Golden
Chapter 2
January 2017- Denver, Colorado
NATE’S POV
I was at Mikko’s apartment playing video games before he and I headed to the photoshoot the Avs PR lady insisted we participate in.
“Do you know this Myers dude we are doing this with?” Mikko asked.
“No. We should Google him so we don’t look like complete idiots when we meet him.” I paused our game and pulled out my phone.
“Mikko. Myers is a she. And she’s hot dude.” He snatched my phone from my hands and began scrolling down the results on Google. His eyes were glued to the iPhone screen as sound began to play. All of the sudden, Mikko’s eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped. He tapped the screen a few times and handed it back to me with a video playing. A girl was flying on her skis through gates and turning sharply when she caught some air and was catapulted into the orange fencing just off of the course. The fencing bounced her back and when her body finally came to a stop, she wasn’t moving.
“Holy shit.”
MYERS’ POV
My time over the past few months had been split between my apartment in Denver, my place in Vail, and Lindsey’s Vail house. I have been growing increasingly frustrated with my recovery. I was all for testing limits, and my medical team was not fond of that tendency. Most mornings were spent with my physical therapist in the gym and afternoons spent with a trainer on the underwater treadmill followed by recovery in the cold and hot tubs and rubdowns. After the trainer left each day, I was under strict directions to recover and not lift or otherwise exert myself. I had been caught a few times lifting after the day was done and received quite the scolding for it.
My recovery didn’t stop my manager from scheduling events with sponsors. Today, I was heading to a photo shoot for the Mile High Sports Magazine. I was going to be some part of a spread for the youth movement in pro sports in Colorado. Apparently, there would be quite a few other athletes at the photo shoot and interview, but my manager didn’t give me the details of which athletes I would be with. After exiting my Uber, I slung the outfits I brought over my shoulder and entered the building. The secretary at the front desk quickly escorted me upstairs and to a back room where a makeup artist and hairstylist were waiting for me.
An hour later, I was ready for our shoot and a group of three guys walked into the room. Being a Denver sports fan myself, I knew exactly who walked in: Nathan MacKinnon, Nikola Jokic, and Mikko Rantanen. “You guys must be my partners for this shoot, I’m Myers Peterson.” Each of the guys shook my hand and introduced themselves, with Nathan “call me Nate” holding my hand for a little longer than necessary before blushing and looking away. I was wearing my typical Nike gear for the athletic portion of the shoot, and both Mikko and Nate were quick to tease me about that. All of the guys were sporting shorts and shirts that adorned their team names and logos on them.
An assistant came in and lead the four of us out to the first set. I was given some skis, Nate and Mikko hockey sticks, and Nikola a basketball. The photographer gave directions and I ended up next to Nate with Mikko and Nikola paired up to our left. After a few posed shots, we were directed to interact naturally as if the photographer wasn’t there.
“So what events do you ski?” Mikko asked. He was completely adorable, with his Finnish accent and baby face.
I replied in Finnish “Downhill and Super G”. A huge smile broke out across Mikkos face and a string of quick, exited Finish followed. “You have to speak slower for me to follow,” I told him.
“You speak Finnish? How did you learn? Finnish isn’t a very common language in the States”.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in Finland skiing every season since I was 16, so I picked Finnish as my Foreign language requirement with my high school tutor.”
Nate and Nikola were staring at us with interest or maybe shock based on Nate’s dropped jaw. Nate whined, “not all of us speak Finish you know, it's rude to speak in languages all of us don’t understand guys.”
I giggled and then looked at Nikola “Sorry, Nikola I don’t speak Serbian. My language expertise ends at English and Finish.”
“So Myers, I’ve got to admit, Nate and I googled you before we came today,” Mikko confessed. Nate shot him a dirty look, and I immediately knew what they had found first thing upon googling me.
“You saw my crash then.”
They glanced at each other before Mikko hesitantly answered “Yes. How’s your recovery going?”
“It’s good. A lot of hard work, but it’ll all be worth it if I can get back in time to qualify for the Olympics next year.”
I was grateful for the interruption by the assistant who announced that it was time for outfit changes. I came out in a pair of grey skinny jeans, boots, and a white top with a leather jacket. Each of the boys came out dressed equally as casual. Each of us was handed a flag for our country and were staged with our flags wrapped around our shoulders before the photographer began clicking away.
Nikola was nice, but quiet for most of the shoot, and was quick to leave after. Nate and Mikko, on the other hand, were talkers. And I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off of Nate.
As we were walking out the door Nate stopped me. “So it’s Friday night, Mikko and I just have practice tomorrow. Want to go out with us tonight?”
I agreed to meet up with them later downtown at whatever club they chose. The three of us exchanged numbers before we went our respective ways.
