The hockey captain & the single mom

I close my laptop that sits on the desk in front of me and slide it into my bag along with the files from my desk that I need to work on tonight. Closing my office door, I knock on the door opposite mine where my manager Rick sits at his desk “Emily, that you heading off?” he says with a wide smile as always “Yeah, took those files to work on tonight, I’ll have all the profiles ready to upload first thing in the morning” “Okay, but don’t rush, will you be in the office in the morning before you and the guy's head over to The Panthers arena?” s**t that’s tomorrow, f**k my life!! “No, but depending what time we get finished there, I might come to the office after” I say “Okay. You go and see little man” he smiles warmly, that’s the main thing that attracted me to this job was that it was flexible hours and when I told them I had young son they were more than happy to let me work from home most of the time but because I'm the social media manager for the universities team the NY Bulls, I sometimes have to come in and meet with PR and other staff alongside the team who I have to communicate with. Tomorrow the team are heading over to New Yorks number one team The Panthers arena for a training day with The Panthers, I completely f*****g forgot meaning I'm going to have to pull in my best friend Nikki to help me, the photographer for NY Bulls was fired last week for causing serious rumours about one of the team members which caused me to not only to have to work for fourteen hours straight to try and settle all the online rumours, it also caused me to say yes to being the photographer for the event all while doing my own job. As I step into the house, I can hear mom shouting for Blake to calm down. I set my bag down in the lounge and head into the kitchen when my beautiful dark haired little boy charges into my arms “Hey bub, you been good for Grandma?” he smiles cheekily meaning my mom is probably ready to pull her hair out “Yup momma, but grandma said no cookies until I ate my dinner” he pouts, and I can’t help but laugh as I ruffle his hair “You’ve got to listen to grandma baby, and I might be able to bring you home some stuff from The Panthers tomorrow” I say but immediately regret the decision as I am temporarily deafened by my little boy's scream, he wiggles out of my arms and runs over to my mom who is preparing a meal grabbing around her legs “I’ll be good grandma, love you” he says sucking up, yes, my little boy at the age of only three is obsessed with The Panthers, my mom laughs picking Blake up and placing a kiss on his cheek “Good boy, now go play for a little bit while I speak to Momma, okay?” he nods giving her a kiss and running into the playroom. “Good day?” my mom asks as I make a coffee “Yeah, got that training day at The Panthers arena tomorrow and of course I forgot” I say earning a shoulder pat from my mom “You’ll be fine baby, you still doing the photography?” “No choice, they still haven’t got a replacement. Although I could get Nikki to do the still long shots, you know what she’s like she won’t go on the ice, so when she gets home, I’ll see if she fancies doing the social media side of stuff for me. Are you going to be okay with Blake as I'm going to be gone from nine in the morning until probably after six in the evening?” my mom looks at me like I've grown a second head, I raise my hands in surrender “Okay, okay, I thought I would check just in case” I laugh. Nikki got home from the photoshoot she was doing, and we are all sat at the table eating moms lasagna, I am lucky to have my mom and my best friend in my life, and we all live at moms which makes it so much easier for Blake. I was twenty-one when I found out I was pregnant with him and when I told my boyfriend at the time he and his family disappeared then I received a letter from him saying that he wasn’t ready to be a dad and he didn’t want anything to do with Blake much like my own father. “Nik, you free tomorrow?” “Yeah, don’t have any shoots. Need me to look after little man?” she asks ruffling up Blakes hair gaining herself a glare from him which makes us all laugh “No, moms having him. I need your help with an event I have tomorrow” “Oooh, will there be hockey players?” she flutters her eyelashes at me, causing us all to laugh, if you thought Blake’s reaction was extreme well wait until you see Nikkis “I assume so since my team are heading to The Panthers arena for training day-” a loud bang coming from Niks chair that has fallen behind her as she does some sort of twerk dance thing whopping as she does so, causing Blake to jump up and start copying her although mom and I are laughing hysterically, I’m kind of regretting this decision. After I bathed and put Blake to bed, I sat in the lounge on the large corner sofa with my laptop and the player profiles making social media posts for the team and uploading them onto the Ny Bulls social media pages, I know I wasn’t supposed to upload until tomorrow but it is going to be a hectic day. Nikki and I discussed what needed to be done tomorrow and she suggested