The Brick Wall

Chapter 58

Curtis POV

The General Manager of the Stars sent a car over to the hotel to pick me up before my meeting in the afternoon. My nerves are shot, much worse than before any game I've played, even worse than my first AHL game in Raleigh.

Bless Collins' heart, she tried her hardest to keep my mind on other things. After breakfast we video called Lennox and my mother, but as soon as the novelty wore off for Lennox she was shuffling off to her toys and my mom was asking questions about what I thought to expect. Then we went out to lunch and walked through a local park holding hands but somehow we managed to visit Texas during the one week in January that it's actually cold.

I suggested Collins warm up with a nap, in which she did request my presence for a quick snuggle before I had to get ready. I couldn't deny her. I needed it as much as she did, except probably not for the same reason.

I needed to be kept calm, while I think she needed some sort of reassurance.  Reassurance of what is where I'm stuck.

As I climb out of the car in front of American Airlines Arena, I smooth down my shirt, hoping the wrinkles from the seatbelt wouldn't be too noticeable. 

  "Straight in through that door are all the main offices. You'll be met with a receptionist," the driver instructs me.

  "Thanks, man."

  Pausing just outside the mirrored glass doors I give myself a quick once over. Collins had ironed in front pleats through the legs of my dress pants, telling me they made it look more dressy and maybe even made me look taller. Damn if she wasn't telling the truth.  I may be just over six foot but looking back at me is a guy who feels bigger and stronger than I do when I'm on my skates. 

"Look confident, feel confident," she had told me.

  Maybe she's on to something.

  Back before Lennox, I held my head high, puffed out my chest and walked with an air about myself. That was the douche bag persona. I knew I was attractive, knew I was a beast in the net, and I knew I could have any woman I wanted. In fact, if Lennox and Collins had never stepped into my life, I'd probably already be in front of the receptionist flirting and leaving with either a number or a pass of my hotel room key. 

  However, after Lennox's arrival, my pride isn't in myself outside of my ability on the ice. The women I would constantly seek out, would never be the type to fill a role as a mother figure for my daughter so getting them naked and under me wasn't in my mind anymore.  I knew dating after Lennox meant looking for a mother, funny now how I wasn't even looking.  Collins was literally sat smack in my living room chair for me to find. 

  Maybe I owe Miss Nelson, or whatever the hell her new married name is, a thank you card. 

  With a shake of my hand I pull open the door, met with a middle aged woman behind a mahogany desk.  Her red rimmed glasses matched her hair that was held up by a clip. "Can I help you?" she asks, standing.

  "I'm Curtis Everett, I have a meeting with-"  I can't remember if they ever actually gave me the name of who it was I was meeting, or even their position within the team. This is a real good look for me. "Hang on, I'm sure there's a name somewhere in my phone," I scroll through messages with all the details of the trip.

  "There he is!" the loud booming voice came from my left almost directly after I heard the elevator reach the ground floor. "Mr. Everett!"

  "Mr. Kincaid," I walked towards the head coach of the team, my hand coming out to meet his in a quick, gruff, handshake. "Thanks for meeting with me."