Chapter 112 Preparations
Melissa’s POV
I sat on the edge of my bed, phone pressed to my ear, listening to it ring once, twice…
“Hello, sweetheart.”
Mom’s voice came through the phonr, and something in my chest loosened.
“Mom, when are you coming back? It’s been up to a week. I miss you.”
“I’m coming back soon, honey. I’ve just been very occupied.” There was something in her voice. Something I couldn’t quite place but I was really worried. “But I love you and I miss you. Just take care of yourself, okay?”
“Are you okay? You sound… different.”
“I’m fine, baby. Actually, I have something to tell you when I get back.”
My hand tightened on the phone. “You have something to tell me? Did something happen?”
“No, baby, nothing serious.” She said it too quickly. “But I’ll tell you everything when I’m back, okay? I love you.”
“I love you too, Mom.”
The line went dead.
I stared at my phone for a long moment. Something was off. Mom never sounded that… evasive.
But I didn’t have time to dwell on it. The tournament is tomorrow. I needed to get to the arena.
I changed quickly. Into some black slacks, a burgundy blouse, with low heels. I pulled my hair back into a sleek ponytail. Grabbed my camera bag and laptop. When I opened my bedroom door, Jason was standing in the hallway.
He looked like he hadn’t slept. Dark circles under his eyes. Hair disheveled. Still wearing yesterday’s clothes.
“Melissa…”
I walked past him without a word.
“Melissa, please, I…”
I kept walking. Down the hallway. Into the elevator. Pressed the button for the garage.
The doors started to close.Jason’s hand shot out, stopping them.
“Can we talk about…”
“No.” I met his eyes. “We can’t. We won’t. What happened this morning never happened. Do you understand?”
He stared at me. Pain flashing across his face.
“Jason.” My voice was firm.
He slowly withdrew his hand.The doors closed. I exhaled shakily and leaned against the elevator wall.
I couldn’t deal with Jason right now. I had a job to do.The tournament is tomorrow which is the biggest game of the season. The culmination of everything the team had worked for all year.
And I needed to be focused.
The elevator opened. I walked to the car Gavin had given me. It was just so beautiful I found it hard to believe it was mine. I’ve been taking lessons. Hopefully soon I’ll be able to drive this beauty by myself.
——-
The arena was chaotic when I arrived.Staff rushing everywhere. Equipment being hauled in. The ice being prepped. Banners being hung.
Tomorrow night this place would be packed with thousands of screaming fans. And everything had to be perfect.
I headed straight for the photography office. I dropped my bag and started by checking my equipment list.
My phone buzzed. With a text from Marcus:
Team meeting in conference room A in 20 minutes. Mr. Cross wants you there.I grabbed my camera and notebook and headed upstairs.
The conference room was already filling up when I arrived. Players in their practice gear. Coaches huddled in the corner reviewing plays. Team staff scattered around the long table.
Gavin stood at the head of the room. With his suit perfectly tailored. He looked every inch the powerful owner.
His eyes found mine immediately, and it softened for just a second. Then it suddenly hardened again,
“Alright, everyone here?” He waited for the noise to die down. “Good. Tomorrow is what we’ve been working toward all season. The championship. Our chance to prove we’re the best team in the league.”
The players sat up straighter.
“But before tomorrow, we have today. And today is about preparation.” He gestured to me. “Melissa is going to coordinate team photos and media content. I want everyone to cooperate fully. This is part of the job.”
I heard a few groans. Players hated photo shoots.
“I know, I know.” Gavin’s lips twitched. “But she’s good at her job and she’ll make you all look like heroes. Trust the process.”
He caught my eye again. He winked so quickly I almost missed it.Heat crept up my neck.
“The meeting is adjourned. Melissa, they’re all yours.”
The players filed out, heading toward the locker rooms to change into their jerseys.
I stayed behind, setting up my shot list on my laptop.
Gavin walked over and stood close enough to me that I could smell his cologne.
“You okay, piccola?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah. I’m just excited."I said, forcing a smile.
“You seem worried.”
Because your son kissed me this morning and told me he loves me and I still feel guilty about it..
