Page 32 of Holding The Reins

“Thanks, call me Nash,” I offer back.

“I remember you watching these boys play hockey when you were young. Your dad and your family’s ranch was always a big sponsor for us. He was a great man. I was sorry to hear he passed on,” Harry tells CeCe as he shakes her hand.

She smiles at him but I don’t miss her wince as he says it.

Kevin, looks her over. He’s younger, maybe even younger than her and he’s like a little lovesick puppy panting for her the moment she makes eye contact with him. She shakes his hand and turns to sit while I watch his eyes trail her ass in her gray sweater dress that accentuates every curve. I mentally rescind my offer for him to call me Nash and run through my afternoon tasks in my mind.

Implement new dress code.

Better yet, implement baggy office uniforms, neck to ankles.

Don’t kill Kevin.

We spend the next hour brainstorming. The funds we need to raise just keep going up, and finally we go over all the approximate numbers.

“So, I’ve run the numbers and I just don’t think there is any way to raise this kind of money with something simple like we originally thought,” Sonny says. “We need something bigger, and the summer is going to fly by. We could capitalize on something related to fall?”

“I really hope we can find a way to involve the entire community, make it more grassroots like we used to do in the seventies and eighties. We ran car washes, bake sales, concerts, everyone got involved for the kids. I realize money doesn’t stretch as far anymore, but that’s what I’m hoping for,” Harry says.

“I have an idea, maybe,” CeCe talks for the first time, raising one slender finger in the air and everyone’s eyes focuses on her at the end of the table. She’s got her glasses on again and her hair is drifting behind her shoulders. A pencil sits neatly between her fingers. She taps the end of it while she thinks.

“It’s a pretty big endeavor for this town, but I think we can do it if we get all the right people involved. When I lived in Seattle with my… former partner,” she begins. “We used to travel to Palm Springs every winter for business. Every Thursday night in Palm Springs, they shut down Palm Canyon Drive and host a night market. Vendors line the streets, there are twinkling lights, food trucks, and local artisan items. The whole community comes out for it, and it attracts people from all over. If we plan it right, we could do something like that?”

“A night market?” Sonny asks

“Not just a night market, I think it could be an all-day event, into the night,” CeCe says.

“A community festival,” I say, loving the idea already.

“Yes, exactly. We could advertise it to Lexington, and, sorry in advance, Nash, but we should use your celebrity status.” She grins, knowing I hate that. “Make it like a sort of Hometown Hockey fundraiser. If we could get permits for it, we could use the Center and the parking lot. Bouncy castles for the kids, etcetera. Like a mini fair, almost—charge a few dollars to ride the little rides. Have some other NHL’ers come in, sign autographs, auction off signed jerseys, maybe have some synthetic ice, parents could donate to have their kids take shots on net, or play with an NHL’er, whatever we can come up with. We have time to plan it.”

“How long do you think we’d need?” I ask.

CeCe shrugs. “It’s only the second week in July, I’d say if we plan it for the end of August that gives lots of time. Most of the local artisans always have items on hand and if we market it right to social media and local radio stations.”

“I love it,” Harry says, completely won over.

“What a fantastic idea,” Lovesick Kevin chimes in.

“It definitely involves the community and keeps it grassroots…” Sonny pauses, giggling.

“But it allows the boss to cheat and bring in some heavy hitters to raise a lot of money,” CeCe adds as she winks at Sonny.

“You have quite the addition to your team here Nash,” Harry says.

“I’m happy to help,” CeCe says as she gives them a winning smile that I’m pretty sure has Kevin bricked up under the table.

CeCe spends the next thirty minutes jotting down points in her bible of a day planner/notebook and by the end of it, we have an entire plan formatted.

“Okay, well this is a great start.” Harry turns to Kevin. “Let’s let them get to planning.”

Kevin nods, adding, “We’ll help however we can. I say we meet weekly to touch base?”

“Sounds great. We’ll pick the date based on what the township says and get back to you,” CeCe says to him, as I make mental notes of everything that will have to be done.

We’ll keep it as grassroots as we can, but I also want to sneak in as much as I can to give every team in each division what they need for the season.

CeCe stands and shakes their hands. She’s a natural and I think for the tenth time today how lucky we are that she’s here. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep her. Including forcing myself to ignore the way Kevin is looking at her and the way she’s smiling back at him.

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