by Anne Stone
“I can’t believe that’s him,” Jen muttered while searching through her purse.
“Yeah, well it is. I think he likes you.”
“How can you say that when I almost killed him?”
“You didn’t and he looks perfectly well to me.”
The game passed in a blur for Jennifer. She still couldn’t believe that she almost ran over the Generals’ new star player.
“That was a fantastic game,” Lauren said as they headed down the escalator towards the parking lot. “I’m thinking a beer sounds good right about now, how about it?”
“Even though I know I shouldn’t, I have to agree. I need something to calm me.” They took their time exiting the dome and agreed to meet at Union Central.
The bar was located a few miles from the Generaldome and often drew fans coming home from the game. She was surprised when she pulled into an almost-empty parking lot. Then she realized it was a school night and attributed the lack of cars to that.
She jumped from her car and met Lauren at the door. “Where is everyone?” Lauren asked as they were greeted by the hostess.
Shrugging her shoulders, she said, “It’s been slow all night.”
They headed to their usual table and were greeted by their waitress. They both ordered a beer. Their attention was drawn to the television monitor over the bar where Kelly Rhodes was interviewing Ryne Ferguson.
“How does it feel being a General?”
“Great.”
“The fans certainly seem to be excited by the trade. Any thoughts?”
“I’m happy to be here. I’m looking forward to learning the city, and I hope to make an impact on the team.”
“I hear you barely made the game tonight.”
Jen’s eyes grew wide waiting for his response.
“Yeah, my plane was delayed coming out of Vancouver. Then I got lost on my way to the dome. I was nearly run over by an anxious fan.”
“Anxious? Did he just say that I was anxious?’
“He did.”
Jen drew her lips in and shook her head.
“I was not anxious. I was trying to call you.”
“Better he say that than what you were really doing.”
“I guess you’re right.” Both of them cheered when the waitress delivered their beers to the table. “I’ve needed this all night.” Jen raised hers to Lauren’s and clinked her bottle. “To another win.”
As she took a swig, she looked up. Her eyes grew wider by the second. She started coughing uncontrollably, and Lauren smacked her hard on the back. Jen pointed towards the bar. Before either of them could react, they heard a loud voice. It belonged to none other than Ryne Ferguson and he was coming straight towards them.
Chapter Two
As soon as the game ended, Ryne’s new teammates suggested he join them at Union Central for dinner. He was tired after a long day traveling but agreed. He wanted to start off right and having a beer with the guys was the best way to get to know them.
As he was leaving the rink, Derek Pfeil, the team captain, told him to meet them in the back of the bar. Ryne, being unfamiliar with the town, got lost on his way, arriving later than the rest of the guys. He made his way through the doors and discovered that Union Central was much larger than he originally thought.
He stopped at the bar and ordered a cola. He wasn’t in the mood for an alcoholic beverage. His head was still foggy from everything that had transpired in the last twenty-four hours. Yesterday, he thought he’d be in Vancouver for the remainder of the week, but instead he found himself in St. Louis. In a city that he’d only traveled in and out of with the Eagles. Now it would be his home. For how long, he hadn’t a clue. He thought he’d been secure in Vancouver for another three years, but he’d definitely read those tea leaves wrong. Now he knew he was ripe for trade no matter how effective he was for his team.
Ryne sipped his cola as he meandered through the bar looking for Derek, and that’s when he saw her. She was sitting with the same girl he’d seen her with at the game. He’d never forget her. She had long, flowing brown hair and, in the moments he’d spoken to her, he’d noticed her gorgeous brown eyes and the honey color that surrounded the iris. They glowed. He wasn’t good with age but guessed she was in her mid to late twenties.
He headed straight for her table, deciding his teammates could wait a little longer. As he approached, he knew the exact moment she noticed him. She’d been raising her beer to her lips. He watched as she tipped the bottle, and that’s when she realized his presence. A look of panic crossed her face, and then she began to choke. She wildly pointed in his direction while her friend beat her across the back.
He neared the table and spoke. “Are you okay?” And that’s when her friend realized she’d been trying to get her attention. He knew immediately that she’d recognized him as her mouth dropped open. A look of fear appeared as she flung her hands across her face.
He rushed to the brunette’s side and hit her squarely across the shoulder blades. Miraculously she stopped coughing.
Gasping for air she sputtered, “It’s you.”
“Yep, it’s me in the flesh. Since I didn’t have the chance to introduce myself earlier, I will now. I’m…”
“Ryne Ferguson,” her friend called out exuberantly.
“Indeed I am. And you are?” he asked, looking at Jen.
“My name is Lauren Masters.”
Turning towards her friend he reached out his hand. “Nice to meet you,” he said, not making eye contact with her at all. Instead he kept his eyes focused solely on the other one. She cleared her throat. He paused and then he finally heard the name he’d been waiting for all night.
“My name is Jennifer Steele,” she shyly said, doing her best to not look at him. Ryne reached out his hand and held it eye level until she took it. He firmly grasped it and shook it.
“It’s my pleasure to meet you,” she practically whispered. Ryne took a step closer as she spoke. She cleared her throat again and said with a little more vigor, “You played well tonight.”
