Page 56 of Puck with Karma
Coach Harris doesn’t even bother looking at her.
“Obviously not here yet,” he mumbles under his breath.
“That’s great.” Laura takes a seat in one of the two chairs across from the coach, leaving me to stand in the doorway,unsure of what to do. “This is a great start to the meeting,” she continues. “He’s making my job here today even easier than I would have thought. Abigail,” she looks right at me and points to the wooden stool that’s more to the side. “Sit.”
“I’m not sure why you are even here,” Coach Harris grumbles, a little louder this time. “I didn’t call for HR to be present, and I can handle my players all on my own. So get the hell out.”
Laura smirks in response, leaning back in the chair and making herself a bit more comfortable.
“Roger asked that I’d be present. This is Xander’s third incident just this month. He’s had enough with him.”
Coach Harris squints his eyes at her. He opens his mouth to say something, but then he stops. The two of them remain locked in some sort of a quiet duel. Meanwhile, I am sitting on my little stool, scared to even breathe.
Heavy footsteps from the hallway snap me out of my stupor, making me break out into a sweat. Xander is about to come through that door. He has no idea what it is about to happen to him or the fact that I will be present to witness it all.
I almost trip and face plant when the heel of my shoe gets caught in the little step I was resting my feet on. The stool wobbles with me on it, but I catch myself just in time. With my heart feeling like it is about to stop beating altogether, I try to recompose myself.
Coach Harris gets up from his seat across from me and Laura. He doesn’t even glance our way when he walks to the door. He yanks it open before the person on the other side has a chance to knock or open the door himself.
I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from crying when Xander is revealed in all his glory. I want to jump out of my seat and into his arms. To say that would be inappropriate doesn’t even cover it.
By the time Coach Harris moves out of the way to allow for Xander to enter the room, I want to let out a scream of frustration and worry.
His steps are self assured when he walks in, his confidence sucking the oxygen out of the small room we’re in. The way his eyes go over its occupants is making me even more nervous. He finally sees me perched on my stool, and I swear he is about to smile, but then he pulls it back at the last second.
Laura takes the reigns on the meeting.
“Mr. Hamilton, come on in and take a seat.”
Her voice grates on my last nerve. She sounds so condescending and full of herself, I am embarrassed to be associated with her.
Xander drops in the only remaining vacant seat in the room, his weight making it creak a bit, especially when he rocks on its back legs a couple of times.
Laura, once again, starts talking without being prompted by anyone. I guess that’s why she’s a boss.
“My name is Laura Cantor.” She pauses for dramatic effect. “We’ve met before.” That’s followed by a flirty smile that’s making me sick to my stomach. “I’m sure you remember.”
Xander just stares at her, no emotion showing on his face.
“No,” he finally says. It’s just one word, a short one at that, but it packs a powerful punch. Laura seems temporarily frazzled, but it doesn’t last long.
“Coach Harris here thought it would be better if we met in his office.”
Xander looks a bit confused. “Where else would we meet?”
“My first choice would’ve been our large conference room.” She pauses again, this time to look at whatever she printed earlier in her office. “But we are here to discuss your most recent behavior out on the ice.”
“Figured as much.”
I want to stand up and slap him across the face when I see him winking at Laura. My hands are so clammy, there’s no way I could write anything, and I hope that no one is expecting me to take any notes. His next question chills me to the bone.
“Why isshehere?”
He sounds almost disgusted that he has to ask about me. I decide that it is a good reminder for me that he and I are not in a relationship. In fact, we are not in anything at all. We barely know each other. Other than on the most basic level, that is. We know each otherverywell on a more biblical level.
“This is Abigail Bennett. She is one of our interns. She went to school to become a sports manager. She is here to learn.”
Laura sounds cool as a cucumber. Xander’s mouth lifts in a smirk.
