Page 174 of The Home Game

Because, yeah, hockey had its problems but Matty had never tried to hurt anyone. He did his best to keep his hits clean and his elbows down and he’d been so fucking careful about headshots especially after he learned about Alain Theriault’s CTE diagnosis.

Matty wasn’t in it to hurt a guy or fuck him up for life.

He just wanted to play hockey and raise his kids and now everyone was calling him a monster.

It hurt and he wondered if they would ever understand what it felt like to be under the microscope of the public’s scrutiny about everything they did.

Matty arrived at Kate’s office ten minutes early and found her door closed and her assistant deep in conversation with Birdie.

“Uh, hey, Mitchell,” Matty said hesitantly. “I have a meeting with Kate.”

“Oh, hi, Matty,” Mitchell said, glancing over. “Kate and Gilly are in a meeting right now but they’ll be out for you shortly.”

“Yeah, okay,” Matty said with a weak smile. “Thanks. Sorry to interrupt.”

“No, you’re good,” Mitchell said with a wave of his hand.

“Hi, Birdie,” Matty said, giving her a hug.

“Hey, Matty.” Birdie smiled as she drew back, her expression concerned as she wrapped her hand around a cardboard cup of coffee from the café in the lobby of the building. Mitchell had a matching one. “Sorry I didn’t grab you a coffee. I would have if I’d have known you’d be here.”

“Nah, you’re good.”

Mitchell glanced up. “Want me to grab you something?” He gestured to the coffeemaker across the room.

Matty shook his head. His stomach already felt like it was filled with battery acid. “No thanks. Appreciate it though.”

He took a seat in one of the chairs in the waiting area outside of Kate’s office, tapping his foot to get out some of the jittery energy in his body.

“You doing okay?” Birdie asked, wandering over to sit near him.

“No,” Matty said morosely. “Did you see the clips?”

“Yeah.” She grimaced. “I’m sorry. We all know it’s bullshit but …”

But Matty and Antoni had to hope that the media attention wouldn’t influence the family court judge.

“So, uh, how do you and Mitchell know each other? From around here or …” He waved vaguely between the two of them.

“No, we went to university together,” Birdie said with a bright smile. “Mitchell graduated before me and snagged the best gig ever. I’m super jealous but happy for him.”

Mitchell laughed, biting his lip as he looked up from his computer. “Honestly, I’m kind of a nepo baby. I, uh, my dad’s the executive director for business operations here, actually.”

“Oh, huh,” Matty said. “I had no idea.”

Mitchell shrugged. “I used my mom’s maiden name. Didn’t want everyone to think that’s the only reason I got the job, you know?”

Birdie scoffed. “Like Kate would let anyone work for her if they weren’t qualified. Even if your dad was Lloyd Henderson, she’d never go along with that.”

Matty managed a weak chuckle. Yeah, Kate wouldn’t stand for that, even from the team’s majority owner.

“I started out as an intern last season,” Mitchell explained. “Made myself invaluable.”

“Nice.” Matty could appreciate anyone who earned a good position through hard work. “Congrats.”

“Thanks!”

“Matthew. We’re ready for you.”

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