Ryne pulled out a chair and sat beside her. “It was an off night for me. My legs just didn’t seem to have it. I barely got an hour’s sleep as I rushed here after my game last night. We were delayed in Boston, and I barely made it to the dome in time. But you already know that, don’t you, Jennifer?” He teasingly winked at her.
“Ah, yeah. That’s right.” She reached for a strand of hair, curling it around her finger. He knew she was nervous especially with the way she kept gnawing on her lower lip. He wanted to ease her nervousness and turned to Lauren.
“So Lauren, what do you do?” Laughing at himself he said, “You already know what I do.”
“I, ah, yeah, well I’m a tax attorney. I specialize in trust and estates.”
“I bet you’re pretty busy these days with everyone trying to avoid paying taxes.”
“We’re always busy making sure our clients are protected.”
Turning back towards the woman that had gotten under his skin, he sipped his cola. “So Jennifer, what’s your profession?”
She stopped spinning her hair and began toying with the napkin that sat in front of her. He reached for her hand, stopping her actions. It felt natural to him and surprisingly she didn’t pull her hand back. She finally raised her eyes to him and began to speak. “I’m a fourth grade teacher at Lakeview.”
“My mom’s a teacher, too. I sympathize for what you have to put up with these days. My mom loves her students, but she has her issues with the parents.”
“On good days they can be trying, that’s for sure.”
They were interrupted when he heard his name being called. “Ryne, there you are. I was wondering if you got lost.”
Ryne turned to see Derek ambling towards him. “I did get lost. But then I spied someone I knew, so I had to stop and say hello.” He introduced them to Derek.
“The guys are waiting for you in the back.”
“About that, where exactly is th
e back?” He watched as Derek pointed out the room that was hidden off to the side. “That’s not really the back.”
“It is to me. Ladies, would you like to join us?”
“Thank you, no,” Jennifer snapped. Ryne knew she was uncomfortable around him. It was up to him to calm her, and he would, in time.
“Hey man, I’ve got to use the little boys’ room. That’s where I was headed when I saw you. Nice meeting you, ladies.” He watched as Derek made his way towards the restrooms behind the bar.
“I guess I’d better head off. It was a pleasure meeting you, Lauren. And you too, Jennifer.” Ryne stood and said his goodbyes.
He wanted to get to know Jennifer. He wasn’t sure if she realized it or not, but he remembered where she worked. He’d committed Lakeview to his memory. He’d seek her out sooner rather than later.
He found his way through the door and was warmly greeted by what looked like the entire team. He was even more surprised when their coach, Trevor Lampkins, approached with an outstretched hand. “Welcome to the team, Ferguson. You were a little tardy today for me to formally introduce myself.” Shaking his hand he added, “Let’s not let that happen again.”
“No sir, I won’t. I got lost on my way to the dome and then was almost run over in the parking lot.”
The coach shook his head. “That’s one story you have there… Almost run over.”
Ryne decided not to challenge the coach. Before he knew it, he was surrounded by his teammates. Each took their time introducing themselves. Nicknames were thrown about. Perry Zaney chimed in. “You can call me Zaney.”
“Well, that is your name, isn’t it?” Ryne slapped him on the shoulder. Carson Tucker was the last to approach him. What struck Ryne was the fact that Tucker was married, his wife was a teacher, and she taught at Lakeview. Immediately, Ryne knew he had an in at Jennifer’s school. He’d find a way to see her again.
Chapter Three
Jennifer had gotten to bed late the evening before after rushing out of Union Central when Ryne went to meet his teammates. She knew Lauren wanted to stay longer, but Jennifer feigned a headache and fled the bar.
When she got home, she changed into her pajamas, scrubbed her face clean of make-up, and headed off to bed. Sleep eluded her. She tossed and turned for hours. She remembered glancing at the clock at five, and the next thing she was aware of was her alarm clock bellowing. It seemed louder than normal, but she attributed it to her lack of sleep. She knew it had nothing to do with alcohol since she’d barely had one sip of her beer the night before.
She pried her left eye open and noticed it was almost six o’clock. She’d barely slept forty-five minutes. Groaning, she launched herself from bed and headed off to take a hot shower. Less than a half hour later, she jumped into her car and drove directly to the nearest gas station where she filled up the tank and grabbed a much-needed coffee. “Rough morning?” the clerk asked.
“You could say that,” she answered, pouring creamer into her cup.
“Sorry to hear it,” the chipper clerk responded. “I hope you have a better day.”
“Thanks.” Jennifer groaned as she walked through the doors.
She took a sip from her cup as she started her car. The warm coffee eased down her throat, jolting her awake, and that’s when she remembered she was supposed to meet with Johnston at some point during the day. She hadn’t a clue what he wanted, and she hoped she hadn’t ticked off a parent. She had a few challenging students in her classroom, and in fact, she’d sent one of them to the office the day before. She decided she wouldn’t worry about what he wanted. Her mind was on the night before. She still couldn’t believe she’d almost run down the Generals’ new star player. And to top it all off, she was even more surprised when he recognized her and sought her out at the bar. In the short time she was around him, she’d realized how handsome he truly was.
