Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

MOLLY

“I can do this…” Molly whispered, staring at the arena ahead of her. A new job in a new city was just as overwhelming as she imagined it would be – and for someone who was a homebody, an introvert, and enjoyed nothing better than a good book curled up in a chair on a rainy day… this was hard stepping outside of the proverbial box.

This job was the chance of a lifetime.

She wasn’t sure why they selected her out of all the candidates, but the moment the North Texas Coyotes called and asked her if she was still interested – she nearly screamed in relief and moved from Houston two days later. Goodbye swamping heat and traffic – and ‘hello’ to stifling heat and traffic.

Okay, so Dallas was much like Houston only perceptibly less muggy – if you were standing in the shade on a windy day. Both were definitely not Denver, that was for sure! The traffic didn’t bother her because she was used to it. The cost of her new apartment didn’t phase her – again – because she was used to the outrageous prices of living in town, but the team did.

The team surprised her quite a bit.

They weren’t crass or nasty, didn’t curse at her, and didn’t make lewd gestures. They didn’t go out drinking together, and there were no phone calls to pick up someone from a bar, no phone calls from jail, and seemingly good guys. She had started at her job two days ago, unknowingly observing the team from the shadows, pretending to be a janitor so she could see them moving around and in action, and was completely comfortable being ignored because it let her see them.

It was easy to see where she was needed, things that needed to be addressed, and the reason she was brought onto the team – Lafreniere, the goalie. That man was going to tear something vital with the disgraceful way he was not warming up properly and how he kept slamming down his knees on the ice.

She was supposed to give Coach C?te her assessment this afternoon before meeting the team. Apparently, each of them had issues , she mused silently and kept watching the blond man who seemed larger than life – and hiding an issue. He was favoring a weak knee and holding himself in a way that told her his back was spasming, yet he was skating on the ice like it was nothing. His pain tolerance levels must be through the roof, she mused.

Giroux had knee problems.

Batiste needed to gain some weight.

Lafreniere needed to stretch properly and land differently so he didn’t hurt himself.

Thierry needed to lose twenty pounds, stabilize his core, and strengthen his knee.

Coeur and Boucher played rough but surprised her. Both men seemed to have it together, holding themselves properly, moving smoothly, and those two were going to be incredible if they could get over themselves. They didn’t quite fit in like the others and she could see them becoming all-stars eventually. In fact, she wasn’t sure why they were still here.

“And I’ve got to tell the coach all of this – and I’m sure he already knows it,” she muttered under her breath, getting out of her car and walking in. As she made her way down the hall full of doors, she spotted her door that simply said ‘Private’ on the placard.

Her name would be put on later this week, probably after she met the team to make sure they would be okay with a girl handling things. It was part of the reason she was looking for a spot and accepted the job, so she could get her feet in the door. She was tired of working at the sports clinic, seeing faces that couldn’t care less if she was there or not, and took one look at her asking for a guy.

At five foot two inches, she wasn’t impressing any of these six-or-seven foot athletes, until she showed them that she knew what she was doing. It only took one to admit that she was on the money… but it was finding that ‘one’ before she got the doors shut in her face.

Stepping into her office, Molly stopped and swallowed nervously. The coach was already in there – waiting.

“Hey Molly, today is the big day,” he smiled brightly. “Are you ready to meet your new family?”

“Family, huh?”

“Yep. Those are our boys from here on, and it’s our job to make sure they have no obstacles to being the best they can be.”

“About that…”

“You noticed, huh?”

“They are easy fixes,” she replied smoothly. “All it will take is a little time and elbow grease.”

“They are proud men and…”

“And mig ht not take it well being ordered around by a woman?”

“I wasn’t going to say that,” the coach chuckled. “I don’t have the slightest problem with you being a woman – in fact – I prefer it.”

Ohhhhboy , she thought wildly, swallowing back a nervous giggle. When she panicked, she giggled. It was a horrible trait to have and led to some uncomfortable moments.

