Page 35 of Behind the Bench

I look over to Lincoln and nod toward Hunter. “Tell him,” I mouth silently.

Lincoln seems to understand what I said and gets right toit. “Okay, suit yourself. I just wanted to—no, wait.Wejust wanted to be the first to tell you that Grayson is out. You’re in, big guy.”

Hunter is wide-eyed and slack-jawed. “Wait. Does that mean what I think it means?” He looks between the two of us.

Lincoln stands from his desk, walks toward Hunter, and sticks his hand out to shake his. “Fucking right it does. How does it feel to be the new assistant coach of the Green Bay Bobcats?”

They shake hands, and I can no longer stand here like a sane person.

I launch myself at Hunter. With the grace of an Olympian, he catches me with ease. I squeeze the living crap out of him before giving him a kiss on the cheek. He sets me down gently, and I brush my suit down as if it’s completely out of place.

“Sorry, that was totally unprofessional and I promise to never do anything like that again at work, but I couldn’t help myself. I am so damn proud of you, Hunter. Welcome to the team. Well, you’re already on the team, but you know what I mean.”

We all laugh. Hunter gives me another hug. “Thanks, Ellie. This is wild. I can’t believe Becky had him fired this quick. Did she give you a heads up, Lincoln?”

Huh?

I look between the two men and neither of them say a word. Lincoln gives Hunter a look that screamsAre you fucking kidding me right now?

I fucking knew it. I turn and before I can stop myself I’m poking Lincoln in the chest. “I knew you had something to do with it. Why didn’t you just tell me?”

He grabs ahold of my finger and my anger evaporates into thin air. How can one touch from this man calm me quicker than every breathing, meditating, or coping mechanism I learned from my therapist?

Lincoln releases my finger, turns around and takes a seat at his desk again. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have five minutes to print the scouting report for tomorrow's game. I’ll see you both in the conference room.”

I don’t know why he’s so adamant on denying any involvement with Grayson being fired.

Hunter seems to have realized he stuck his foot in his mouth and slowly slinks backward out of the room. I, however, hold my ground and don’t move a muscle.

Lincoln looks up from his laptop. “Is there something else you need, Ellie?”

I cross my arms over my chest, and in the most authoritative voice I can muster, I say, “Yeah, you can tell me why you don’t want me to know you had something to do with Grayson being fired. What’s the big deal, Lincoln?”

He looks back down at his laptop like he is not at all interested in what I’m saying. “Ellie, now is not the time to have this conversation. We have our home opener tomorrow, a coaches’ meeting in four minutes with a brand new assistant coach we need to get up to speed, and I need to get this scouting report printed. Can we please table this for later?” He looks up at me and the look he gives says the discussion is over.

Frustrated we can’t have a simple discussion right now, I sigh. “Fine. Consider it tabled, Coach.”

I turn on my heel and am about to high-tail it out of there when Lincoln’s laugh stops me in my tracks. I swivel so fast my hair goes flying over my shoulder. “Is something funny?”

He leans back in his chair. “Not a thing.”

This man is infuriating. I roll my eyes and the last thing I see before turning and leaving is Lincoln's smile.

That damn panty-dropping smile.

I am so screwed.

**PRESS RELEASE**

Green Bay Gazette

Roger Park, 12 hours ago

Green Bay Bobcats fire Assistant Coach Grayson Sanders, and promote Video Coach Hunter Clearwater as replacement.

Rumor has it, Assistant Coach Ellie Montgomery is behind the Sanders firing and Sanders is not happy.

Montgomery is a former Boston University All-American, former PWHL Montreal captain, and an Olympic gold medalist. She was named the second-ever female NHL assistant coach after Green Bay cleaned house after a brutal hazing scandal.

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