The Off Season

Chapter One - December 2012

As Katherine hurried into the elevator of the corporate offices of the Lemieux Group L.P., the only words that were going through her head were “DO. NOT. FUCK. THIS. UP!” She had worked too hard and too long for what she believed would be the job of a lifetime, for her own fear of personal sabotage to start messing with her confidence. She had this job and she knew it. She had proven herself over the summer while on an internship with the Buffalo Sabres, shadowing Darcy Regier during the NHLPA and NHLOA negotiations.

She was fortunate enough to work with some of the players and the owners; listening carefully and intently on each and every issue each side was presenting; acting as a negotiator; remaining impartial, but eager to get hockey, and it’s players, back on the ice. She watched, listened, and learned. She worked endlessly, gave input when asked, looked for small details that were being clouded by the larger issues, but before the two sides could come to a resolution, it was time for Katherine to return to school to finish her last semester of classes before getting her MBA. The day that Katherine was to leave New York City for the rural countryside of Central Pennsylvania, she received a letter at her hotel room. The letter was from Ray Shero.

Dear Ms. Donnell,

I would like to personally thank you for being an unstoppable force during these negotiations. I was impressed by your ability to listen to both sides of the issue and formulate a solution that was not only business savvy, but also very heartfelt. We need more people like you in our line of work; that is why I would like to extend an invitation to you to apply for a position with the Lemiuex Group upon your graduation.

Best of luck with your final semester and I hope to hear from you soon.

Ray Shero
General Manager, Pittsburgh Penguins

“Holy shit,” Katherine screamed as she picked up the business card that had fallen out of the envelope. “Ray-fucking-Shero,” she repeated over and over as she stared at the business card. All the sacrifices she had made, all the time she had devoted to a job that she knew would someday be there for her, was now paying off. She had been touched by an angel on that hot summer day in New York City. Little did Katherine know that the angel, who was offering her everything she had ever wanted, had a devil hiding right behind him.

She took a deep breath as she stepped out of the elevator onto the floor of the General Manager of Hockey Operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Wow, that was a hell of a title, a title that one day Katherine hoped would be hers. As Katherine walked to the reception area, she was greeted by a petite woman with a smile, a handshake, and a cup of coffee.

“Good morning, Ms. Donnell, I’m Mr. Shero’s assistant, Colleen,” the woman said. “Mr. Shero asked that I let you know that he is expecting you, but has been delayed this morning,” as she handed Katherine a Starbucks cup. “He also asked that I make sure you are comfortable during your wait and if you need anything to be sure and let me know. “ Colleen pointed to the Starbucks cup now in Katherine’s hand, “Mr. Shero thought that since it was a little cooler out from the last time he saw you, you might want your Venti Vanilla Latte with soy milk hot, not iced.” Colleen turned to a long hallway and with a nod and escorted Katherine to an empty waiting area.

“Thank you so much, Colleen,” said Katherine. “Um, is there a ladies room close by?”
“Certainly, right down the hall, to the left,” Colleen replied as she pointed in the direction of the ladies room.

With that, Katherine made her way to the ladies room to either pass out, throw up or both.
Katherine stood over the sink, hand gripping the sides of vanity. How in the world did Ray Shero know what she drank from Starbucks? Holy hell, how did Ray Shero even remember who she was?

After a few deep breathes, Katherine managed to calm herself down. All of this was in the hands of fate and with that she was going to let fate run its course. With a renewed confidence, Katherine left the ladies room and turned to walk out to the hallway that lead to the waiting room when, out of nowhere, she was blindsided by a very tall, very solid body. The impact of the hit sent the Starbucks cup flying back at her and the next thing she knew, she was wearing the coffee all down the front of her.

“Whoa shit, that isn’t good,” said the voice of the perpetrator of the hit. “I really hope you didn’t have anything going on the rest of the day, because your clothes are ruined.”

“What the....!?!” Katherine said in her best pissed off, yet not screaming at the top of her lungs voice. “Don’t you have eyes?”

He certainly had eyes. The only thing that he could see was a woman with long, dark auburn hair, pale skin, and thanks to the coffee that had spilled down her white shirt, a fantastic rack that was covered by a pink bra with gray lace.

All Katherine could see was red but when she looked up to see the person was that ruined her suit and blouse, she looked into the turquoise blue eyes of James Neal.

Notes