It's Just A Job

Chapter 3

A text? She sent me a motherfucking text?

James ran his hands through his hair as he stood in the airport concourse staring at his phone. He hesitated sending Katherine a return text because what was he going to say? James knew what he did tonight was wrong, that his temper and Marchand got the best of him and that he was going to have to pay for his mistake. It was bad enough that he made Brooks the target of the retaliation, but James made his situation worse by being his abrasive self when he was barraged by the media after the game. His mood only worsened when he found out that the one person whose job it was to be there when the shit hit the fan, was suddenly unreachable.

As the rest of the team stood in the boarding area, James stood back from everyone. He knew everyone was in a foul mood and he bitching about Katherine would be the cherry on top of the shit-sundae that was this game. Bill Guerin approached James and nodded.

“You know, she’s allowed to have a break every now and then.” Bill said looking straight on to James.

“Yea, well she really picked a shitty game to take off.” James turned to stare out the window onto the tarmac. “When are we supposed to get the hell out of here?”

“Boarding in five.”

“Try to get your head screwed back on during the flight, ok.”

Bill placed his hand on James’ shoulder and gave him a fatherly pat. “We’ll hash this all out in the morning.”

After everyone boarded the plane and got settled into their seats, James sulked down into his seat and grabbed his earphones. Wanting to block out the noise from the plane and all of its passengers, he found solace in a playlist on his phone. There were some country songs about drinking, trucks, girls, having a good time; some infectious pop songs that got played one too many times over the summer and some classic rock that made him think of his Mom and Dad and growing up in Whitby. The music put James in a better mood until one track came up on the shuffle.

It was the night the team returned from their retreat at West Point. They all wanted to celebrate and hit a small bar on the Southside just to cut lose, have a few drinks and maybe do a little dancing. James didn’t expect to see Katherine there that night, but he wasn’t surprised when she showed up with Beau and Borts. Drinks were ordered up; a toast was given by the Captain and after a few rounds were downed, money was dropped in the jukebox as Beau shuffled his was back to the table with an outstretched hand.

“Dance with me Katherine!” Beau said with a smile.

Katherine was nursing her scotch and figured what the heck. It wasn’t every day that a 22 year-old wanted to dance with her.

“This is what we’re dancing to?” “Is Pitbull on every song now these days?” Katherine took another sip from her drink and stood up from her chair as “Feel This Moment” rang out through the bar.

“Get your ass out here and dance with me!” Beau laughed.

Katherine grabbed Beau’s hand and before she knew it, she was being led out to a small dance floor by her “little brother”.

James watched Katherine and Beau from the bar. He watched as Katherine was laughing, spinning and dancing around without a care as to who was looking. As Katherine’s hips swayed to the music, she flipped her hair as she tried to keep up with Beau’s frantic dance moves. An infectious smile took over her face. She looked happy.

James took another look around the bar and noticed his friend Paul Martin smiling and watching Katherine with the same intense stare. And it was when Katherine looked over at Paul and smiled back, James knew. James knew that Paul was winning the heart of the one woman he couldn’t.

The music changed to something slower and the guys booed Beau at his selection as he and Katherine walked back to the table. Katherine sat back down and looked into her drink. She brought the glass up to her lips and as she looked over the top of it, she smiled at Paul. She flirtingly turned her eyes away from Paul and glanced over to the bar when she saw James staring at her. Katherine gave James a nervous smile and then quickly brought her eyes back down and focused on her scotch.

Not really sure how to feel about it.
Something in the way you move.
Makes me feel like I can’t live without you.
It takes me all the way.
I want you to stay.

That night, Paul walked Katherine home from the bar and asked her out on an official first date.

James ended up getting a great blow job in the front seat of his Ferrari by some more than willing co-ed in the parking lot of her apartment complex. James stared out the plane window, shut his eyes and skipped to the next song on the playlist.


The plane landed in Pittsburgh early that cold December morning. The team disembarked and headed towards their cars. James fumbled with this overnight bag and his keys, trying to get the door to his new Mercedes SUV open without dropping everything to the ground and on the newly fallen snow. He heard the crunching of feet on the snow behind him and as James looked up, he saw Sidney walking towards him.

“Nealer, got a second?” Sid said while walking over to James.

“Christ Sid, I just want to get home.”

Sidney looked James straight in the eyes. “Do yourself a favor, listen to Katherine tomorrow.”

James just nodded his head and gave Sid a smirk.

“This is why she works for the Pens, she’s not your personal babysitter.”

James turned towards his car door when Sid gave him one more piece of advice.

“And do yourself another favor.”

“What’s that Sid?”

“When you drive past Paul’s tonight, don’t look in the driveway.”

James got into the SUV and slammed the door.

"Fuck me," were the only words James could muster.

Notes