that she will take the notes and stuff that I needed along with some interviews while I do photography and videography with her equipment, thankfully I'm quite good at both as Nikki has taught me everything she knows for the past five years, I was so proud of her when she decided at the age of sixteen that photography is what she wanted to do. Before I headed to bed Rick had sent me a message telling me not to worry about coming into the office tomorrow after the event as it’s Friday and he told me to take the weekend off and go into the office on Monday to get everything from tomorrow ready to make it all public on Monday. My alarm woke me up at six in the morning, and following my usual routine I headed downstairs and made a latte, drinking it while making pancakes, waffles and chopping up some fruit, putting the pancakes and the waffles in the oven to keep them warm I headed upstairs and into the bathroom attached to my bedroom. I felt amazing after my shower, I towel dried my long brown hair and left it down dressing in my tight jeans that can be tucked inside my skates, a white off the shoulder knitted top and went downstairs hearing everyone downstairs and we all ate breakfast together. After breakfast and loves from my little man, I headed back upstairs, and blow dried my hair before straightening it and applying some light make up. Grabbing my skate bag and putting my laptop inside my large bag before going downstairs. I spent some time building towers with Blake and his blocks while he was in his element knocking them down with his sit on bulldozer making mom and I laugh. Nikki appeared with her two equipment bags trying to act like it was just another day at work but the excitement in her eyes was there. The team will be arriving at the Panthers arena at ten and I want some shots of them arriving so we will be getting there for nine. Nikki and I arrived at the arena at exactly nine, and we met with the coaches for both teams, I explained to both that the majority of today will be the teams training and playing a friendly game in which I will be on the ice taking shots and videos, both coaches were slightly worried about me being on the ice during a friendly game but after Nikki decided to blab about my experience with hockey they were happy. We set Nikki up behind the boards with my laptop and the notes and I made for her that she will need especially for the interviews, and we made ourselves some lattes thanks to coach Harv saying we could use his office as he a coffee maker. I take the camera I want to use out of the bag and put the strap around my neck looking through the different lenses “My guys are about ten minutes from arriving if you want to shoot them coming in the arena” coach Harv for The Panthers says and that’s when Nikki is on her feet with the second camera looking like a kid about to open her Christmas presents “Thanks Harv, you sure they won’t mind?” I ask, as Harv said we can get shots from between the entrance of the arena and before the locker room “Not at all, they know to be on their best behaviour” he chuckles and walks off towards his office “Where do you want to be?” Nikki asks practically bouncing “You can see them first, you go to the main entrance” I laugh as she throws her arms around me squeezing me before she runs to the entrance, I walk down the tunnel towards the locker rooms and pass it slightly not wanting to invade their privacy. I hear the sound of footsteps coming towards me, and I raise the camera slightly, the first person to come in is Carl Beechford the goalie, he gives me a huge smile and introduces himself as I do the same before snapping some photos, a few more of the team have come past giving a smile and letting me take photos while the video recorder standing on tripod catches everything also. It’s when the next set of footsteps cause me to take a deep breath, holy s**t he’s so much hotter in person up close. Ryan De Marco, The Panthers team captain, my mouth feels like the f*****g Sahara Desert “Nice to meet you, I'm Ryan De Marco” yeah, no s**t, holy s**t, Blake would kill me if he knew I was about to talk to De Marco, oh s**t yeah he spoke whoops “Emily Reed, social media manager for The NY Bulls” I reply as he shakes my hand and I almost fall to my knees, damn woman up Ems! “Pleasure to meet you, Emily” he smiles and it’s one of those smiles that would have you clenching your thighs together, he nods to the camera, s**t yep, I'm supposed to be taking photos! “You too” I respond snapping a photo of him and he walks past towards the locker room, and I can’t help but follow him with my eyes, but he turns around catching me watching him and he winks, he f*****g winks!! The rest of the team have arrived, and I have joined Nikki at reception to take photos of my guys arriving of course I didn’t get to take many photos as they were too busy giving me hugs like they always do, but judging by the amount of flashes I'm guessing Nikki got plenty. Nikki wouldn’t shut up about how friendly The Panthers were, I had to shush her when we were walking past their locker