44. Evvy
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
evvy
Josie whips her convertible into the parking lot of the training center, coming in hot, like she’s crossing the finish line of a racetrack. With her general baseline being intense, it shouldn’t surprise me that she’s a speed demon.
The modern building sits at the end of an unassuming dirt road, completely hidden in the woods. It’s a beautiful structure, with a mix of natural wood and green tones, allowing it to blend in perfectly with the natural surroundings.
“Wow, this is not what I expected.”
“Isn’t it gorgeous?” Josie skids to a stop, throwing the car into park. “The architect wanted it to look like the building’s always belonged here. It’s both beautiful and functional. Wait until you see the inside.”
“So, are you going to tell me why we’re going inside, or why I needed to dress up for this?” I motion to one of my new outfits that Zack bought for me.
“Not yet.” Josie flashes me one of her signature million-dollar smiles. “Let’s go, Evvy. I think you’re going to love this. And if you don’t, please don’t hate me.”
Josie’s nervous giggle has my stomach twisting in a knot.
What we could possibly be doing at the Maine Meteors training complex is beyond me.
Zack and his teammates had practice this morning, but he didn’t show any signs of attempting to hide a secret.
He thinks he’s sneaky, but excessive grinning and avoiding eye contact are his usual tells.
So whatever this is, is one hundred percent Josie.
As we cross the parking lot, Josie spots the guys first. “Good afternoon, boys!” She shouts cheerfully as we approach them.
I spot Zack and immediately notice something is wrong. One fist is clenched at his side while the other tugs at his shirt, like he’s trying to give his neck room to breathe. His chest rises and falls in rapid succession as Nate places a hand on his shoulder, talking to him quietly.
“Zack,” I say softly.
His head snaps up and my heart sinks when I see his red face and bulging eyes. When Zack meets my gaze, his features soften. I’m immediately sucked into his gravitational pull and find myself wrapped in his arms.
“Evvy, sweetheart. I’m so glad to see you.” Zack presses a kiss to my forehead, then nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck, like he’s trying to get lost in me. The tension leaves his body on a deep exhale when my hands rub slow circles over his back.
“I’m here.” Zack melts into me as I rest my head on his chest. His friends are silent, giving us a moment of much needed connection. That alone has me concerned because they’re not exactly known for their appropriate boundaries. “What happened, Zack?”
“Jeff was here.” He blows out a sigh and his breath dusts my neck, sending chills down my spine.
“He just left. I can’t believe he had the nerve to show up here.
He said a lot of terrible shit.” Zack stands tall, taking half a step back he gazes down at me.
“But I’m good now that you’re here. Why are you here?
” Zack looks at me curiously, as if it just dawned on him that this is completely out of the ordinary.
“That’s a good question.” I direct my gaze at Josie, and Zack turns to face her, raising a questioning brow.
“Evvy and I are here to meet with Ryan Pierce.”
Zack’s head draws back and his mouth drops open. “Ryan Pierce?”
“The one and only,” Josie says with a laugh.
“You’re meeting with the team owner?” West looks at me with wide eyes. “That’s…wow.” It’s not often that West is at a loss for words.
My head whips back toward Josie’s direction. “I’m meeting with the owner? Me?” This has to be some bizarre joke I’m not in on.
“The foundation.” Zack’s thumb finds his favorite spot on my wrist. “Why didn’t I think of that?” His smile is wide as he glances down at me.
“Someone want to fill me in?”
“I don’t want to go into details, because I’m biased and don’t want to push you to do something you don’t want to do. And I’ll try to over-sell this, because selfishly, I want to work with you,” Josie says with a bright smile.
“Work with me?”
“There’s a job with the team. Well, with the Maine Meteors charitable division—and you would be perfect for it.”
The rest of the guys watch this exchange, looking just as confused as I am. “I got a job this morning.”
“You did?” Josie and Zack both ask at the same time.
“A temporary job,” I clarify. “The virtual adjunct professor job at my old university. It’s very part-time, but it will be fun for a little while.”
“My girlfriend’s a professor!” Zack’s eyes light up. “A beautiful professor with a sexy brain. I’m so proud of you, Evvy!” He pulls me into a hug, squeezing me tightly.
“Like I said, it’s just temporary.” I know myself well enough to understand I wouldn’t like being a professor long-term but doing it for a short period of time will be a fun challenge.
“I’m so happy for you, Evvy. But this opportunity is long-term, with benefits, and you can still do the professor gig. What do you say? Come with me and hear him out?”
“The team owner?”
“Yup. And don’t let these guys scare you.” She gestures at our group of friends who continue to display a mixture of confused and excited stares. “Ryan won’t bite.”
