Page 18 of Puck with Karma
“Hamilton, what the hell are you doing yelling at our new interns?”
I turn the name I hear over in my head, going over what I read on the Minnesota Cats’ website. Xander Hamilton. He is one of their most important players, I now remember.
“You’re an intern for the Cats?”
He sounds surprised by the piece of information, and I am still too much in shock to react. I close my eyes for just a second and give myself a mental slap. I need to learn how to deal with men like him. I straighten my shoulders and look him square in the eyes.
“I am.”
His eyes peruse my body, and it is obvious that he likes what he sees.
“Why didn’t you say so to begin with?”
My eyes are about to fall out of my head. Who the hell does he think he is?
“I didn’t know I was supposed to tell any stranger I meet what I do for a living.”
“You were inmybuilding.”
He punctuates each word with a tap of his giant glove against his chest. And that’s when I finally make the connection and realize why he’s talking to me this way. And now I am mad, angry even.
In an attempt to assert some sort of authority, I almost lift myself on the tip of my toes, trying to get closer to his face. He is so damn big though with his skates on, I have no chance.
“Maybe you should’ve told me who you were from the beginning. Then we wouldn’t be in this awkward situation.”
My voice shakes a little when I spit the words out. He notices, a smile forming in the corner of his mouth. The picture of him full of grease, smiling at me just like that comes out of nowhere and lands on his face now. I hate it so much that I dreamed about him.
“It’s not awkward for me,” he shrugs. “In fact, I enjoy this.”
I just bet he does.
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ,” the man from before yells again. “Hamilton, my office. Right fucking now.”
The giant hockey playing stranger starts walking in the direction he is shown to go, but turns his head to look at me one more time. I about die when he winks at me.
“See ya around.”
I watch until he is out of sight, and only then I finally let out the breath I was holding. A look around shows all my fellow interns are staring at me, some in awe, and other with a bit of envy.
“Miss Bennett.” I jump in distress when Laura pops right at my side. “How are you acquainted with Xander?” She watchesme shrewdly when I hesitate to answer. “There was a specific question on the form you had to fill out for this opportunity. It required to disclose anyone you might know within the Minnesota Cats organization.”
The implication is clear. She thinks I lied on the application.
“I only met him yesterday when I was touring the building,” I rush to say. “He was in the gym, and…”
“Is that when you broke your phone?” she interrupts to ask.
I almost yell yes, grateful she remembered my predicament, when I notice her eyes narrowing on me with purpose. “He broke your phone?” She demands confirmation of her suspicions.
“I… No,” I finally say. I have a bad feeling about this.
Laura rolls her eyes toward the ceiling, obviously not believing what I am telling her. “Roger will love hearing that piece of information.”
There is something in the way she says it, like she can’t wait to go and report to this Roger character. I’m assuming she is referring to the owner of the organization, whose first name indeed is Roger.
I about have to lean against the wall for support when she turns away from me, then the entire group is directed away from this hallway so that we can finish our tour.
We end it with a quick visit through the administrative offices. That includes the office of the owner, but he is not in.
