Page 23 of Wicked Truths
Both Mom and Dad would drink cappuccinos together every morning, no matter what was going on. That was their daily routine, and they never let business interfere with their time.
I follow Alexandra over to the machine.
“Alright, let me show you the basics. I’m usually the first one in, so I set it up for the day, but in case I’m late or you’re just really early, you should know how to start it.”
She shows me everything from adding more espresso beans to the hidden water compartment and the milk carafe before making me a fresh cappuccino and making her a flat white.
“Thank you.” I say as we head back down the hallway with our drinks.
She stops in front of a large modern office that is tastefully decorated with a large L-shaped desk and an entire wall of bookshelves. Most of the shelves are bare, but some contain hockey memorabilia as well as tiny succulents.
“This is your office. You can decorate it however you’d like, but I wanted it to be welcoming when youarrived, so I cleaned and brought in some collectibles from the store as well as some greenery. If it’s too much, you can get rid of it and just decorate it to your tastes.”
“No, this is perfect. Thank you so much. Now I just have to figure out what I want to fill the shelves with.”
Alexandra walks over to my desk and pulls out a binder from the top drawer before handing it to me.
“Here’s the team binder, complete with pictures, background checks, and any pertinent information I thought you should know. I have them listed in order of seniority starting with this year’s captain. There’s also a list of the trainers and coaches in the back.”
“Wow, that is a lot of work for you to put together.”
“I actually put one together for myself when I started. I figured it was the easiest way to get to know the guys.”
I nod and flip the cover open, meeting the gaze that I’ve dreamed about more than I care to admit.
Rhett Montgomery.
“Rhett’s the captain now?”
She nods before gasping. “Oh! I forgot the two of you have history together. Is this going to be awkward working here with him?”
I shake my head. “Not as awkward as expecting my father or brother to pick me up from the airport last night and seeing Rhett waiting for me.”
Her eyes widen. “I bet that was really awkward.”
“You have no idea.”
“Just so you know, I volunteered to pick you up because I’m the only other woman to work here besides the older women in the store downstairs, but your father said he was making other arrangements.”
“Thanks anyway for volunteering.”
She nods and pauses for a few moments. “Well, I’ll let you get settled and give you a chance to look over the binder, but if you need anything, I’m always around. I can give you a tour later, but I’m guessing you know more about the arena than I do.”
She flashes me a smile and winks before leaving me in this large office alone.
Sitting in my brand new leather office chair, I take a sip of my cappuccino and open the binder.
I’ll read the information that Alexandra gathered later, but for now, I just want to put names to faces, so I know who is who.
The first three pages are players I know from years ago. Rhett Montgomery, Spencer Reed, and Gage Roberts. Followed by a picture of Joey.
A few guys walk past the office wearing their practice jerseys and give me a friendly head nod, which I return.
One of the players is Knox Anderson, our team goalie. His picture in the binder doesn’t match the guy that just walked past.
In person, he seems to be friendlier and more approachable. The picture that Alexandra put in the binder resembles a mugshot after a weekend bender.
Is this really the best picture she could find?Maybe this is a mugshot and the only picture she could find at the time.