Chapter Seven Roommates #2
By the time I arrive, I’m feeling calmer and the excitement for this job is building back up. The Uber drops me off near the employee entrance. I hop out and gaze up at the colossal structure with the Night Hawks’ logo emblazoned above the door.
“Woah,” I murmur, staring up at the fierce looking hawk. “Scary bird.”
“Glad you think so,” a deep voice says behind me.
With a yelp, I whirl around and come face-to-face with a big bald man who looks to be in his fifties or sixties. He grins at me and chuckles.
“Sorry about that,” he says. “Didn’t mean to scare you. I’m guessing you’re Rylee Benson?”
“Uh… yeah. I am.”
He extends his hand. “Coach Sullivan. Pleased to meet you.”
I relax and slip my hand in his. His fingers engulf mine and he gives me a firm shake.
“Oh, it’s nice to meet you too,” I reply. “Sorry, am I early? I thought practice started at nine.”
“It does,” he sighs. “The team’s already in and practice should be in full swing. I’m late. For the record, I’m never late, but I was on the phone with my granddaughter, Hadley. Anyway, it’s lucky I am late, since now I can walk you in and introduce you to everyone.”
“Great,” I reply with a grin. “That sounds great. I appreciate it.”
“Follow me.”
He leads me inside and we stop at security to get my visitor’s badge before continuing on to the ice rink.
As we approach, I can hear the team shouting and cheering each other on as they work on the ice.
Coach Sullivan and I walk through the tunnel leading to the team’s bench.
I’m right up close to the action now as the guys skate back and forth across the arena, scrimmaging and holding nothing back.
I watch them as Coach talks to other members of the coaching staff, but then he stands next to me and blows his whistle.
I flinch and cover my ears as the sound rings through my head.
The team stops what they’re doing and hurries to gather around us. I look around, searching for Jensen and Carson as Coach begins speaking.
“Gentleman, let me introduce you to Rylee Benson,” he says, his voice booming. “She’s the reporter from ICON who will be working on the two features about us. I expect you all to treat her with the utmost respect as she does what she needs to do, got it?”
“Yes, Coach,” they all reply in near unison.
Damn… Coach Sullivan has these guys on lock.
I finally spot Jensen and Carson, who both give me wide smiles and waves. I wave back, feeling immediately more at ease now that I’ve found them among the crowd.
“All right, Miss Benson,” Coach Sullivan says, turning to me. “What do you need from my guys to write your articles?”
“Oh.” I’m a little caught off guard by the question and flustered as the entire team watches me expectantly.
I take a moment and solidify my confidence before raising my chin and putting on a self-assured smile.
“Well, for the first week, I’ll just be watching and getting to know all you guys.
I want to get a feel for the best ways to photograph you all in action, as a group, in small clusters, and as individuals.
I’ll be carrying my camera around pretty much at all times, so just ignore it and go about your practices like normal.
We’ll need to take a group shot for the article, but I’ll let you all know when that will be because we’ll have to bring in extra lighting and equipment.
I’ll also make sure to schedule it before practice so you guys aren’t so… sweaty.”
That earns me a few laughs, and I relax even more.
Continuing, I say, “Now, for the Lifestyle article, I have a few ideas of how we can select the bachelor… ”
Jensen clears his throat, cutting me off. “We’ve actually already chosen who that’s going to be.”
“Oh!” I exclaim. “That’s great! Way to make my job easy, guys. Who’d you choose?”
Jensen grins. “We all want Zander to do it.”
I blink, feeling a moment of confusion and shock. No. No, it couldn’t be…
“Zander? Who… ?”
One of the guys moves to the front of the group, and when he removes his helmet, I swear to God my heart stops. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
Emerald eyes burn into mine and recognition slams through me. I couldn’t make out the color of his eyes last night in the dark, or the other details that make it so obvious who he is. That thick dark hair. Trimmed beard. Those soft lips.
Oh, fuck.
It’s him. Not just the arrogant asshole I almost bludgeoned to death with a lamp last night.
It’s Kodiak.
Zander… is Kodiak.
My nearly picture-perfect guy, who had me as excited as I was getting my first camera.
The asshole who fucked me than left without a word. Hit and quit it and forever disqualified himself from having more with me.
What the fuck?
He’s part of the team. How did I not assume he was part of the team? What the fuck am I supposed to do now?
Carson suddenly clears his throat, and I realize I’ve been staring at him for longer than is entirely appropriate. I snap out of my stunned gaze and force a smile on my face, trying to appear nonchalant.
“Right,” I choke out. “Zander… it’s nice to meet you. I’ll get you the details on your private shoots and interviews later. And, yes, there will be multiple, as it’s going to be a ten-page spread.”
Oh, God! I’m going to have to work one-on-one with him. How am I going to do this without it being a huge fucking disaster?
“Sounds good,” he grumbles, his expression neutral but his eyes burning as he stares back at me.
Feeling suddenly hot and anxious, I turn to Coach Sullivan and say, “All right, well, I won’t take up any more of your time for now. Thank you for introducing me, Coach. I’ll get out of your way.”
He nods and I turn to hurry away from the bench and back down the tunnel, determined to get as far away from Zander and his unwavering stare as I can. Just as I’m about to step out the tunnel, I look up and spot Grace walking toward me.
“You!” I hiss. Before she can respond, I grab her hand and drag her out into the hallway with me.
“Rylee, thank God!” she says as I tug her along. “I was hoping you were still here. I’m so sorry about the mix-up with the apartment.”
“Yeah, about that,” I snap, turning to face her when we’re in the hall and well out of earshot of the team. “Do you know how awkward this whole mess is! I’m freaking out a bit, Grace!”
She frowns in clear confusion. “Um… okay. I know it must have been a shock, but it’s not the end of the world, I promise.
Zander and Carson have already talked and he’s offered to find somewhere else to stay.
He should be gone in a few days, so you don’t have to worry about it being awkward for too long. ”
I want to grab her and shake her and tell her that I cannot stay in that apartment with Zander, no matter how long, because he’s Kodiak and responsible for the greatest orgasm of my life.
The mere thought makes me want to die of embarrassment, but of course, I can’t tell her any of that.
I’m not about to admit that I drunkenly hooked up with someone the night of her wedding but can’t remember for sure who it was, or that I now think it’s one of the guys her husband works with!
“Why can’t he stay with Carson? Or you and Jensen in the meantime?” I ask, desperate to avoid being cooped up with him.
Grace flinches and murmurs, “Uh… Jensen and I… we’re sorta loud.”
There’s a beat of silence before we both burst out laughing. Some of my anxiety melts away and I’m able to break through the panic tornado that’s been swirling in me.
“Okay,” I chuckle. “That’s fair.”
She hooks her arm through mine. “Come on. Let’s go steal Stacey and head to lunch. We’ll figure this out.”
I nod and let her lead me down the hall toward the physical therapy offices, though in the back of my head I can’t forget that when I go home tonight, Zander will be there, invading my space and ready to get on my last nerve.