Page 18 of Behind the Bench

Sadie

Wellness Check. I haven’t heard from you in 31 hours and 17 minutes and I’m about to send a search party.

I’m alive. No search party needed. I was going to call you tonight. I found an apartment this weekend!! No more hotel for me.

Sadie

OH EM GEE! Is it the cute one with the little community garden and fountain? PLEASE tell me it’s that one. That’s the perfect space for yoga!

I’m not sure I’ll have any time to be doing yoga, but yes it’s that very one.

Sadie

YESSSSS!! I’m coming to visit soon so we can go shopping to fill up your apartment. Are we thinking boho chic? Rustic or farmhouse? OOO! Or maybe we go a little industrial since you have thatexposed brick!!

I have no idea what any of that means. But please visit. I miss you.

Sadie

Aww Ellie girl, I miss you too. Is Link the Dink still being a total twatwaffle?

How many cups of coffee have you had today?

Sadie

Don’t deflect. Have you two finally talked since that weird freak-out incident on the ice last week?

Barely. I told you on Thursday I saw him and he looked like he was about to come talk to me but Hunter interrupted him to go over some video. Well, Friday after our morning meeting, I was walking out, and he looked like he wanted to say something but pretended to drop something on the floor. I don’t know what to think.

Sadie

Hmm. It definitely sounds like he wants in your pants.

How the hell did you get THAT from him dropping shit to avoid me?

Sadie

Come on, Elle. You know I KNOW things. It’s a gift.

Right… Well, I don’t agree with you even a little bit. All I know is, this is awkward as fuck and I can’t do my job when my head coach won’t talk to me.

Sadie

So do something about it.

I’m about to make Monday my bitch.

The team reports to camp next week, which means we need to get our asses in gear if we want to have a shot at making the playoffs this year. This week will be full of meetings—some with players who are already in town, but even more will be meetings with the coaching and training staff to get everything dialed in before camp.

That is exactly why I need Lincoln Scott to stop being a major pain in my ass. This whole avoidance thing he’s got going on isn’t going to get us anywhere. To be honest, it’s a recipe for disaster, which is exactly what I plan to tell him today.

I make a quick stop at this cute coffee shop I found downtown this weekend. Gold Coast Coffeehouse is quickly becoming a favorite spot of mine. Not only does it serve amazing coffee and food, there’s also live music. Sadie about lost her mind when I told her they serve vegetarian and vegan breakfast foods. I have a feeling she’ll be visiting sooner rather than later.

The apartment I found was vacant, so I was able to move in over the weekend. And by move in, I meanI set up an air mattress and unpacked my suitcases while I wait for the furniture I ordered to arrive. One of the perks of finding an apartment so close to the rink is that I’m within walking distance of downtown and can get my favorite coffee on the way to work daily.

With my caramel pistachio espresso in hand, I make my way to Satan’s office.“Knock, knock.”

Link looks up from his desk and motions me inside. “You know, you don’t need to say ‘knock, knock’ as you actually proceed to knock on my door, right?”

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