Page 24 of Wildcat
I lift the schedule. “Is this what you were looking for?”
“Ah, yes. Thank you. I knew you’d find it.”
“Your desk is disgusting. I hope Anna is coming back soon.”
“Yeah. Me too.” He looks over it before calling to Lindsey.
The players begin taking the ice, and someone lines them up. I see all of this out of my peripheral, but I keep my focus on Dad as he and Lindsey chat about today’s schedule. It’s time to get out of here.
“Dad, I’m going to go,” I say and jab my thumb behind me.
He looks up. “Already?”
“Umm… yeah?”
The watch on his wrist catches the light as he checks the time. “Oh, crap. I have a meeting in five.”
I laugh. Dad isn’t usually this disorganized, or maybe he’s just always had an Anna working her magic in the background.
“Is this everything you need?” he asks Lindsey.
“Yeah. We’re all set unless you can figure out how to get my two assistants back.” She rolls her neck. “Whose idea was it to do photos and social media on the same day?”
“Sorry.” He finally undoes his tie completely. That didn’t last long.
“We’ll figure it out. We always do. Thanks, Coach.” Lindsey moves into action, bossing people around for the team photo.
Dad pulls off the tie and undoes the top button of his shirt. “I have a meeting, but if you want to hang out and wait for me, I’ll buy lunch.”
My stomach growls. It’s in direct opposition with my need to get the heck out of here and away from Leo Lohan.
“How long?”
“Thirty minutes. Forty-five tops.” He smiles and starts off like it’s a done deal. “Stay and watch. They haven’t even gotten to the really impressive stuff yet.”
On cue, it goes dark in the arena, and neon green lights come to life on the backdrop.
My mouth makes an O, but I’m not sure any sound comes out.
Dad chuckles. “Enjoy.”
By the time I find my voice, he’s long gone. I move to a seat in the first row and watch Lindsey work. After they’ve taken a bunch with the team together, they move to individual photos.
Jack Wyld is up first, and she moves around him as he stands naturally in front of the backdrop. Then she switches cameras, and another guy steps in with a camcorder. Jack skates to the side and grabs a stick and puck and then moves around the ice.
I can tell he’s done this before. Lindsey too. Their movements are choreographed like a dance, slow and controlled, and Jack seems to know exactly when to look up, flashing a practiced smile that I’m sure the fans love.
I’m enthralled watching when Leo takes the seat beside me. His shoulder brushes mine and I suck in a breath.
“You’re still here.”
“I’m having lunch with my dad.” I move my arm away from his and point to where Jack shoots the puck into the net and then skates toward the camera, coming up short and spraying ice. “They do this with every player?”
“Yeah. It takes damn near all day to get through everyone. When we’re done here, they send us through another room where they have someone from the social media team ask us questions- like ice breakers that they use as footage during games.”
Now I understand what Lindsey meant about doubling up with social media. I get why they’d want to do it all in one day while the guys are dressed and available, but she has a long day in front of her. They all do.
“Still working at the bar?” Leo asks like we’re just old friends catching up.
