“I sat and didn’t move for a good ten minutes,” I admit. “I was stunned.”
“All of my rookies respond about the same.”
“You handle just hockey players?” I ask, curious. “Why just hockey and not all major sports?”
“Because I know hockey. My dad was a hockey player and I grew up around it.”
“Who’s your dad?” Collin starts to finally pay attention with this news.
“Greg Kline. I use my mother’s name in my business because I don’t want my success built on my dad’s name. I’m telling you who he is because you’re both new players to the NHL and might be a little cautious about hiring a woman to manage your career.”
Yes, yes, we are.
“I know the business and I know how to get what I want from teams. I fight hard and since I grew up around the sport, no one is getting one past me. Teams are little afraid of me because they understand they’re dealing with a hard core agent who won’t walk away from the table until I wring the best deal out of them for my clients.”
I know who Greg Kline is. He retired for Chicago and was one of the best centers in the NHL during his career. He’s a little bit of a legend.
“Did you play?” Collin asks but then gets distracted when Mom brings out a basket of rolls, a container of honey butter with a butter knife, and four small plates. His stomach growls loudly and Mom ruffles his hair.
“Eat before that monster climbs out and devours us all.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He wastes no time in reaching for a roll.
Mom slaps his hand. “Did you wash your hands?”
He nods and Mom moves back away from her rolls. “Please overlook his manners. He has an appetite that is never satisfied. It’s a good thing he plays hockey with how much the boy eats.”
“I eat healthy,” he defends himself and then shoves an entire buttered roll into his mouth. She ruffles his hair again and returns to the kitchen as Coach comes back in the house. He makes a beeline to the rolls, causing Gretchen to laugh.
“They’re good.” He hands her the bag and then starts to fix himself a plate. “Dig in, girl. Don’t be shy.”
Gretchen helps herself and then lets out a sound of surprise. “This is delicious.”
“It’s the honey butter,” Collin says and pulls the container closer to himself. “Mama Kat makes it herself.”
Gretchen finishes her roll and then sets the plate down so she can open her bag and pulls out a laptop and two manilla file folders. “Now, Uncle David has given me both your stats for your college career and I contacted your high school coach to get yourstats from him. I was hoping he’d have them and he did. Both your high school and college stats are amazing by the way. I’m surprised neither of you were approached earlier by teams.”
“I was,” I admit. “But I promised my mother I’d finish college before I did anything. The Raptors have assured me they’d work with me to help me finish school. I’m told the owner is big on education.”
“Barry is. I’ve met him. One of their third line players is a client.”
She reps a Raptor player already? Some of my nervousness calms down.
“I’m Mexican,” Collin says around a mouthful of food. Coach slaps the back of his head and he swallows before continuing. “Sorry. What I was saying is that a Mexican player in hockey is a rarity and looked at last when it comes to getting contracts. I was shocked the Raptors even looked my way.”
“I get it.” Gretchen nods. “I get looked at last a lot because I’m a woman. If you don’t mind my asking, why did you two choose me? Uncle David said he gave you the names of two other agents, both of them male.”
“My girl, Daisy. She got me to put my fears aside and reach out. She made me understand that the underdog will fight harder for the underdog. Being a new player, that’s what me and C are. We’re the underdogs in the fight.”
“Where is that girl?” Coach asks. “I like her.”
“She’s working tonight.”
Gretchen frowns. “Is she someone I will have to worry about? You don’t know how many times I’ve had to deal with gold diggers when it comes to my clients.”
“No, Daisy’s not like that. She doesn’t care that I’m a hockey player. Took me weeks to convince her to give me a chance.”
“You won’t have to worry about her,” Coach adds his own vote of confidence to the conversation. “She got his head out of his ass when I couldn’t. She’s a keeper.”
