Hot Summer Nights

4

Chapter Four

Landon

I can't keep the smile off my face as I bring the food I just picked up into PNC Arena, home of the Carolina Hurricanes. I didn't expect to run into Leah when I walked into that restaurant, but I'm not gonna lie, it was a happy surprise. And the look on her face when I teased her- yeah, I'll be paying for that later. I can't fuckin' wait.

"What's gotten into you?"

I look up to find my favorite coworker studying me as he grabs his food from the haul I just brought in. Eric is the youngest member on staff for the team besides me. We've both had to work our asses off to prove we deserve to be here because of that. I guess that's part of the reason we became friends.

The senior staff members had their doubts when the head athletic trainer hired me. I think they all thought I'd be some stuck-up frat boy who just wanted the position for clout, and only got in because my father is close with the team's General Manager.

It's been an uphill battle to prove my worth. Something I'm familiar with in other areas of my life too. Everyone has always seen me as the dumb jock or the party boy who never wants to do anything serious. Guess I've played into that a lot, though, in my personal life anyway. Here at work, it's totally different. I have goals and aspirations.

There are things I want to accomplish here. I can't risk playing into the usual role here, not if I want to last with this team. My closest friends know that- Jason, Levi, Micah. They know. The girls though, and Colin- not so much. They pretty much think I'm all surface level- whatcha see is whatcha get. They have no idea that there's more to me than the party-boy jock.

They don't know I have layers. Not even Leah.

That thought hurts, and I feel my smile drop. Eric notices too. "What's up with you, dude? You came in here smiling like a kid on Christmas, now you look like someone just kicked your dog. What's up?"

I try to shake it off as the rest of the guys file into the room to grab lunch. "I'm good, bro. Just remembered something I need to take care of later. No big deal."

Eric looks unconvinced, but he drops the conversation. Hallelujah! No way was I going to have that talk while the rest of the training team was listening in. I don't need to give them any reason to doubt my place on this team.

After lunch, I throw myself into work, getting the training room stocked and ready for next season which is set to start in another month. Just because the team isn't here every day doesn't mean our work stops. We still show up and make sure everything is ready when the new season kicks up again. And for people like me and Eric, we've picked up additional duties to show we're team players and not just here for a paycheck.

Even in the offseason, there's plenty to do. The team has community programs to help get people more interested in the game. They have all kinds of hockey camps and classes that they offer, especially around this time of year, and with my experience playing college hockey, I slid right into some of those opportunities easily.

It was one easy way to show my boss and other coworkers my worth. I have more to offer than they know... More than anyone knows.

As I'm setting up the sticks for this afternoon's skills session, Eric calls my name. "Boss wants a word, man. He's in the office."

I set up the last of the hockey sticks and make my way toward the office, unsure if I should feel as nervous as I am. There have been whispers about staff changes coming down the pipes, and it's made Eric and me nervous. Usually, when that kind of thing happens, it's the newest hired staff that gets the boot. I hope that's not what this is about.