“This way.” She unlocked her little SUV and I got in the passenger seat. It wasn’t a new model, but the interior was spotless. She took great care of it. It made me trust her even more.
“Do you want a regular store, or a health food store?” She pulled out and waited for my response before turning.
“Just regular for now.”
She nodded and explained where we were going, hopefully I’d remember for next time. I could use my phone for directions, but I wanted to get to know my neighborhood.
Even in the store, she was efficient and to the point. We were in and out within fifteen minutes with everything I needed for the next few days. Milk, yogurt, granola, fruit, coffee, bread, and eggs. She thought of everything as I walked around aimlessly. She made sure to only mention healthy foods, which was good even though I was craving junk food.
I ate clean during the season. Pizza had been pushing it tonight. I’d be eating salads and grilled chicken for the next few days to balance it out.
When we got back to my building I stopped her from getting out. She’d done enough for me. I could bring up a few grocery bags on my own.
“Thanks for everything you did today, Colby.”
She smiled and adorable lines appeared by her eyes. “No problem, Noah. It was nice meeting you. I’ll update your calendar tonight and start looking for an SUV.”
“Have a good night.”
I shut the door and waved as she pulled away. Once in the elevator I pulled out my keys and stared at the newest one. My first place. I couldn’t wait to show my parents.
I got off on the sixth floor and turned right. That’s when I realized I hadn’t been paying attention. I had no idea what number mine was. Was it the third door on the left? Or the fourth? I didn’t want to just start trying doors. What if the person was home and called the police? I couldn't call Colby. That would be humiliating. She would think I needed a full-time babysitter.
I stared at each door trying to remember. Six-seventeen or six-nineteen?
They were exactly the same. Nothing to differentiate them.
I was just going to have to try. I slid the key into the closest door as carefully as I could, making no noise. It went in and I was able to turn it. Yes! First try. I was six-nineteen.
First major moment. Walking into my first home with my own groceries. I was really doing this.
Luckily, I wasn’t on my own. Colby was better than I could have imagined. She was sweet, kind, patient, smart, and absolutely beautiful. I’d have to ask Bryce what the dating policy was.
Chapter Four
Colby
Noah sent me a text asking me to come to his practice. I wasn’t sure what he wanted me to do. Just watch him? I figured he forgot something and asked what he wanted me to bring but he never replied. On my way out the door, I considered asking Bryce, but I didn’t want him thinking I was incompetent. Especially on my second day.
I got into my car and ran through a list of possibilities. Skates? Pads? A change of clothes?
All of those could be remedied by the team.
Soap? Shampoo? A favorite post-workout drink?
I’d know him well enough to be able to make these predictions soon, but right now I was flying blind.
Was he hungry? They should have food in the team room. Maybe they didn’t have anything he liked. Ugh. I hated this. I was always certain of things with my clients. It was my job to be.
Rather than playing a guessing game, I drove to the arena. Whatever he wanted, I’d get. I’d have someone deliver it if needed. But I needed to know what it was first.
I waved a pass Bryce had sent to my house yesterday at the security guard. He let me through the gate and into the private parking garage below the arena. I was surprised by the mix. I was expecting rows of luxury cars, but there were only a handful of really ridiculous vehicles. My little SUV wouldn’t stick out too much.
I walked toward the elevator and stared at the buttons. Up or down? I had no idea. I picked one and waited. When the doors opened the floors were labeled, thankfully. I selected the main level and came out at the entrances to the portals. I walked to one and realized I was in the very center of the arena, behind the benches. I took the steps, looking for Noah. I wasn’t sure of his number and with all the gear all of the players looked the same.
I was halfway down the lower bowl when someone called out. I turned to see a stunning brunette coming toward me. I stopped and waited for her to meet me.
“Hi, I’m looking for Noah Malkin.”
Her smile seemed forced. “I’m sorry. This is a closed practice. We don’t allow the public to watch, but you can come back on Wednesday from eleven to one.”
I shook my head. “I’m not here to watch. I’m Noah’s assistant. He texted me to meet him here.”
She narrowed her eyes and looked down at the ice. “Come with me.”
I followed her as if it was my choice. I had a feeling if I didn’t listen to her orders I’d be kicked out. No one had warned me about security inside the arena. Not that this woman looked like security. She was wearing a Fury shirt, though, so who knew.
She stopped above the bench and hit the glass three times. One of the players, number fifty-four, turned around.
The player pulled his helmet off, revealing sweaty blond hair. “What?”
“Where’s Malkin?”
I was surprised she referred to him so casually.
He turned and looked around before pointing to the corner of the ice. Noah was trying to hit the puck away from another player and was hit from the side when he wasn’t paying attention. I cringed at the impact. That couldn't feel good.
“Give them a minute. They should rotate soon.”
I nodded, not taking my eyes off Noah.
“What’s your name?”
I glanced at her while she studied me. “Colby Wells.”
She stuck out her hand. “Chloe Schultz.”
“Nice to meet you.” I shook her hand once before looking back at my client.