NATE’S POV
I was at Mikko’s apartment playing video games before he and I headed to the photoshoot the Avs PR lady insisted we participate in.
“Do you know this Myers dude we are doing this with?” Mikko asked.
“No. We should Google him so we don’t look like complete idiots when we meet him.” I paused our game and pulled out my phone.
“Mikko. Myers is a she. And she’s hot dude.” He snatched my phone from my hands and began scrolling down the results on Google. His eyes were glued to the iPhone screen as sound began to play. All of the sudden, Mikko’s eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped. He tapped the screen a few times and handed it back to me with a video playing. A girl was flying on her skis through gates and turning sharply when she caught some air and was catapulted into the orange fencing just off of the course. The fencing bounced her back and when her body finally came to a stop, she wasn’t moving.
“Holy shit.”
MYERS’ POV
My time over the past few months had been split between my apartment in Denver, my place in Vail, and Lindsey’s Vail house. I have been growing increasingly frustrated with my recovery. I was all for testing limits, and my medical team was not fond of that tendency. Most mornings were spent with my physical therapist in the gym and afternoons spent with a trainer on the underwater treadmill followed by recovery in the cold and hot tubs and rubdowns. After the trainer left each day, I was under strict directions to recover and not lift or otherwise exert myself. I had been caught a few times lifting after the day was done and received quite the scolding for it.
My recovery didn’t stop my manager from scheduling events with sponsors. Today, I was heading to a photo shoot for the Mile High Sports Magazine. I was going to be some part of a spread for the youth movement in pro sports in Colorado. Apparently, there would be quite a few other athletes at the photo shoot and interview, but my manager didn’t give me the details of which athletes I would be with. After exiting my Uber, I slung the outfits I brought over my shoulder and entered the building. The secretary at the front desk quickly escorted me upstairs and to a back room where a makeup artist and hairstylist were waiting for me.
An hour later, I was ready for our shoot and a group of three guys walked into the room. Being a Denver sports fan myself, I knew exactly who walked in: Nathan MacKinnon, Nikola Jokic, and Mikko Rantanen. “You guys must be my partners for this shoot, I’m Myers Peterson.” Each of the guys shook my hand and introduced themselves, with Nathan “call me Nate” holding my hand for a little longer than necessary before blushing and looking away. I was wearing my typical Nike gear for the athletic portion of the shoot, and both Mikko and Nate were quick to tease me about that. All of the guys were sporting shorts and shirts that adorned their team names and logos on them.
An assistant came in and lead the four of us out to the first set. I was given some skis, Nate and Mikko hockey sticks, and Nikola a basketball. The photographer gave directions and I ended up next to Nate with Mikko and Nikola paired up to our left. After a few posed shots, we were directed to interact naturally as if the photographer wasn’t there.
“So what events do you ski?” Mikko asked. He was completely adorable, with his Finnish accent and baby face.
I replied in Finnish “Downhill and Super G”. A huge smile broke out across Mikkos face and a string of quick, exited Finish followed. “You have to speak slower for me to follow,” I told him.
“You speak Finnish? How did you learn? Finnish isn’t a very common language in the States”.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in Finland skiing every season since I was 16, so I picked Finnish as my Foreign language requirement with my high school tutor.”
Nate and Nikola were staring at us with interest or maybe shock based on Nate’s dropped jaw. Nate whined, “not all of us speak Finish you know, it's rude to speak in languages all of us don’t understand guys.”
I giggled and then looked at Nikola “Sorry, Nikola I don’t speak Serbian. My language expertise ends at English and Finish.”
“So Myers, I’ve got to admit, Nate and I googled you before we came today,” Mikko confessed. Nate shot him a dirty look, and I immediately knew what they had found first thing upon googling me.
“You saw my crash then.”
They glanced at each other before Mikko hesitantly answered “Yes. How’s your recovery going?”
“It’s good. A lot of hard work, but it’ll all be worth it if I can get back in time to qualify for the Olympics next year.”
I was grateful for the interruption by the assistant who announced that it was time for outfit changes. I came out in a pair of grey skinny jeans, boots, and a white top with a leather jacket. Each of the boys came out dressed equally as casual. Each of us was handed a flag for our country and were staged with our flags wrapped around our shoulders before the photographer began clicking away.
Nikola was nice, but quiet for most of the shoot, and was quick to leave after. Nate and Mikko, on the other hand, were talkers. And I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off of Nate.
As we were walking out the door Nate stopped me. “So it’s Friday night, Mikko and I just have practice tomorrow. Want to go out with us tonight?”
I agreed to meet up with them later downtown at whatever club they chose. The three of us exchanged numbers before we went our respective ways.