Her first date… giggle.

Valedictorian speech… giggle.

Her grandmother’s funeral… giggle.

When she panicked, she giggled and somehow managed to hold it back as he continued speaking.

“I think the guys will take it better coming from a woman and won’t feel like they have to be macho about things. If you can reach them, come at them like you are a kid sister, then I think they will take it easier that they need some work. I know in my day before I blew out a disc, I always took things easier from a female than a man. I know that doesn’t make sense, but…”

“No, it makes perfect sense,” she admitted quietly, setting down her purse. “Men are genetically prone to be the dominant in the group, beating on their chests, and I’m not a threat.”

“Exactly,” he smiled and then hesitated, his smile fading a moment later. “Unless they aren’t fit to skate – then you have every right to bench them and my full support in doing so. If someone isn’t ready to give 100 percent on the ice, it’s my job to protect the team and their careers as long as possible.”

“I understand.”

“Good,” he smiled, and she wondered if that covered up something else. No one was this nice in this type of career. Maybe he was being nice to her but a bully to get his way? “Let’s get out there, keep it silent for a little while longer, and then I’ll introduce you to the team. Does that sound good?”

“Yes.”

“Great – and don’t worry,” he grinned. “They’ll love you, Molly. You are here to make them superstars on the ice.”

She smiled, holding back a panicked giggle, and simply gave him two thumbs up. He chuckled, did the same awkwardly, and left her office.

“Ten minutes,” he said in parting – and Molly sagged into her chair, trying to compose herself. She needed to be brave and strong, and to have the backbone needed to explain to these grown men that she was there to help and not a threat. And it was usually the biggest ego that had to be shown-up first. According to the coach, that was the same one who needed help – the goalie.

Greaaaaat , she mused. Maybe I should just focus on one of the others, taking them under my wing and showing them what-for… so they can realize I’m not a threat.

Yup, she was going to make it her personal agenda to show the big guy how to strengthen his core and maybe she could give the nutritionist a few tips to adjust their caloric intake along with vitamins to build muscle. If he could adjust his diet, he would have rock-hard abs within a few weeks under her tutelage, along with a core that would hold any spine tautly.

Yep, the blond hulk on the ice was going to be her key to reaching the goalie.

“I can do this,” she repeated as her mantra, making her way to the arena with her notepad under her arm.

T hree hours later – her mantra was blown to smithereens.

Blondie, T hor, Thierry, Gerry… whatever you wanted to call him – that man had a temper and an ego big enough to fill the arena. What should have been a calm introduction completely fell apart. Obliterated, annihilated, and exploded into a complete mess of a moment.

“Fellas, I’d like you to meet Molly Haines, a doctor of physiotherapy. Molly, you have the floor and welcome aboard the Coyotes team. We’re happy to have you.”

A small laugh escaped her as she stepped forward and carefully covered it by clearing her throat and zeroing in on an object. That is what her teachers and counselors told her over the years to keep her anxiety and panic to a small simmer so she didn’t start cackling like the Joker about to blow up Gotham. She focused on her goal, the handsome blond man and smiled, almost sighing as there was a sense of relief that seemed to wash over her as his curious green eyes met hers.

“Hi guys,” she began quietly. “Just think of me as a friend, your little sister, an annoying puppy version of a coyote,” she started and heard a few encouraging laughs as she continued. “I’m here to help you strengthen a few areas to help you play better, move faster, and prevent injury. For some of you, it might be as easy as kinesiology and a little tape, and some it might be stretching differently, while for others, it will be strengthening your core and trimming up your waistlines…”

And one man poked Gerry in the waist in front of her before swiping his hand up to thump him in the nose. Boucher. The quiet one. That was surprising because she expected it to be Couer or Batiste who opened their mouths – but more shocking than that was the fact that Gerry immediately shoved the man aside, and her tongue ran away from her like a scalded dog.