He was out in front of the goal watching the action taking place in the middle of the ice. I’d have to work on my hockey terminology. I was good with basketball and soccer, but Noah was my first hockey client. I knew the basics, but I needed to step it up.
A whistle blew and everyone on the ice came to the bench as the groups rotated. One of the players stopped in front of Chloe.
“What’s up?” He called out looking concerned. It probably wasn’t normal to have people hanging out here.
“Get Noah.”
He yelled down the line and Noah’s head shot up. “What?”
The guy pointed up at us before turning around and watching the game taking place.
Noah moved around the other guys and toward us. “You’re here!”
“Yeah, of course. What do you need?”
His smile grew. “I want you to watch me.”
What? I rushed out here to watch him practice?
Chloe made a noise, but I ignored her. “You want me to watch?”
He nodded. “Yeah, let me know if you see anything I can improve.”
With that he turned and sat down on an empty spot on the bench. He couldn’t be serious. I wasn’t his mom. I didn't have time to sit and watch him play. He wanted my notes on his abilities? Wasn’t that what coaches were for? I barely knew the sport, let alone his position.
“Come on, I’ll show you where we sit.” Chloe tugged my elbow.
I followed behind her still stunned. She led me to the opposite side of the arena where a group of a dozen women were sitting.
“This is the Pride. We’re the wives, girlfriends, and family of the players.” She turned and faced the group. “Everyone, this is Colby. She’s Noah Malkin’s assistant.”
A few of them waved or said hello. They were probably wondering what I was doing here. Join the club, ladies.
“Come sit down here.” Chloe lead me to the front row where a purse and laptop were waiting. She sat down and patted
the spot next to her. “I work in the front office, but I come down to watch each practice, so if you’re ever here feel free to join us.”
I slid into the seat. “Thanks.”
“Malkin’s new. How long have you been working for him?”
I checked my watch. “About twenty-four hours.”
Her jaw dropped but she quickly recovered. “And he’s already having you come down to watch? Either he has no idea what to do with you, or he has a little crush.”
She winked but I quickly dismissed that. No professional athlete would be interested in me. Not when they have access to models and actresses.
“I think he’s just young and feeling a bit insecure.”
“How old are you?”
Her question caught me off guard. “Twenty-one.”
“How old do you think Noah is?”
He looked young, but he had a baby face. The dimple when he smiled didn’t help. He was clean-cut, unlike most of his teammates so that didn’t help him look any older.
“Eighteen?”
She laughed. “He’s twenty, and his birthday is coming up.”
“How do you know?”
“I wrote his bio for the website.”
Huh. I really never would have guessed. Knowing he was basically my age changed things. It shouldn’t have. He was still my client, but it made me feel less like I was the adult in the situation. More like we were equals.
We were, even before, but now. Now I felt like there was potential. For us to be friends. Just friends. Of course.
“So what else does he have you doing, besides being his personal cheerleader?”
I rolled my eyes while she laughed. This better not be an everyday thing, otherwise I’d have to bring my laptop to work here. Chloe did it, so maybe it wouldn’t be that weird.
“I found him an apartment yesterday and took him grocery shopping. I’ll also be working on his social media accounts and managing his calendar.”
She nodded. “Erik doesn’t have an assistant. That’s kind of me.”
“Erik?”
She laughed. “Sorry I assume everyone knows. Erik Schultz...” She pointed to a player in the far corner chasing the puck. “… is my brother. We live together.”
I nodded but looked down at her finger. She was engaged.
“My fiancé is Reese Murray.” She pointed to another player who was waiting in front of the goal.
This girl was connected. No wonder she was the one who approached me. She works for the team, is engaged to a player, and related to another one. I was surprised the mascot wasn’t named after her. Who knew, maybe it was?
“That’s crazy.”
I hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but luckily, she just laughed. “It really is.”
“So, you work for your brother too?”
“He doesn’t pay me, just lets me live rent free. And he bought me a car. But I do most of the work of an assistant, so if you need any help with anything team-related let me know.”
I would. She seemed like an invaluable resource. I pulled my phone out of my bag and held it out. “Can I get your number?”
“Sure.” She typed quickly and handed it back. “What’s your next thing to do?”
“He needs a new car.”
She smirked. “Don’t let him find out what Erik drives.”
His car must be one of the ridiculous ones I saw. “Don’t worry. I’ve already made a budget plan and he’s sticking to it.”
“Good.” She paused for a moment. “If you want help looking, I can come with you.”
“Oh no. I’ll be fine.”
She smiled. “I know you’re more than capable, but I figured you’d want someone who knows a bit about the team to hang around.”
She was right. She had information I could use. Plus, she knew the team better than anyone. I could have her help me get up to speed.
“Okay, if you wouldn’t mind I’d appreciate it.”
“Perfect. We’ll go after practice.”
Wow. I expected her to say we’ll get together in a few days or something. She was like me. Down to business. Get things done. I liked her.
The rest of practice passed quickly. A few of the women came up and introduced themselves as they were leaving, and Chloe stayed by my side.
“Come on, I’ll show you where their locker room is and where you can wait for him after games.”