room, and we made it back to her set up, I changed the lens ready for when I'm on the ice, I sit down next to Nikki taking my boots off and changing into my black and white Bauer hockey skates taking the shield of the blades. I step onto the ice before any players are out and do a couple of laps, skating backwards towards to the barrier where Nikki is sat next to the tunnel with a camera in her hand, I almost have a heart attack when I turn to see The Panthers all stood there in their gear ready to get on the ice, whoops. “That’s our girl” Gary Jenson the team captain for my team announces proudly after watching me on the ice, no matter how many times they see me on the ice it still shocks them. “Right guys, get your asses out on the ice and get warmed up” Harv shouts earning himself some groans and some “Yes, coach” which makes Nikki, and I laugh as both teams skate onto the ice. The warmups go on for quite a while before both coaches hit the ice pulling the guys in for chat, Harv shouts me over, so I quickly make my way onto the ice and stop next to both coaches “Right fellas, as you all know today is all about getting in some training for both teams, and you all know that we have Miss Reed here along with Miss Kier over there-” he points to Nikki who gives a nervous wave, I have to bite my lip to stop myself laughing “Miss Reed will be taking the photos and recording most of what happens today and Miss Kier will be pulling some of you up for interviews, now you will all be respectful and we will start with basic drills to begin with” he says waving a dismissive hand at them. Since I came onto the ice I've been watched, I know I have, I’ve had that tingling nervous feeling, so I have tried to keep my head down as much as possible. I am stood at one of the barriers checking through the photos I already have when a large figure looms over my shoulder, I turn my head slightly but soon regret it as I'm met with that f*****g smile. “You’ve got some good shots there” his husky voice says from behind me, leaving goosebumps all over my body “Thanks, all of you are either really photogenic or just showing off” I quip back “They are all posers that’s for sure, they love the camera, but me not so much never really smiled for a photo before” he says, well I know that’s bullshit because every photo I have took that he is in he is smiling “Now that’s not true, every photo I’ve took, you’re smiling in” “I’m not smiling for the camera, I'm smiling at who is behind it” he says back biting his lip before skating off, Ryan De Marco you bastard! I had to skate off the ice shouting to Nikki to get some distance shots as I placed my shields on my blades and walked towards to restrooms. It’s now two in the afternoon and Nikki has been pulling guys up for interviews during training but their about to start their friendly game so I take a drink out of my water bottle and head back on to the ice, I get some shots of their positions before skating around next to the barriers as their game gets underway. The Panthers are up 2-1 as we are ten minutes into the second period, I’m behind the away goal when I’m videoing De Marco coming skating down the ice, Foley passes the puck straight to De Marco who gives me a wink before slamming the puck into the back of the net, the team celebrates I’m busy recording the celebration when I'm trapped against the barrier by two arms and I look up into the face of De Marco who raises his brows before smiling and pushing himself off the barrier skating backwards but his eyes don’t leave mine until the puck is dropped and the game resumes, what the f**k was that?? The game ends 5-2 to The Panthers, I’ve managed to get all the guys together including the coaches for some photos I got them to stand opposite Nikki so she can get some longer distance shots as I kneel to the ice, holding the camera up and clicking the shutter button slightly moving the camera with each shot. Nikki is finishing up with some interviews and I have moved back onto the ice to video call mom and Blake “Momma, have you got me a signed jersey yet?” Jeez kid I ain’t no miracle worker “No baby, but I'll see what I can do” skating around so he can see the arena “Okay momma, have you spoke to any of the players yet?” you wouldn’t think my boy is only three, I chuckle still skating “Yeah baby, I have-” I'm mid-sentence “is that your boy?” oh f**k not now this is not what I need “Yeah that’s my son” I manage to answer back but I don’t miss the way he glances down to my left hand “Momma is that De Marco?” oh f*****g just end me now please, before I know it De Marco is stood right behind me, his head just over my shoulder, I can’t handle this “Hey buddy” De Marco says looking at my little boy on the screen, ah crap my ovaries “Grandma, I'm talking to De Marco” my excited little boy shouts to my mom “Hi, you are my favourite player, momma says she is going to try get me some Panthers stuff” okay thanks a f*****g lot kid, way to drop me in it. My mom pops up next to Blake on the screen “FU- Fudge, you really are talking to him” my mom says making both De Marco