Page 115 of Eye of the Hurricane
“What are you doing? Get up and hug me,” she demands. I do exactly that, rising to my feet. She wraps her arms around me and her tight coiled hair tickles my nose.
She knows how badly I’ve wanted something like this. I’ve done tons of art shows and different means of selling my art. It’s how I make my money when I’m not in school. This is different though, this is a big deal. This could be life-changing for my career.
“Thank you.”
Chapter 33
Katherine
I checkmyself in the mirror for the thirtieth time. I run the stick of red lipstick across my lips one last time and slap the visor shut. Standing from the car, I flatten out my dress and take a deep breath.
This shouldn’t have me as wound tightly as it does. I’ve been coming here every day for weeks. But today is my first day doing it as an employee.
What better way to deal with nerves than to blast pop music the entire drive. By the time I pull into the parking lot of the arena I feel ready to go on stage. When I have to park several rows back I’m reminded I’m a PR manager, not a pop star.
I remind myself over and over on the walk in that this is my first day and no one expects me to be a pro on day one. I still find myself worrying I’ll make some minor mistake and be thrown out of the double doors.
So much of the anticipatory anxiety falls away at the cool air and sound of skates scraping the ice. Hockey arenas andloud sweaty players have become a safe space for me. It’s something familiar.
I walk on to the ice where the players are having practice. Mateo stands with Coach Woods right by the edge. It’s weird to think that when three weeks of training are up, Mateo won’t be here anymore.
I make my way to them and I’m greeted with pleasantries.
“Congratulations on the job,” Coach Woods says.
“Thank you!”
“I’m going to let you get back to practice and show her around,” Mateo tells him. I wonder what he means by show me around because I’ve gotten the tour before. I’ve been shadowing here for weeks. This is far from my first time here.
I follow him through the halls and he points out rooms here and there that hadn’t been labeled to me before. Nothing that has anything to do with me or my job though.
“This is the athletic trainers’ office,” he says pointing into a room that looks somewhat like a clinic. We keep walking and after a while, we reach the room I’m most familiar with. Mateo’s office.
To my surprise, that’s not the label on the door anymore. Where his name was has been replaced by a silver plaque with my name on it. Katherine Graeves.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise considering I’m taking over as the manager of the PR department. Somehow it still does. I guess I hadn’t considered that I would take his office while he’s still here.
“Your office,” he says, placing a hand on the knob.
“I didn’t realize I would get the office before you’re gone,” I admit.
“I’m retiring, I’m only here to make sure I prepare youfully. The office is yours. Oh, and we did a little decorating for you,” he says, turning the knob and pushing the door open.
An office that a week ago was nothing but four walls, a wooden desk, and bad lighting is now something I couldn’t have dreamed of myself. There are lamps in here now casting warm light over the entire room.
The team colors are worked into every corner of the room. Yellow rug, stapler, highlighters, and folders. Baby blue desk, pens, more folders, and file organizer.
It’s perfect. It’s exactly what I would have wanted. To the extent that I told Ares about it. In fact… this is exactly what I told Ares.
“Who told you?” I ask, sticking a hand on my hip.
“Huh?” he asks, acting confused. Unfortunately, he’s not a good actor.
“The office decor… who told you?” I ask more pointedly this time. He smiles but still denies it.
“No one told me,” he lies, throwing his hands in the air.
“Uh-huh. So if I look in the top drawer of this desk there won’t be a box of heart-shaped paper clips that I told my…” I lose my train of thought for a moment thinking of what I want to call Ares. “Ares. That I told Ares.”