“Just pre-tournament nerves,” I said instead. “I want everything to be perfect.”
“It will be.” His hand found the small of my back. Warm and reassuring. “You’re brilliant at this.”
“You’re biased.”
“I’m honest.” He leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. “And tonight, after all this is done, I’m taking you to dinner.”
“Gavin…The tournament is tomorrow.”
“Which is why tonight we relax.” His hand moved up my spine. “Say yes.”
I turned to look at him. Those blue eyes that saw everything.
“Yes,” I whispered.
He smiled then pressed a quick kiss to my temple. “Good. Now go make my team look good.”
“They already look good.”
“Then make them look legendary.”
The photo shoot took three hours. I had the players arranged in groups first. Defense. Offense. Goalies. Each group shot carefully composed to show unity and strength.
Then individual portraits. Each player in their gear, holding their stick, staring down the camera like they were ready for war.
“Think about winning,” I called out to Jake Morrison, the team captain. “Think about holding that trophy over your head tomorrow night.”
His expression shifted, he looked more fierce and determined.
Perfect.
“That’s it. Give me more of that energy.”
Click. Click. Click.
I moved through each player and found their strengths. I captured their personalities.
Some were easy…natural performers who knew their angles.Others needed coaxing.
“Come on, Davis,” I teased one of the younger players who looked stiff and uncomfortable. “You score hat tricks in front of twenty thousand people. You can handle one camera.”
He laughed and immediately relaxed l.
“There you go. Now look dangerous. Like you’re about to check someone through the boards.”
Click.
By the time we finished individual shots, the players were actually enjoying themselves.
“Alright, everyone on the ice!” I called out. “I want action shots.”
They whooped and headed out, skating onto the fresh ice with the kind of grace that came from years of practice.
I positioned myself along the boards with my telephoto lens.
“Run some plays!” I shouted. “Make it look real!”
They did.
Sticks cracking against pucks. Bodies colliding. The sound of blades cutting ice. The synchronized movements of men who knew each other’s playing styles intimately.
I captured all of it.
The way Jake’s face contorted with effort as he took a shot. The defensive line moving as one unit. The goalie’s lightning-fast reflexes as he blocked shot after shot.
These weren’t just athletes.
They were warriors.
And tomorrow they’d prove it.
After an hour on the ice, I called them back to the locker room.
They gathered around, sweaty and breathing hard, looking at me expectantly.
“Can we see the shots?” Jake asked.
I pulled up my camera’s display screen. Showed them a few of the action shots.
“Holy shit,” someone breathed. “That’s incredible.”
“You made us look like gods,” another player said.
“I just captured what was already there.” I lowered my camera. Looked at each of them. “You guys are incredible. What you do out there…the speed, the precision, the teamwork…it’s art. My job is just to show the world what I see.”
They were quiet for a moment. Then Jake spoke up.
“We’re going to win tomorrow,” he said. Not boasting. Just stating fact. “For Gavin. For this team. For everyone who believed in us.”
“Hell yes, we are!” someone shouted.
The energy in the room shifted. Electric. Alive.
I raised my camera one more time.
“One more shot,” I said. “Everyone together. Give me everything you’ve got. All the fight, all the heart, all the hunger for that win tomorrow.”
They pressed together. Arms around shoulders. Sticks raised.
And they roared.
I captured it. That moment of pure, unbridled confidence. Of men who knew they were about to make history.
When I lowered my camera, they were all grinning.
“That’s going to be legendary,” Jake said.
“You’re damn right it is.” I smiled back. “Now go rest. Tomorrow you show the world why the Titans are champions.”
They cheered. Then turned away heading off to their routines.
I packed up my equipment slowly. Checked through the shots on my camera.They were good. Better than good.
And I’d captured them.Pride swelled in my chest.
“Proud of yourself?”
I turned. Gavin stood in the doorway, watching me with that soft expression he reserved just for me.
“Maybe a little,” I admitted.
“You should be.” He walked over. Pulled me into his arms. “You’re extraordinary, Melissa Hayes.”
I melted into him. Let his warmth chase away the lingering tension from this morning.
“Take me to dinner,” I said against his chest.
“Gladly, piccola. Gladly.“