and I both laugh “Well, your momma will come home with some stuff for you buddy, I'll make sure to sign it for you also, how does that sound?” I’ve never seen my son so f*****g excited and the face splitting smile on my face reflects my baby’s face “Thank you! Your momma's favourite player too” he drops me in it, my mom and De Marco are now both laughing while I'm stood wishing this ice would just crack and swallow me up “Oh, am I now?” he asks turning his face which is now just inches from my face, I'm surprised his smirk isn’t melting the ice “Shut up, just zip it” I say back glaring into those blue orbs “Momma, dollar in swear jar” oh sh-sugar, this kid will be the death of me, before I have a chance to respond to my son De Marco snatches my phone and starts skating backwards while talking to my son, I'm going to kill him! “Why has he got your phone?” Nikki asks when I get closer to the barrier “Because that tool thinks he’s f*****g clever-” “Another dollar in the swear jar momma” he would choose that moment to skate past smiling like a f*****g hyena “Naughty momma is going to be broke” De Marco shouts as he skates off again smirking, well now Nikki is doubled over clutching her stomach from laughing and I'm twinning the colour of a tomato right now “De Marco, get your ass over here and give Emily her phone back” coach Harv shouts, oh great so he’s probably witnessed the whole thing, De Marco skates back over grinning from ear to ear as he holds the phone up in front of coach's face “Coach, this is Emilys son, Blake” he smirks, and coach takes the phone smiling at my son “Blake this is coach” De Marco introduces them, and Nikki is laughing even more “Hi wee man, your mom is going to be bringing you home some of our stuff, anything you want?” he asks my son, I hope he’s got a pad and a pen “Hi coach, De Marco is getting me a signed jersey and something else, but he said it’s a surprise, and I would really like to watch a game and not on the big tv at grandmas” this kid is going to be the death of me, not happening, no way in hell! “I think I can sort some tickets out for you, wee man. Is that okay?” I can’t see Blake, but I can imagine his ecstatic face right now “He’s only coming if I get one!” I hear my mom and now I have fully given up on life, Nikki has tears streaming down her face, I leave them to it and skate back on to the ice, I really need to get on the ice more. I pick up a stick and start dribbling the puck down the rink avoiding imaginary players and make my way towards the net shooting and sending the puck flying into the top left corner. Placing the stick back down I continue laps of the rink before slicing my blades one behind the other picking up speeding before spinning forward and charging to where coach and De Marco are still on the phone, I pick up speed turning backwards and somehow managing to pull off a hawk stop right at the entrance of the rink. “f**k, that was impressive” “De Marco, dollar in swear jar” my son laughs, setting everyone off laughing “I tell you what, how about you come see me after the game you’re coming to, and I'll give you five dollars for the jar?” “I’ll be there” my son laughs, I need to end this now “Right, everyone's had there fun, now I need my phone back as I need to go see my mom and my son and get all these photos and videos sorted for publishing” I say “Oh no baby, you're coming home for food and seeing us then you and Nikki are going out” say f*****g what?? “Mom, what the he- what are you on about?” I manage to correct myself quickly but De Marco and Harv are laughing, while Nikki looks nervous “You and Nikki are going out with The Panthers tonight, think of it as a job you must make sure they don’t drink too much” hahahaha very funny she’s joking right? “No, I'm spending time with my son” I say loud enough for mom to hear “You have all day with him tomorrow, oh Harv, Ryan?” they both shout “Yes ma’am” okay what the f**k is going on “You two and all the men and their girlfriend/wives/kids you know what I mean are all invited for food and a bonfire tomorrow night, I'll send you the address Harv” now I look like a fish out of water 1, how the hell does my mom have Harv's number 2, is she for f*****g real inviting all them round “Thank you, Penny. We will all be there” Harv says back to my mom, they both say bye to mom and Blake and hand me the phone back “Bye momma, love you. See you soon” then the line goes dead just like me dead! Harv and De Marco almost ran away when I glared at them, Nikki couldn’t pack any of the equipment up for laughing, so I had to do it. I took my skates off and put my black heeled boots back on before we headed for the exit, the receptionist shouted me, and I walked over to the desk, and she gave me a taped box “That’s for you from Coach and De Marco” she says, I take the box and put everything in the car ready to head home and find out what the hell my mom was thinking arranging this kind of s**t, does she not realize how many people she has invited round tomorrow, not to mention that I now have to go on a night out with these guys. Damn!