Ryne Ferguson was well over six feet tall. He definitely towered over her five feet two inches. She’d had to look way up to find his face after almost hitting him. His height became even more apparent at the bar. She remembered his darkish colored hair brushed the collar of his coat. His hazel eyes intrigued her. She’d never seen eyes the color of his.
She pulled into her parking place, realizing she didn’t remember driving the rest of the way to school. Her mind had been focused on Ryne Ferguson. She grabbed her backpack from the backseat and reached for her coffee. “I’m definitely going to need you today,” she said as she took a swig from her cup. The caffeine hadn’t begun to hit her system, and she hoped she wouldn’t fall asleep standing up.
She made her way to her classroom and was immediately greeted by Johnston. “Jennifer, you’re late.” She looked at her watch. The bell hadn’t rung, and her classroom wasn’t filled with her students yet.
“It’s just a little after seven. In fact, I think I’m early for the day.”
“Don’t you normally arrive before seven? Late night, was it?”
She glared at Johnston, not sure what he was implying. “Is there something you needed before I begin my day?”
“I’d like to meet with you during your break. Ten o’clock, my office.” With that, he spun around and exited her classroom. She was in a mood with her lack of sleep. He’d better not push me today.
Before she knew it, she was dropping her class off for music and was on her way to Johnston’s office. Her headache that had appeared once he’d left her classroom had intensified. She knew it was from lack of both sleep and caffeine. She prayed she’d get through the meeting.
Johnston’s door was closed, so Jennifer knocked. Just as she was ready to walk away, he threw open the door. She took one look at his face and thought she was in trouble. “Come in,” he said as he made his way to his desk. “Please, close the door behind you.”
He used the word please; maybe I’m not in trouble. Jennifer sat down and waited for him to speak. She became more nervous by the second as she sat in the utter quiet of the room.
He took a deep breath and blew it out. Pursing his lips, he looked her directly in the eyes. “Jennifer, I need your help with a special project that’s near and dear to my heart.” He paused. “I’m not sure if you are aware or not, but this is my second marriage.”
She was surprised by his comment. She didn’t say a word, listening as he spoke.
“My first wife was killed in a hit and run accident.”
“I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
“Thank you. It was a long time ago. She loved this school. In fact, she helped me come up with the concept. Her father was a professional hockey player, and she was forced to transfer schools several times when he’d been traded. She wanted to create an environment that helped a student when they were forced to transfer. Help them discover ways to make friends and adjust to their new surroundings.”
“Wow, that’s remarkable that she felt that way and wanted to help others.”
“Yeah, that was my Helen. She always focused on the youngsters. She died a few weeks before Lakeview opened and never got to see it filled with students.” He paused momentarily. “Anyway, this fall will be our fifteenth year in operation, and I want to have a fundraiser. Not a typical one but something different. I know you could be a professional photographer.”
She’d given up her dream of working in her father’s profession when her parents were killed. A little embarrassed by his comment, she flipped her hair behind her ear. “Not really.”
“Oh yes, you can. I’ve seen your work. I know your father was well known before his passing. Anyway, I thought about doing a showing of some kind, maybe an auction. One thing for sure, I want to showcase some of the photographs we’ve had throughout the years, and I’d like you to coordinate it. A book of memories.”
“I’m not sure about that.”
“I am and I’d like you to take photographs at all the special events the remainder of the year. I want you to have a camera glued to your neck. You have an eye and I want you to use it. I plan o
n using your photographs along with some I have in the archives for the showing. In fact, I want to make them available for purchase. I think this would be a fantastic fundraiser. We could have a dinner, auction; the sky’s the limit. I want to celebrate Lakeview, but I also want to celebrate Helen and her brilliance behind the school. We’ve had many professional athletes walk through these doors, and I hope some of them will be able to attend the event. So, what do you have to say?”
“Um…I’m not sure about my talents as a photographer, but I will help in whatever capacity I can. When do you plan on having this event?”
“I’m thinking in the fall, maybe around Halloween. I haven’t narrowed that down yet, but for sure before the holidays.”
“May I ask who else you’ve asked to be on this project?’
“No one, yet. I wanted to speak with you first. Maybe we can get a member of the Generals to co-chair.”
“That’s a thought.”
“Any suggestions?”
“Ah, I don’t.”
“We have some time to figure that out. I wanted to run this past you. Think about it over the weekend, and maybe we can meet again the first of next week. I’d like to announce it before Spring Break, if possible.”
“That’s just around the corner.”
“It is, but I think it’s doable.”
“I have to say I’m shocked that you asked me to participate in this.”
“Yesterday was Helen’s birthday, and my mind was on her.” He stopped and smiled. “Don’t get me wrong…I love my wife and my life today, but I still miss Helen.”
“I understand. I still grieve for my parents, and they died almost eight years ago. No matter how hard you try to move on, it’s still difficult. The pain may lessen but it’s always there.”
“It is,” Johnston said as he stood. “It’s almost time for you to get your class. Thank you again for agreeing to do this, Jennifer.” She smiled at him and opened the door.