Page 30 of Behind the Bench

I’ll be at the rink this morning at 7 a.m. sharp. Please meet me in the conference room with Coach Montgomery promptly at 7.

Thank you,

Jerry

That’s it. No details about what this meeting is about. Nothing.

Jerry is an intimidating man. He has a “no bullshit” attitude, which is exactly why he was hired by the owner of the Bobcats. After the scandal, they needed someone in charge who could change the climate of the organization. You know the head coach of the Detroit Lions? Think Dan Campbell with no hair. That’s Jerry. He will stop at nothing to rebuild this organization and give it the glory it deserves. He’ll take out your knee caps if he has to.

Which is why I immediately start sweating.

This meeting can’t be a sign of anything good, that’s for sure. I just have no idea what it could possibly be about. I did speak with Becky from HR last night but things don’t usually work that fast so I doubt that’s it. Did something happen overnight with one of the players?

I start googling the local newspapers and gossip websites but don’t see any of my players mentioned. Damn it. I mean, that’s obviously fantastic news, but I’m still left wondering what the hell this emergency meeting is about.

What is so important that he changed his entire schedule to come meet with me in person instead of just talking on the call today? Scratch that. He wants to meet with meandEllie today.

Did someone tell him we were flirting the other day? Is our constant banter creating a hostile workplace? Did I cross a line? No. I couldn’t have. I mean, sometimes when I’m daydreaming, I have my hand wrapped around her blonde ponytail, thrusting into her from behind. Does he know? Can he read my mind?

Get a fucking grip, Lincoln.

I shake myself out of my spiral, and type out an email to Ellie to let her know about the meeting. I tap my fingers lightly on the keys waiting for her to respond. It’s just after 5:15 so maybe she’s still asleep. But she’s usually at the rink before me, so she should be awake. I’m too impatient to wait for a response so I pick up my phone and text her.

After a very under stimulating conversation with Ellie via text, she confirms she’ll meet me a little early at the rink.

It’s almost 5:30, and I need to be at the rink ready to meet with Ellie in an hour. Unfortunately, that means I don’t have time for a workout. Even if I leave in the next ten minutes, I’d only have about thirty minutes to work out, shower, and prepare for this meeting with Ellie and Jerry.

Rather than stress myself out and be crunched for time, I do a quick twenty-minute interval workout on my stationary bike. Nothing more killer than sprinting uphill. My body hates me but my knee is feeling good. That’s a good sign. Hopefully it’s a sign of more good things to come today.

I take a quick shower and get dressed in one of my favorite charcoal suits.

Look good, feel good, play good. Right? God, let’s hope so. It’s always worked in the past as a player and now as a coach. So hopefully it brings some good juju for this meeting with Jerry.

I have a feeling I could use all the help I can get.

It’s 6:25 a.m. and still no sign of Ellie. I know she technically has five more minutes, but it’s unlike her not to show up early. God, I hope she’s not late.

In an attempt to distract myself, I pull up a game on my phone and absentmindedly start crushing candies. I don’t even notice how fast I’m tapping my foot on the ground until I hear her voice.

“Too much caffeine this morning? I could hear you tapping your foot all the way down the hall.” She walks into the room and I forget about everything else. Her blonde hair is down today, which is new, and the wavy strands frame her face, making her gorgeous blue eyes pop. They are even moremesmerizing today because she’s wearing a navy business suit that seems to amplify the color of her eyes. I thought they were beautiful before but, damn. This is next level gorgeous.

“Lincoln? Did you hear me?” Ellie asks as she takes a seat across from me at the conference table. The head of the table is left empty for Jerry, and I kind of wish she sat next to me instead so I could have her close to me.

Get it together, Lincoln.

I clear my throat and put my phone down. I’ll have to beat that level another day. “No, sorry. I was distracted. What did you say?”

She gives me a look that saysare you serious?and proceeds to repeat what I apparently missed when staring slack-jawed at her. “I said, did you figure out what this meeting is about? And why the hell wasn’t Grayson asked to be here?”

Jerry specifically asked to meet with just the two of us. How did I not even realize that? Oh right, I was too busy thinking I was about to get fired for flirting with my assistant coach.

“I have no idea. I don’t know if that’s a good sign or a bad sign.”

She worries her bottom lip, and I can’t help but stare. “I don’t know either. I can’t figure out why he’d only want to see us. It’s driving me insane.”

Her chewing on her lip likethatis driving me insane.

Before Ellie catches me staring at her, I shake myself out of the trance she’s put me in and grab my notebook. “I have no idea either. So, instead of sitting here wasting time trying to figure it out, let’s go over our final lineup for the season opener and anything else he may ask us about while he’s here.”

---