She ended up giving me a pretty thorough tour of the tunnels below the audience. She showed me where the coaches’ offices were, the training room, the weight room, the theater, and stopped in front of the team locker room.
“I’m sure most of them wouldn’t mind if a pretty girl walked in, but I don’t want to scar you.”
“I appreciate that.”
Once guys started streaming out of the doors, she introduced me to them making sure they knew I was with Noah. Maybe she wanted to make sure they didn’t think I was a fan girl or someone sneaking in if they saw me around.
“This is Erik.” She pulled on the arm of a player, making him stop. He was tall, and built, and oh so handsome. I knew I shouldn’t think that about my new friend’s brother, but I couldn’t help it. “Erik, this is Colby. She’s Noah’s assistant.”
He smiled and offered his hand. “Nice to meet you. Noah’s a good kid.”
I nodded and watched him walk away. I may have drooled just a tiny bit.
“He got engaged just a few days ago.”
Of course, he did. Men who looked like him weren’t meant to be single.
“That’s nice. Are you two planning a double wedding?” My smile grew when she cringed.
“No way. I’ve shared enough with him. We’ll each have our own days.”
Noah finally walked out, looking exhausted. He looked up and noticed us, and a smile broke out exposing that dimple. I needed to tape over it or make him grow a beard or something. He couldn’t just flash that at unsuspecting victims.
“Hi Colby.” He looked from me to Chloe with a questioning look.
“This is Chloe Schultz.”
His eyes lit up. “You’re Erik’s sister, and Reese’s fiancé, right?”
She nodded. “You’ve heard about me?”
“Yeah, just a bit.”
I reached out and touched his arm. “We’re heading out to look for some cars. Do you need anything else?”
He seemed to think about it. “I don’t think so. Could you look at some Range Rovers? Some of the guys have them and they said they’re the best.”
I didn’t want to embarrass him in front of Chloe, but I also didn’t want to get his hopes up. I didn’t know if he could afford it.
“I’ll see if it would fit in the budget.”
His smile dimmed but he nodded. Why did I feel like his mom? We were the same age, but he seemed immature. Not in an annoying way. It was just like he hadn’t experienced much. He was ignorant to things. That was a better way to explain it.
Maybe he’d grown up sheltered? That would explain why he didn’t have a good grasp on everyday things. Like picking out a brand of cereal last night.
Noah waved and smiled. “Thanks, I’m going to head home.”
“See you later.” I watched as he walked away. I wasn’t staring at his body. Of course not. He was my client. My boss. I was checking to get a better idea of his shirt size. What would it take to cover those biceps? An extra-large? At least.
Chloe grabbed my arm. “Come on, Colby. Let’s go shopping.”
Chapter Five
Noah
After seeing Colby at practice, I realized I probably should have been clearer in my text. I didn’t need anything. There wasn’t an emergency. I just wanted her to see me play. I wanted her to know I was serious. That I was worth it.
Bryce told me I could have her do whatever I wanted, well, short of harassment. I wanted her to see me play. I wanted to know what she thought about me. As a player, of course.
Was it wrong to want someone there to support me?
W
hen Murray told me about the Pride, I thought Colby would want to join. She could get to know those women so when it was game time she’d have someone to sit with.
Cause she would come to my games, right?
I really didn’t know where the lines were. She was being paid to be my assistant, but I didn’t need that. I needed a friend.
Maybe that’s why I asked her to come. I wanted someone to be there watching me. Cheering for me.
When I saw her outside of the locker room I’d been so excited. I thought she was there to tell me good job. But she just wanted to know what I needed her to do.
Work.
It was all she did.
I wanted her to break out of that, but I wasn’t sure how to get her to do it.
When I walked into my apartment, without having to second guess which door mine was, I went straight for the kitchen. I didn't have much, but I grabbed a bowl and filled it with yogurt and granola.
I fell onto my couch and turned on the TV.
It felt strange to be alone. I had this whole place to myself. No roommates. No teammates barging in. Just me.
It was lonely.
I thought I would like it, but one day alone and I was ready for company.
I should have asked to go with Colby. She probably assumed I had other things going on. Professional athlete things, but Bryce hadn’t told me about anything. No new sponsors or ads. No photoshoots. So far no one cared.
Hopefully that would change after my first game tomorrow night. Once people saw me play, they’d be interested.
Hopefully.
Getting some sponsors would be great. It would secure me as an NHL player and bring in some extra income.
I picked up my phone and texted Bryce to let him know I was interested. Not that it wasn’t common sense, but maybe some guys didn’t like that kind of thing. I did. Well, I would.
My phone buzzed, and I picked it up, surprised he got back to me already. It wasn’t him, though. Colby sent me three pictures. A new Jeep, Audi, and a Jaguar. I guess the Range Rover wasn’t in budget. I wanted to push for it, but I knew Colby was just being responsible. I should be grateful she was keeping me in check and making sure I didn't overspend, but the other guys had nice cars. I wanted one too.
Line Change: Utah Fury Hockey Book Three Page 3