Page 35 of Aftersome
He definitely fit the description. Friendly, fit,
“Nice to meet you too.” I returned his smile.
“So, where are you headed? I’m basically an expert at navigating around this place, so if you need any help, I have some spare time to get you there.” His brow lifted while he stuck out his arm in a “I can help you” sort of gesture.
“Oh, I’m just trying to get to the locker room. I’m pretty sure it’s just down this hallway.” I waved him off as politely as I could, but he chuckled at my response.
“I wouldn’t go in there if I were you. Not unless you want to walk in on a bunch of half-naked men.”
Shit.
My face went red hot.
“Oh… Wow. I uh… I guess finding my way around here isn’t the only thing I need to learn.” I tried to laugh it off, but Trevor had found what I said amusing.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s a lot at first. They normally start getting their gear on at least ten to fifteen minutes before they head out onto the ice, so your best bet is to catch up with them around an hour or so before then.”
Already I felt like an amateur. Granted, this wasn’t a forever thing, but still… I wanted to make a good impression on everyone, especially the people I’d be working with.
“Thanks, I’ll definitely remember that.”
“If you need good content, let me show you the perfect place to stand just beside the rink,” he offered. “It has the perfect angle of the guys whenever they come out and start their pre-game warm-ups.”
He sounded sincere and not once did I get any creepy, off vibes from him so, without any other ideas on where to go, I agreed.
The walk to the arena wasn’t complicated and I was able to mentally save the route in my head. The first thing I noticed when we approached the ice rink was the amount of fans piling in. A sea of red and white bodies filtered into the seats and a sense of déjà vu had hit me like a freight train.
It had been so long since I set foot in a hockey arena. Before I could even stop them, emotions like no other had bombarded my thoughts. The smell, the sounds, the sights, it all felt familiar and for some strange, unknown reason, I could feel Hayes.
Not his presence, but his spirit. His energy, and immediately a sense of safety swept over me.
He was with me.
“See? If you stand right about here, you’ll get the perfect shot.” I had almost forgotten Trevor was standing next to me when I quickly snapped out of the trance I was in and refocused on him.
Standing just in front of the glass, there was a cutout square where a camera could fit through. Taking a step closer, I reached for my camera around my neck and slowly propped it inside that hole.
He was right.
Although I was still new to this whole thing, it was obvious it was a great spot to get photos.
“You’re right.” I smiled and glanced over at him beside me. “Are you sure you’re a physical therapist? Maybe they should have given you my job.”
His grin widened as his chin fell on a laugh.
“Nah, I just know of this one spot and thought I’d share it with you. Other than that, I know nothing about making videos or using a camera.”
I was beginning to think he and I had the same knowledge when it came to content creating. Although I did have a few ideas up my sleeve, I wasn’t sure how it would even turn out.
“Well, thank you for showing me this. I was kind of nervous about what I was going to do whenever the game started, so now I know.”
I went back to looking through the screen of my camera when I felt Trevor’s eyes on me.
“You’re welcome, anytime you ever need anything, just let me know.”
Then just before I could say any more, a flurry of players began to pour out onto the ice. First, it was around three players, then six, then I began to lose count when it seemed the whole team was now out there.
All of them broad, tall, and covered in gear, I couldn’t help but watch them in awe. It didn’t take them long before they began a series of warm-ups that only showcased their true talent.
