Chapter Two
"Sorry guys, I know you all wanted to get out and see the torch and go to an event but we need the extra practice time and you need to keep your head in the game. We are not to here to sight see, we are here to win. "
There was a low grumble around the room but they all knew there temporary coach was right. The loss to the US had been devastating and now they were playing Russia. Losing this game, would mean the end of their Gold Medal hopes, would mean embarrassing their country at home. This was just unacceptable.
"So, I have secured some ice time at a Junior Rink tonight and tomorrow morning. The bus leaves from the village at 6:30. Everyone needs to be ready to go. Any promo events that you had scheduled, need to be re scheduled. So go see Amber as soon as you can, she will do her best. Otherwise, get a nap and get a meal and we will see you soon enough."
The boys finished un-dressing. Their morning practice had been a rough one, still down from their loss from last night. They all knew they had to shake it off in order to find the next gear they needed but it wasn't as easy as it was when playing for their home team. Every game felt like a game seven of the Stanley cup final, and Sid should know. He had already played in two of them, in a row. Thank god they won the last one. It took so much out of you to loose a game like that… never mind representing your country against their biggest rival.
"So I guess that means you," Iggy turned to Sid and laughed.
"It always means me," Sid agreed.
"The face of the NHL at the Winter Olympics in his home country," Iggy stated with his best reporter voice. A couple of the other guys in the room laughed.
"Its all part of the package," Sid shook his head and pulled a shirt over his head. "Think Amber will be upset that I didn't shower? I am going to go stink up her office."
"She is probably used to it, she works mostly with the junior teams, so at least you aren't still in puberty… well mostly out of it…"
"Haha… see you at 6:30."
"See ya kid."
-.-
Sid knocked lightly on her door. He hated that most of this girl's job was balancing his personal schedule. She was supposed to juggle the whole team, but the press only ever wanted to talk to him. 'What's it like representing your country?" "What's it like playing against your adversary?" "What's it like to not get checked by Pronger?" The questions could be asked of any member of this team but they only ever asked him. It was getting a little more then annoying. More then once he had to bit his tongue from saying, 'go ask someone else'.
"Come in."
Sid slowly opened the door. The water pressure in the Athletes Village was better then at the rink and he had hoped that he could just head straight back but of course his plan never worked out the way he wanted it. Now we was standing in front of Amber wishing he had taken the time after all.
"Hey, I need to do some re-arranging…"
"Again? Seriously? Why this time?"
"Babock scheduled a practice for this evening and tomorrow morning. We were supposed to go to the ski cross this afternoon and have tomorrow off but after losing…"
"Ah punishment… gotcha."
"Something like that… sorry to do this to you again…"
"It doesn't really affect me… the reporters will be angry but if they want you they will wait and they have learnt not to put up to much of a fuss after the Russian team cancelled a press conference all together," Amber turned to her computer screen. "So I guess this means, I am canceling the sight seeing tour tomorrow morning?"
"Yup… we aren't here to sight see, we are here to win," Sid replied, imitating the coaches words.
"So, you don't get to see the torch at all?"
"I guess not… unless you can smuggle me out of the village in the middle of the night, under the cover of darkness?" Sid laughed, only half kidding. He and his sister were going to have a contest as to who could get a better picture of the torch, and it looked like she was going to win by default… actually getting to see it.
"I can already see the headlines Sidney Crosby goes missing from Olympic Village", Amber laughed.
"Followed by 'Caught with girl,'" Sid added and laughed knowing full well that the second part would be the part that would be the most trouble.
"Yeah, I wonder how long I would keep my job after that!" Amber turned back to her computer and laughed. He loved listening to her laugh. He wasn't normally the tell jokes, goof around type of guy but with her it just came easily. At the training camp in the summer, she had spent hours working with him and his agent on scheduling and contracts and making sure the long list of demands from the league and team were met. She stayed calm and flexible even when Pat was being a pain and the hours ticked by. He was the only player on the team that came with such extensive requirements and he felt insecure about himself being worth it to the team. What if he didn't score? Didn't produce anything? All her work and all the media attention would be worth nothing. He wanted to leave his mark on these games, sometimes for no other reason then to make her time worth it.
"So, I moved the press conference to noon tomorrow. If you aren't finished practice yet, they will just have to wait. Don't wear the white sweater, wear the red one. You look better in red," Amber added with a smile that made Sid blush.
"Thanks, I owe you again."
"It's my job… how else could I get tickets to the hockey games? They aren't cheap you know!"
"I have no idea actually…"
"Oh poor you…" Amber poked fun at him. "The superstar doesn't have to pay for anything!"
"Thanks…" Sid said while turning towards the door. 'See you later."
"For sure," Amber agreed. "Oh, and Sid…"
Sid turned to look back at her.
"… next time you come to my office, could you shower first? You seriously reek."
"Sorry," He offered as his cheeks turned a dark shade of red and he left the room.
