MISCONDUCT | HS |

ONE

Dalton

"You're the best, Coop."

Standing from my table, Morgan Phillips flashes me the same smile he does every single day.

"Stop sucking up to me." Rolling my eyes, I grab the bottle of sanitizer and wipe down the table in front of me. "You're still on my watch list if you don't take care of that knee."

"Alright, alright." Waving his hand in front of his face, he catches my gaze again. "I promise to do my exercises even when I'm not in this room, how does that sound?"

Pursing my lips, I try to cover up my laughter from the big and burly hockey captain in front of me. "That sounds like a plan. Now get out of here, I've got more work to do!"

I watch as he leaves, taking a drink of the iced coffee that is more watered down than it was when I picked it up from my favorite place around the corner from my apartment this morning.

Mornings haven't ever been my favorite but it wasn't anything a little caffeine couldn't fix.

Well, most of the time anyway.

Making my way out of the room and down the hallway to my office, I can't help but smile when I step into the room.

Growing up I had always loved sports and when an injury and a surgery ended my own path, I found the only one that made sense for me. Getting a masters degree in sports medicine made me feel like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

During my last year in school there was an opportunity to intern with the Comets, a professional hockey team in the same city as the college. I worked my ass off to get my spot even though being around hockey wasn't ever in my plan.

Hockey was the opposite of my plan.

Yet when I found myself working with the team and everyone welcomed me with open arms, it felt like I had belonged here all along. When they extended my offer past graduation and hired me on full time I knew that I was in the right place.

If you had asked me a few years ago if I saw myself traveling with a professional sports team to every single game there's a good chance that I would have laughed in your face. I'd spent the last five years working alongside some of the best athletes and coaches, watching the people I've grown to appreciate and care for win two Stanley Cups in the process.

In that time period I'd even been promoted to head of the physical therapy staff, something that I was more than proud of.

To me nothing could stand in the way of my career and nothing could trip me up and turn my calculation upside down.

Nothing.

Not a single damn thing.

_________

There's nothing I hate more than being late.

Especially on a fucking Monday, as if it's not already bad enough.

Not only did my alarm not go off, but here I am sitting in traffic just outside of the entrance to the training facility. Being close enough that I can see the street sign almost feels like I'm being taunted.

"Come on, come on, come on." Drumming my fingers against the steering wheel, I finally get a break when there's enough space for me to turn onto the street. "Fucking finally."

Pulling to a stop at the gate, I smile at Darren who sits just inside of the security gate.

"Well, good morning Miss Cooper!" His wide smile makes the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes pop underneath his white eyebrows. "I haven't seen you come through this late in a long time."