Page 43 of Eye of the Hurricane (Weathering Doves Harbor #2)

Katherine

I check myself 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 and loud 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 Where his name was has been replaced by a silver plaque with my name on it.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 you fully. 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.”

“Okay fine. We asked Sebastian Riley if he could get some ideas from you in a subtle way. He said he knew someone who could… I’m assuming that someone would be Ares?” I blush at the use of his name.

“Yeah,” I admit.

“Seems like he knows you well then?”

“It would appear that way.”

“Today I want to take it easy, introduce you to the team in a more formal manner. Not as a shadow but as their new PR manager. I’ll run you through some of their files and let you know whose messes you’ll be cleaning up all season.”

“Sounds good to me,” I agree. I follow him back through the halls and back to the rink itself. The boys are wrapping up practice as we enter.

“When you guys are done with your final drill, can I have your attention?” Mateo calls out and he’s met with a pool of yeses and head nods.

It’s clear in every interaction that the team has so much respect for Mateo. When he calls they answer and they do so happily. He’s addressed almost as an extension of the team.

“What’s up?” Vincent asks, sliding to a stop in front of us and causing ice to spray against my bare ankles. Vincent is one of the team’s forwards. Slowly but surely I’m learning the names of all the team members.

“Waiting for everyone to get over here,” Mateo replies.

One by one they meet us where we’re at as they finish their drills. When the last one skates over, Mateo speaks again.

“I know I’ve introduced you all to Katherine before as a shadow but I’d like to introduce her again.

Katherine Graeves will be taking my place in three weeks.

As I said before I expect you all to treat her with the utmost respect.

I will give her my phone number just to let me know if I need to come kick one of your asses,” he says and all of them laugh.

“And for the love of God, please take it easy on her for her first season.” He turns his head to face one of the players in specific. “And yes—I’m looking at you, Vincent.”

“Oh my God, you get charged with public indecency one time,” he groans.

“Well, when one time of public indecency is met with a handful of social media scandals and a pregnancy rumor…” Mateo trails off and Vincent throws his hands up.

“Okay, okay. Point taken,” he admits defeat.

“Any questions or comments?” Mateo asks the guys.

“Just want to say congratulations on the job,” Sebastian pipes up. I shake my head because he didn’t have to say that. He’s told me in person. But as a captain, it’s his job to set the example.

“Thank you!”

“Will you travel with us? Mateo used to but doesn’t anymore,” one of the players asks. It takes me a second to remember that his name is Everett.

“I’ll only travel along when it’s necessary for most away games I’ll be having people under me in the PR team tag along.”

“Will Oliver, Ryan, Sam, and Ben still be with us?” They’re the current PR specialists and content writers under Mateo.

“Yes, none of Mateo’s staff will leave with him. They’ll still be the PR staff, and they’ll be the ones traveling with you guys.”

“Oh good.” He breathes a sigh of relief and I hope that’s a good sign for the kind of men they are.

We spend the rest of the day going over each player and things to look out for. Some are prone to partying, some are prone to women talking about them in the media, but most are just prone to their personal lives being exploited by the media.

When the day is finally done and I have a chance to catch my breath in my car, the first thing on my mind is seeing Ares. The second I have a moment to my own thoughts, I want to call him and tell him about my good day .

The only thing better than calling him at the end of a good day, is seeing him at the end of a good day. So instead of picking up the phone to call, I shoot him a text.

Katherine

Hey, are you busy?

Ares

No, I’m just with Audi and Ro. Got out of class a couple hours ago. Everything okay?

Katherine

Yeah, everything is good. I just wanted to see you. Do you have plans tonight?

Ares

No, I’m all yours if you want me. What did you have in mind?

Katherine

I’m leaving the arena now, want to meet me at mine?

Ares

Yes.

I’m giddy the whole way home at the thought of seeing him. The cherry on top of a great day is the idea of melting into his arms. Home feels even more like home knowing he’ll be there waiting for me .

And that’s the thought that sets the realization in. The realization that I’m in love with him too. And that I should have said it back the other night.

I spend the entire drive thinking about all of the little moments. The grazing kisses on my knuckles, painting me at the lake, taking care of me when I was sick, dancing with me while I was drunk.

This is the love I dreamed of as a little girl. The idea of love that my mother killed in front of my own eyes. Between her relationship with my father being transactional at best and her heavy hand pushing me to be a bride and mother.

At a certain point, it pushed me away from all of it. She made me cold and apathetic toward the idea. Love become something that could trap me. I never knew it was something that could make me feel set free.

I’m practically jumping out of my car when I pull into the driveway and he’s leaned up against his car with his arms crossed. I don’t waste a single moment before running over to him. My heels slip through gaps in the gravel but I manage not to fall on my way.

“Please be careful in those heels, honey,” he chuckles, wrapping an arm around my back steadying my body to his.

“I love you,” I sigh, melting into him. He grins down at me, smile growing impossibly wide.

“Are you just saying that because I said it the other night?” he asks but his smile doesn’t falter, telling me he knows the answer is no.

“No. I’m saying it because I had a really good first day and the best part was the idea of coming home to you and telling you about it,” I tell him.

Somehow his smile manages to widen further.

“I love you because I feel like I’m living for the first time with you.

I feel like I didn’t even know what fun was until I met you. ”

“I love you.” He kisses the top of my head. “I’m glad you’re finally on the same page,” he says, resting his chin on my head. I roll my eyes, tipping my head up to look him in the eyes.

“It was less than a week.” He laughs.

“Week too long.”