-.-
The practice was grueling. He now understood why the Red Wings were such a good team… not because they liked winning but because they were probably afraid of practice after losing. Babcock was far from his regular coach, who was firm but still understood that losing happened. Losing was simply not an option for Babcock. And it wasn't an option for their team, so Sid understood and worked his hardest. He had been producing okay up to this point, but he had missed a lot of really good opportunities that should have gone in but just hadn't. Practice would certainly help but at the same time, he was really looking forward to putting his head on his pillow and falling asleep. When all the others left the ice, he stayed on to get in a couple of extra shots and get some time to clear his mind. There would be a long line for the showers and everyone was used to him being last on the bus due to reporters, so it was his chance to get a moments peace without inconveniencing anyone. He shot the puck on the net one last time, hearing the sharp ding, as the puck hit the bar at the back of the net. He skated around and picked up the puck on his stick and bounced a few times before heading off the ice.
Back in the dressing room, most players were either in the shower or done and heading to the bus. Sid stripped out of equipment and debated having a shower at the rink or back at the athlete's village. After being told earlier how bad he stunk, he opted for a shower before getting back on the bus and heckled by the guys, who would definitely not be so kind about his odour as Amber had been.
He grabbed his towel and shampoo and headed for the shower. The water pressure sucked and was barely hot, after most of the rest of the team had showered, except those who decided to shower back at the village, usually the older guys that wouldn't get heckled as much out of respect or fear of getting schooled the next day in practice - guys like Brodeaur and Pronger, they didn't get messed with too much.
Nevertheless, Sid washed his hair and let the slightly cool water flow down his body. He tried scrubbing some of the dirty spots off, but soon realized they weren't dirt so much as mid season bruises bound to get much worse by playoff time. He used the lather from the shampoo to wash the sweat from his body and found his mind wandering to topics not appropriate for open showers. He wondered what it would be like to have Amber wash his body for him, to have her there and to prove that he didn't normally smell that bad. He imagined what it would take to get her there and how great it would feel to wrap his arms around someone instead of spending another night alone with his snoring male room mate.
"You're the last one again kid. Hurry it up!"
Sid quickly snapped back into reality and turned off the taps. He quickly dried his face and shook out his hair before wrapping the towel around his waist and heading out of the room.
He got back to his locker and leaned into it. His thoughts in the shower had been inappropriate and he knew better. Staff was off limits. It was yet another un-written rule of the hockey world. Besides, how many guys have probably made a pass at her? There weren't many women working with pro hockey players and those who did, were well, not bound to get hit on, as much as avoided – scary team mom types.
"Hey Sid, they said you were in here. I need you to sign these forms for the league. I swear you signed them already but according to the PA, they were never filed and unless you want to go home tomorrow, they need to be signed now," Amber came around the corner of the dressing room, looking down at a stack of papers in her hand. When she looked up her cheeks started to warm.
"Oh, uh, sorry… I assumed you would be dressed by now."
"I am always the last one… I am surprised I don't get more grief about it," Sid replied awkwardly adjusting his towel that suddenly didn't seem big enough. He was far from self conscious about his body – at least in front of the guys. In this world if you showed the slightest hint of self consciousness, you never heard the end of it. The guys would bug you forever. But suddenly, he was all too aware of his self perceived flaws, as Amber stood in front of him
"Right, well I will just leave these with you and I'll wait outside, if you have any questions."
"I'll be right out. Just give me a minute."
"Sure, take your time."
-.-
Damn. She had tried desperately not to stare. She knew he was attractive but … damn. She closed her eyes and pictured him again. She had to bit her lip to stop herself from letting her mind wander to far. She shook her head and told herself again, 'He is just a regular guy, you need to act professionally'. Normally she had no problem with this. She was surrounded by hockey players all the time, the appeal of them to the puck bunnies that stood outside the arenas had been lost on her since she was a kid. She had dated a couple of hockey players in her past but found them all to be the same – they thought of nothing but how to score next – on and off the ice. She reminded herself that he was probably the same as all the guys back home – the nice guy routine was just a media creation for the sake of the Canadian image. Hell, she would tell him to act the same way if she was his PR advisor. He probably had just as many skeletons in his closet as the next macho-ego overloaded so-called hockey God.
But damn… that chest.
'No,' she said out loud to herself, shaking her head as if to make the dirty thoughts fall out. 'Stay on topic. Paperwork, schedules and contracts. Let's get this done.'
"Normally talk to yourself?" A voice came from around the corner.
"At least you decided to shower this time," She retorted.
"Just for you!" Sid laughed, and then handed her the pile of forms. "I think I got them all, but you may want to check."
"Good God Sid, stop flirting with the girl and get on the damn bus!" Iginla yelled down the hallway, only half annoyed.
"I'll look them over and if you missed anything, I'll let you know."
"You know where I live." Sid offered, as he started walking towards the exit. "It will be the perfect cover story for when you come to break me out!"
"Yeah, right."
"Goodnight." He yelled back as he left the building.
Damn. Amber thought and collapsed against the wall behind her.