2

Chelsea

*Two days later*

“When I said I accepted your offer, I didn’t mean I would start working immediately, Appa.”

I argued with my dad, who took a sip of his morning coffee and smirked.

“That’s the thing with hockey, darling; there’s no time to stop and breathe.”

My dad said and took one of the perfectly made toasts I had placed on the plate for him.

The only thing working for me now was my cooking skill, which I got from my stepfather, who is a big-time chef in New York.

“I hate hockey.”

I wasn’t kidding. If not for hockey, my parents would probably have still been together.

They were so in love, but then my dad became a very well-sort-after and busy coach.

He was always on the move, and the longer he stayed away, the further apart my parents drifted.

My mom made him choose between us and hockey, and he chose hockey.

No, I am not mad that he decided to sign the divorce my mom had sent to him instead of quitting his job as a coach for the Ottawa Cascades. 

I wasn’t mad either that he wasn’t in my life for most of it and that I had to go with my mother since he wasn’t always around.

Maybe I was when I was younger, but now that I am older, I wasn’t mad at either of them anymore for not fighting for each other.

My mother is happy with her second husband, and my dad is happy with his job.

The only unhappy one is me, and it has nothing to do with either of them.

It’s all me and my life choices. Maybe if I had chosen better for myself, I wouldn’t be back here in Ottawa and going to work with my dad.

“The team members you will be working with are looking forward to meeting you. I told them you were a relative.”

I chuckled at his words.

“Relative? So they don’t know you have a daughter?”

I asked, and he laughed. His phone rang before he could answer. I ate my breakfast, and when he came back, he pointed outside without words, and I followed him, ready for my first day as a road manager to a bunch of teenagers.

My dad said there weren’t teenagers, but I don’t believe him.

I should have believed him because the minute I entered the office area of the arena where the team practiced, I saw only grown men.

Young men, but there were no teenagers among them, and they walked in groups, stopping to greet my father and sparing a look in my direction.

Dad didn’t introduce me to anyone, so I just assumed they were not who I came for.

“Wow, I didn’t know you were so important at work. Your office is huge.”

I commented and went to sit on the huge couch.

“You need to start believing in me more.”

I laughed and sighed deeply.

Maybe it won’t be so bad to work here. I need to keep my mind off everything, and this might just be what I need.

“So, where is my office?”

I joked because I knew I had no office.

“Baby girl, you are an assistant road manager to three of our star players. You don’t have an office.”

I pouted in sadness.

“When do I meet them?”

I asked.

“Now, they just arrived at the arena.”

I nodded, suddenly feeling nervous. I don’t know why.

They may not be teenagers, but I know I would be older than all three of them. Maybe they will call me auntie.

Okay, that’s cringe.

“Coach Lee!”

A deep voice called out, and I turned to look in the direction that the voice came from. I was dumbfounded by the species of men who walked through the door.

Not one, but three very different yet all so gorgeous men walked into my dad’s office, calling and laughing happily.

I watched as all three of them took turns to cheer and hug my dad.

They clearly didn’t notice me, but I noticed them. How could I not when they looked like literal male models.

Tall, muscular, and beautiful.  I couldn’t even pick or choose which one of them held the torch above the other because they all looked very handsome.

“Oh, hey, who is the gorgeous damsel?”

One of them asked, and the other two turned to me, and I saw the way their eyes took me in.

Suddenly, I felt silly for not putting effort into my clothing.

I was wearing a pair of baggy trousers and a normal blouse when I could have done something really grand.

If only I could go back in time and talk myself into dressing better for my first day of work.

“Coach Lee, who is the pretty princess?”

Another of the guys asked, licking his lips in a very flirty way that would have annoyed me if he wasn’t so fine.

“Yes, coach, who is she?”

The last guy asked with a hint of a smile directed at me.

“Hi…”

My voice was embarrassingly hoarse when I spoke.

“She is my daughter and your new road manager.”

My father’s words saved me from saying something embarrassing.

“Your daughter? For real?”

One of them asked and looked from me to my dad. It won’t be the first time that I would get such looks from people when they find out I am my father’s daughter.

“Yes, she is my daughter.”

My father answered.

“Wow, I didn’t know you had children, not to talk of a grown, gorgeous daughter.”

The tallest and arguably the most gorgeous one of them said. At least, he wasn’t asking how we could be father and daughter when we were both clearly different.

“Beckham, don’t use that tune with her; she is your new road manager, not your friend.”

My father warned.

“Road manager.”

Beckham said and took a few steps towards me. I resisted the urge to step back.

“Hi, my name is Beckham, but everyone calls me Beck. It’s nice to meet you.”

He said with the perfect dimpled smile. I took the hand he offered and felt an instant jolt of electric energy run from our joined hands through my body.

I pulled my hand away because it was too much, and I could only hope that Beck didn’t notice.

His smile told me he did.

Chelsea, put yourself together; this is your job!

Telling myself that didn’t help me because when the next guy took my hand in his, I felt the same embarrassing jolt of heat and decided that I must be crazy.

There’s no way I find both men attractive.

“My name is Hayes, and I am the good one.”

The guy holding my hand said with a flirty smile that he wasn’t even trying to hide.

“Nice to meet you, Hayes.”

At least, I could speak to this one.

“Hey, you didn’t say hi to me!”

Beck argued in a way that made him look very boyish. I wanted to know how old he was and if I could legally feel the way I was feeling with him.

“Don’t mind both of them; you should talk to me. My name is Jace, and I love you already!”

Instead of a handshake, Jace pulled me into a hug.

Damn athlete body. Why did he have to be so huggable?

Thankfully, he pulled away before I could embarrass myself by hugging him back and refusing to let him go.

“Okay, enough with the hugs and flirting! My daughter isn’t your friend, guys! She is your manager now, and you have to treat her with respect. It took a lot to persuade her to do this, so be nice, or she won’t stay.

Speak for yourself, Dad.

I wanted to say, but I pressed my lips together and let my dad talk to his team.

“The boys usually have their manager sign a different contract, so I will leave you guys to talk about that.”

My eyes widened at my dad’s words. Why would he leave me with them already?

I was not ready, but before I could tell my dad that, he was already out of his office and I was left alone with three of the most gorgeous men I have ever met.

“So—“

I said awkwardly when all three of them kept staring at me without saying anything.

“We don’t have a contract ready.”

Hayes finally said.

“Yeah, we thought coach was bluffing when he told us he found a new road manager for us.”

I swallowed.

“How long have you been without a road manager?”

Dad said their former one recently resigned.

“A whole season.”

My eyes widened.

“A year ago? But Appa said—never mind what he said. You can still prepare the contract if you want me to be your road manager. If you don’t, I will understand.”

I told them.

“Oh, we want you.”

Heat flared inside me at Jace’s words. It wasn’t just his words but the way he said them and the way he winked after.

It was so obvious that there were extra layers to his words, and it wasn’t just about my job as their road manager.