Page 59 of Between the Blue
Rick also let me know that the team has a number of freelance photographers that I can count on for additional photos to add to what I would take and for the times that I’m in class or not able to travel with the team. I was also relieved to hear that he has no intention to micromanage me and that they want me to use my creative eye and own my work.
Overall, the conversation went smoothly. I managed to not make myself look completely clueless, which is great. But I fear I actually might have done too good of a job by throwing out a few stats I had learned online over the weekend, because there were a few minutes there where Rick went off on a tangent about how Luke Buckner had gotten a shutout during their last game and how John Wisneski had a hat trick the game before that. I vaguely recognized the player names after my research, but had to refrain from asking:a what and a what?
Regardless, I can’t complain. I know it’ll take me some time to adjust to all of this, but I’m a quick learner. And I need to focus on what I’m here to do. At the end of the day, my photos and the content I produce from them are the most important thing.
By the time we finished going over everything, Rick said that the team’s practice should be finishing up and that the guys would be getting ready to leave this evening for a two preseason game road trip. He suggested I just head home for the day, take the rest of the week to brainstorm, and then show up ready to go Monday afternoon for the team’s first practice back.
I’m thankful for the way the schedule panned out so that I had a handful of days off to prepare after that initial meeting for my first real work day today.
While the team was on their road trip, I took the opportunity to Google hockey and Texas Storm information until my eyes practically fell out.
Even though I managed through my conversation with Rick, I know I can’t roll with thefake it ’til you make ittactic forever. Besides, I like being confident in whatever I’m doing.
So, I spent the entire weekend cycling through scouring the Texas Storm’s social media accounts, watching any informative YouTube video I could find, and studying the team’s roster. And, after I caught her up on recent events, my very supportive Nana even ran out to her local bookstore and quizzed me over video chat on facts from aHockey For Dummiesbook.
I can’t say I know everything yet, but I definitely know a lot more than I did a week ago. At the very least, I know the players.
It seems that Rhett Sutton is definitely the fan favorite, especially among the girls. He’s the polar opposite of Ben. He’s loud, always smiling, and apparently ready to crack a joke at a moment’s notice. I may have also come across a photoshoot of him for a huge sports magazine where he was on the ice with…well…pretty much nothing on him but his stick. I might have kept that tab open a little longer than necessary. For research purposes, of course.
I also filed away information on several other players in my brain.
Luke Buckner, the Storm’s new hot shot young goalie. Ragnar Lindt, a rockstar center from Finland that gives major Draco Malfoy energy. John Wisneski, the long-time veteran that’s still going strong and looked at as the dad of the team. Ronan Richardson, the team’s rookie American forward who’s thought to be the start of the next generation. The list goes on.
And then there’s Ben.
It seems the crowd’s reaction to Bennett James at the game I attended was pretty spot on.
People adore him. Apparently he’s been on the Texas Storm since he was drafted ten years ago and has been the captain of the team for the last eight seasons, making him one of the youngest captains ever in the NHL. He seems to be very reserved and straight-faced in all of his interviews, so at least I know that’s not something he only does for my sake. I guess I just get all the extra hostility for free, apparently.
But, despite the way he may treat me at times, I can’t lie, it’s been a little weird not having Ben at the gym for the last few days. Even though he usually never says a word to me unless he has to, it’s somehow felt quieter. Lighter.
But today is Monday, which means the team should have gotten home last night, so it’s back to business as usual. Something in me just knows he’ll be here, that he’ll keep to his schedule. Even though I don’t understand why.
Why does he want to come to a public gym when he’s a professional athlete? Why would he need to? Why would hewantto? Surely the Texas Storm have a much better weight room than what this cheap chain gym has to offer.
I’ll just have to add this to the list of a hundred things I don’t understand about this man. Because, of course, I see him stepping out of the men’s locker room the moment I hit the bottom of the stairs.
“Hey, Ben,” I say in passing as I walk past him, knowing he won’t respond.
I push open the women’s locker room door.
“I saw you.”
My hand pauses, the voice coming from just behind me making me freeze.
I slowly turn, finding Ben barely two feet away from me. I open my mouth to question him, but he speaks again.
“At the practice center. I saw you there.”
I press my lips together, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Did you?”
“You were talking to Nilsen,” he states.
“Was I?”
A muscle in his jaw twitches as he takes a step closer to me.
“Are you taking it?” he asks, his voice low.