“Gerry, it’s just a little bit of weight. Strength training, diet, and exercise will help you tone those abs right up and…” her words failed her as she heard laughter a round her, realizing what she’d said aloud.

“Whoa boy…” Giroux groaned as Gerry straightened up, towering over her like some sort of blond-haired Godzilla. For a second, she expected him to lean down and bite her head right off her shoulders – only to see a hidden rage and hurt within those big green eyes as he glared at her before walking off, nearly stepping on Coeur, who was standing behind him looking a little flabbergasted.

“Watch where you’re going, Button Buster ! That’s my freakin’ foot—” Coeur yelped angrily. Lafreniere and Boucher were grinning, looking at her almost like ‘You did this – welcome aboard!’ while Batiste and Giroux looked beyond panicked and worried.

Button Buster? Were his teammates making things worse?

“Coeur, stop it!” Coach Mike barked, his tone sharp. “Thierry, can we talk?”

“No,” Gerry shot back as he rushed down the walkway to the offices and locker rooms in the distance – away from where she was standing there reeling. Did he think she was implying that he was fat? Was he self-conscious about his weight? It was only to help him and she wasn’t mocking him in the slightest, but rather trying to help him in his career. Surely she wasn’t the first physical therapist to suggest core work?

“Thierry, please…” Coach Mike’s tone softened, but Gerry’s resolve was firm.

“I don’t need to talk about this or hear?—”

“Awww, just let the Pantry Pirate go get his cookies and?—”

“COEUR!” The name ricocheted through the corridor, shouted at by several voices – including her own. She might be timid and shy, but when her frustration built up like it was doing now – she was also reckless. Molly took three steps toward the man who was yelling after Gerry, calling him a Pantry Pirate and mocking him – and kick ed him in the shin with the inside of her foot.

“What the…” Coeur barked, turning immediately, and laughed. “Oh my gosh, was that seriously you, Tiny Tot?”

“My name is Molly – and you are awful!”

“I am not your patient, Tiny Tot,” he chuckled – patting her on the top of her head and Molly smiled sweetly, grabbed his hand, and turned his pinky back almost to his wrist with a savagery that made his eyes widen as they watered painfully. “That’s attached!”

“Not for long…”

“Let go, Tiny Tot…”

“Molly.”

“LET GO MOLLY!” he wailed as she pulled it back further to get her point across – and realized there was silence around her.

“Now, you are going to go after Gerry, apologize, and tell him I’d like to speak with him… or you are my first pet project to torture – eh – I mean, get into real shape.”

The slip of the tongue was fake, but this man whose pinky she just mangled didn’t know that. Instead, he nodded, and she released his hand, stepping back. He glared at her for a moment and walked off, making Molly feel quite satisfied in her efforts. As he opened the door to the locker room, he turned back to look at her and winked.

“HEY THIERRY! TINY TOT OUT HERE WANTS TO DISCUSS YOUR BIG BUTT, brO!”

Molly’s mouth dropped open in shock as she heard Couer’s cackle of laughter before it faded and the door closed. She felt several of the other guys pat her on the shoulders, almost in sympathy, as the coach looked at her frowning, shook his head, and walked off to go salvage some of what just happened.

What just happened?

Had she re ally flubbed her first day meeting the team so badly by implying that one of their players was overweight and out of shape? She never even got a chance to talk to Lafrenerie or any of the others… and the only thing she discovered was that Coeur had a wretched sense of humor. If the coach wanted her to be a part of the family – did it have to be the red-headed stepchild no one cared for on the holidays?

I’m not gonna let them see me cry…

I’m not gonna let them see me cry…

That echoed in her head for as long as it took to clear the arena – and for her to get to the bathroom, where she closed the door behind her, threw the lock, and slid down the wooden panel of the door into a heap of tears on the floor. That was not the impression she intended to make.

Not by a long shot.