Page 21 of Conner

Sasha- Yep! I'm just finishing up at work. I will meet you at the West Side Pub for dinner and drinks at 7.

Sasha smiled at her phone as she set it back on her desk. She was settling in nicely here in Glendale. Evie Masterson, who she had met at the rink, was becoming a good friend, which was nice. And Conner McPhee was becoming a friend as well, as hard as it was to keep it at just a friendship when all she wanted to do was kiss his ridiculously handsome face all the time.

“What are you smiling at?” she heard a voice ask from the door.

She looked up and there he was. He was dressed in casual jeans and a sweater. She almost never saw him like this, it was usually either a devastatingly handsome in a suit, out on the ice in gear, or in the gym. But looking like this made him seem even more like a real person, like there was more to him than Conner McPhee, Captain of the Glendale Magic.

“Nothing, just getting ready to meet someone for drinks. What are you doing in the office? I thought you guys had a rest day before tomorrow's road trip?”

“We do, I was just in to meet with Coach about something. We are trying to work out what to do with the Blake Kelly situation.”

“Do you know what they are wanting to do?”

“Not yet. Wes just wants it all to be over, but the team might be out of running for the cup because of it. I’m hoping to get some chemistry with Sven going, but it's just not the same.”

Sasha nodded.

“So…you got a hot date?” he asked with an uneasy tone to his voice.

“What?”

“You said you were getting ready to go out for drinks.”

“Oh, no. I'm meeting a friend.”

“No boyfriend?”

“Nope, not a boyfriend.”

Conner just looked at her and nodded, the air electric between them. Then he gave his head a little shake, "Right, well, I’ll see you on the plane tomorrow."

“I’ll be there,” she said, smiling at him. He left as she made sure she had all the posts scheduled for the trip.

“Hey, Sasha.” She looked up to see Hillary standing before her. “I just wanted to touch base before you leave. The gala is all set, we got in two last charities today. I think the reverse auction idea you had is going to be a big hit. Staying with the theme of Magic, Wes gave me the name of a tarot card reader so I think that would be perfect.”

“Perfect! Can you email all the info so I can be sure to include them in some of the posts.”

“You got it.”

The gala was going to be something special. While it had been mostly planned before she got here, she had added her ideas to it, and everyone had been really receptive. The theme already was magic, but she suggested that they up the theme and bring in some magicians and other elements, a tarot card reader would be perfect.

It had also been her idea to turn it into a reverse auction. There was this outdated idea of an auction about winning a date with a hockey player, this was a spin on that. The charities planned days for a hockey player to volunteer to help them. They get the money from the auction, but then they also get a player for a day and the publicity that goes with it. Win for them. The organization got the publicity that goes with it for the player and a bigger presence in the community, win for the Magic. She was proud of that idea, and it had been very well received. The players got an email about it today and so far, the response had been great.

That night she was walking into Westside. She was used to heading upstairs to the players section, but Evie was already here and had them a table in a quiet corner.

“Hi,” Sasha said as she made her way over to her.

“Hey,” Evie said back to her standing to give her a hug. “It’s nice to see you, you learned how to skate, and I haven’t seen you around the rink.”

“I know, it’s been busy. But I did want to talk to you about the gala. We are finalizing up the charities. I know the camp is going to be a hit. You’re thinking two players, right?”

“I mean two players would be great, but we are just happy to get some publicity and money for our scholarship program. Hockey is an expensive sport to play.”

“Awesome. I’ll send you over the finalized auction entry to approve tomorrow and we should be all set.”

“Now that’s out of the way. How are things going?”

Sasha sighed. How were things going? She could say good…if it weren’t for Conner McPhee.

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