“He better not.” Zack lets out a low chuckle. “If his teeth touch you, he’ll be on my shit list.” Zack runs his hand down my back, soothing me as the laughter bubbles out of my chest.
“Way to lighten the mood, Cap.”
“I try my best.”
“We’re going to be late!” Josie reaches for my hand and I take the bait. “I’m going to take that as a yes.” She drags me toward the entrance, and when I look over my shoulder, Zack’s beaming with pride.
* * *
“Don’t be nervous,” Josie whispers, squeezing my hand as we sit side by side in front of the team owner’s desk.
His office is on the third floor and exudes luxury. Plush leather seats, an ultra-modern, sleek desk, and a wall of windows overlooking the surrounding woods. It even smells fancy, like leather and sandalwood, mixed with something woodsy.
Josie hasn’t given me any hint about what this potential position entails.
One part of me is a little annoyed to have her spring it on me like this.
I know she means well, but I’m a planner, and heading into a job interview unprepared is one of my worst nightmares.
Josie insisted repeatedly that this is a completely informal meeting.
Another part of me realizes if she had given me advanced warning, I would have worried all weekend and not enjoyed my birthday party.
Before I have a chance to spiral, the office door opens and a man strolls in like he owns the place, because he does.
Ryan Pierce is younger than I expected. According to my quick internet search, he’s in his late forties, married, and has three children.
He bought the Maine Meteors ten years ago and opened this training center roughly five years ago.
He comes from money but is known for his philanthropy.
“You must be Evelyn.” He makes a beeline for me, and I jump to my feet and shake his hand. “It’s so nice to meet you. Have a seat.”
My ass firmly plants itself back in the chair and I focus on my breathing. Why am I here? What if I put Zack’s career at risk. Josie wouldn’t have suggested this if she thought that was a possibility, right?
“It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Pierce.” My eyes scan his face and he looks back at me with a disarming smile. Some of the tension leaves my shoulders.
“Call me Ryan. We’re casual here.”
“Very casual,” Josie adds, giving my hand another squeeze.
“So, how much has Josie told you about the project?”
“Honestly, Mr.—Ryan, nothing.”
Ryan chuckles and gives his head a shake. “Why does that not surprise me? Josie, why scare her like that? I can assure you this is a good thing, and from everything Josie’s told me, I hope you’ll consider our offer.”
“Offer?”
“Yes, but first I should explain our plan.”
Yeah, I’d appreciate that.
“We built this training center over five years ago. The plan was for it to not only be a space for the team to train, have meetings, and socialize, but also be a resource for the community. When the team isn’t using the practice facilities, we open it up to the general public for skating and events. ”
“And we’ve been doing all of those things,” Josie adds. “But there was always a plan to do more and we’re finally ready.”
Ryan smiles as he gazes out the window then back at me.
“Our organization has a charitable foundation. We invest in various programs that better our community. When we built this facility, we had plans for an education center. I’m a big believer in the importance of education, particularly STEM.
The plan is to open a resource center for schools to use with some of the latest technology.
In addition to that, we’d like to open a museum.
Woods were torn down to make room for this very building, and we want a permanent display educating the public about the lands and natural resources in Maine.
I have a particular affinity for rocks and would like to curate a display of gems and minerals.
Being the Maine Meteors, I’ve always thought it would be fitting to include a selection of meteorites and other artifacts. ”
Ryan pauses and flashes me a grin, waiting for me to say something. “That sounds like a great resource for the community.”
“And that’s where you come in,” he says.
“We need a geologist to help curate the display. I don’t want this to be a collection that just sits on the shelves collecting dust. This needs to be a living and breathing display that changes as the need arises.
We need someone with your level of expertise and passion for the area to truly make this special. Is that something you’d consider?”
My mind is spinning as I process everything he just told me. They want me? I realize my hands are gripping the armrest and I slowly uncurl my fingers, allowing them to relax.
“Yes, I’d love to hear more about it. Thank you for considering me.”
“Josie told me about your background and passion for geology, and I knew we needed to meet.” He has a smile that instantly puts me at ease. When Josie mentioned we were meeting with the team owner I was concerned, but he seems like a pretty down-to-earth guy.
“Is it going to be a problem that—-”
“Zack?” he asks, shaking his head. “No, not at all. We’re a family here. And you wouldn’t be working directly with the team anyway. But Josie would know a thing or two about that.”
“Guilty as charged for being married to a player,” she says with a laugh.
“So, if you’re interested, let’s talk more about my plans and see if we can agree on a salary. Sound good?”
“Sounds fantastic.”