to share that new title with one of your absolute favorite people,” Ty teases, a mischievous smirk on his face.
“You may be my brother-in-law, Ty Brown,” I state, hands on my hips, “but I’m the same height as you. I can and will kick your ass.”
“Swear jar, Aunt Zhuri!” Nova shouts.
I look at my sister in exasperation. “She’s twelve. Are you seriously still doing the swear jar?”
“Mhmm. And ESPN has been reporting all about your new contract, so I know you can afford the fee.”
I throw my head back and laugh as Mom starts herding us all toward the dining room.
We gather around the table, doling out our plates of food before we settle into easy conversation.
I wish I could see them more often, but the time I get to spend with my family means everything to me. I wouldn’t be the person I am without them, their constant support and encouragement.
So grateful I get to call them mine.