Three Pucking Wedding Dates (Hockey Harems #1)

47. Oakley

47

OAKLEY

I stroll down the sidewalk, determination fueling each step. Instead of hailing a cab, I decide to walk to my old job. My boss has requested a face-to-face meeting, even though I’m technically still on my paid vacation until after the wedding. The message was a bit ominous, and my stomach flutters nervously as I approach the hotel. The familiar scent of coffee from a nearby café wafts through the air, reminding me of the countless mornings spent grabbing a cup before rushing in to work the front desk.

As I push open the glass door to the hotel, the cool air-conditioning greets me like an old friend. “Hey, Oakley!” My coworker Lily, currently working the front desk, beams at me with her usual cheerfulness. Her eyes, however, quickly shift from delight to concern as she takes in my clenched jaw and determined stride.

“Hi, Lily,” I reply, trying to keep my tone casual despite the whirlwind of emotions inside me.

“Hi,” she greets. “Here for your last check?”

I stare at the crisp white rectangle in Lily’s outstretched hand, my heart pounding a furious beat in my chest.

“Last check?” I question, my voice laced with disbelief and confusion. “What are you talking about, Lily? I didn’t quit. I was just on vacation.”

Her eyes flicker with concern as she bites her lip nervously. “Oh, I know, Oakley. I’m sorry…I thought they already told you.” She looks flustered now. “I shouldn’t be the one to tell you this, but…the hotel was sold to a new owner, and they’re doing a whole round of layoffs.” She wears a guilty expression. “I really think it would have been me instead of you if I hadn’t been here for a few more years.”

“Layoffs?” The word burns like acid on my tongue. The fury bubbling inside me threatens to spill over, but I force myself to remain calm.

“Alright,” I say slowly, trying to keep the rising anger at bay. “Let’s get to the bottom of this. I want to speak with Stanley, right now.”

“Of course,” Lily agrees, her relief palpable. “He’s in his office. Go on back, Oakley.”

As I march toward the back office, the scent of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the hum of fluorescent lights overhead. My fingers curl into fists at my sides, knuckles whitening under the strain.

When I reach Stanley’s door, I take a deep breath to steady my nerves. I won’t let them see how much this has rattled me. Steeling myself, I knock firmly on the wooden surface.

“Come in,” calls Stanley’s voice from within. I push the door open and stride into the room.

“Oakley!” Stanley greets me, his voice filled with genuine surprise as he looks up from a stack of papers on his desk. “I wasn’t expecting you today.”

“Clearly,” I snap, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “Stanley, what’s this I hear about being laid off? I go on a well-earned vacation, and come back to find I no longer have a job?”

He blinks at my obvious anger, concern etching itself across his face. “I…Oakley, I’m so sorry to be the one to have to do this. Ownership has decided to downsize the entire staff.”

Rolling my eyes, I try to swallow the frustration bubbling inside me. “So, there’s nothing that can be done to fix this?”

“Oakley, I’m sorry,” he says earnestly, his hands spread in a placating gesture. “We truly are going to miss having you on the team. You’ve been an absolute asset to our staff, and I’m happy to give you a glowing recommendation wherever you decide to apply.”

I clench my fists, the weight of Stanley’s words settling heavily on my chest. The office walls seem to close in on me as I struggle to process the truth. My job, the one constant in my life, has slipped through my fingers.

“Oakley,” Stanley says gently, breaking the silence that has settled between us. “I’m deeply sorry about this situation. Believe me, if there’s anything I could have done, I would have wanted to keep everyone on the team.”

His words twist the knife further into my heart, but I swallow the lump in my throat and force myself to nod. It’s not his fault, I remind myself. It’s just a cruel twist of fate that’s left me standing here, jobless and betrayed by circumstances beyond my control.

“Stanley, I appreciate your honesty,” I say, doing my best to mask the disappointment that threatens to crack my voice. “But what am I supposed to do now?”

He hesitates for a moment, then reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out an envelope. With an apologetic smile, he hands it to me. “I know it might not be much consolation, Oakley, but in addition to your final check which includes all your paid time off, the severance pay that the new ownership is offering is better than what I would usually expect in a situation like this.”

My fingers tremble slightly as I take the envelope from him. I sneak a peek at the amount written on the check, and my eyes widen in surprise. The sum is far more generous than I would have ever expected.

“Stanley, this…this is more than I could have hoped for,” I stammer, my gratitude momentarily overshadowing the sting of losing my job. “Thank you.”

“Of course, Oakley,” he replies, genuine concern etched across his face. “We value the hard work and dedication you’ve shown during your time here. It’s the least we can do.”

I look down at the check in my hands, my emotions a tangled web of relief, gratitude, and disappointment. The money will certainly help ease the financial burden I now face, but it can’t erase the fact that life as I knew it has changed forever.

“Thank you again, Stanley,” I murmur, offering him a shaky smile. “I’ll never forget your kindness.”

Stanley clears his throat, a look of deep regret etched across his face. “Oakley, I want you to know that this wasn’t what any of us wanted,” he says softly, his voice laced with sincerity. “I promise to give you an excellent reference for any future job applications. You deserve nothing less.”

“Thank you, Stanley,” I reply, my voice barely audible, even to myself. My fingers trace the edge of the check, taking in its weight and the life-altering sum written on it.

“Good luck, Oakley,” he says as I stand up, clutching the check in one hand and my purse in the other. “I know you’ll find something even better in no time.”

My fingers grip the check tightly as I step out of Stanley’s office, the door closing behind me with a soft click. The weight of the situation sinks in, and the familiar walls of my former workplace seem to close in around me. My chest tightens as I try to process the whirlwind of emotions coursing through me.

“Hey, Oakley,” Lily calls after me, her voice laced with concern. “Everything okay?”

“Uh, yeah, it’s just…unexpected, you know?” I force a smile, trying to hide the disappointment that clings to me like a second skin. “I’m grateful for the severance check, but I never thought I’d be leaving so abruptly.”

“Change can be tough, girl, but I believe in you.” She reaches over the desk, giving my forearm a reassuring squeeze. “You’re strong, and you’ll find something even better. I just know it.”

“Thanks, Lily.” Her words warm my heart, but they can’t quite chase away the lingering sadness. I take a deep breath, trying to focus on the gratitude swelling within me. “I should get going. I’ve got a lot to figure out now.”

“Good luck, Oakley,” she says, her eyes full of empathy. “And keep in touch, all right?”

“Definitely.” With a small wave, I turn and head for the exit, each step taking me further from the job I once loved.