Page 8 of Conner

She was still trying hard to find her footing at this job. She had faith in her skills and her ideas, she just wished she didn't need Conner. She didn't want to push him if social media wasn't his thing. Wes and Ethan had a good groove for the videos, and Cash was more than ready to let her post some thirst traps. She also got a behind the scenes video with the equipment guy who sharpened all the player’s skates. People would love that. So, she didn'tneedConner, but with the GM saying he was looking forward to those videos, sadly she did.

Tomorrow she would be getting on the plane with the team and hopefully she would be able to talk Conner into doing some videos. But she had the first two weeks ready even if she didn't get a time with him soon. With that knowledge she went home, happy with her work so far. She needed to pack for her first road trip with the team. They were going to Vancouver, then to Denver, then back home. She was ready to get some fun road footage of the boys and get some videos up.

She managed to pack in one bag, which was saying something for Sasha. She was high maintenance, and normally required at least three. Being high maintenance had gotten her over one million followers, but that didn't matter now. Now she was loading onto a plane full of hockey players and the staff. Hillary and Sasha were the only people from the PR team going on this trip.

Sasha was waiting for everyone to get ready for takeoff. Players were beginning to show up for the jet and say goodbye to their families and board the plane, while Sasha was busy double checking the list of shots she wanted to get for some upcoming posts. One of them were some quick Q&A's as the player's boarded the Magic Jet.

Sasha stationed herself by the stairs with a camera. As each player walked on, she asked them what their favorite hockey movies were. Ethan saidSlapshot. Cash saidMiracle. Wes saidMighty Ducks. She was really starting to get to know the players and learn how she could market this team. Conner McPhee was still a bit elusive though. She asked him as he boarded the plane, he saidMiracle, but didn't even look at her. He was giving her what she asked for, he wasn’t being rude, but he also was giving her nothing to work with.

After she boarded the plane, she sat up in the seats with the press team. They were up in the air, and she was reviewing footage on their way to Vancouver. It was going to be a long flight and she was going to take advantage of it. After they had been up in the air, she checked her email to see if Conner had responded with a time he might be able to film a couple tip videos. Nothing. She checked the welcome email from the GM again, and yeah, he was looking forward to the Captain's Tips videos.

Conner had been blowing her off since her first day. Well, he would be a captive audience on the plane, so she made her way back to where the players sat. She spotted him in an aisle seat next to Wes. Wes had his nose buried in a book and Conner was on his phone. She made her way down the aisle, trying not to hit any of the players with her ass as she went. Even private planes don't seem to be built for big butts.

“Hey Conner, can I talk to you real quick?”

He startled and looked up at her. He pulled out one of his earbuds. “Did you need something?”

“Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about the Captain's Tips video series. Did you get my email?”

He just stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

“I was wondering if we could schedule a time. It won't take long. I'm hoping for five quick thirty second videos, tips on skating, shots, anything,” she said, smiling at him. She was smiling at him because she was trying the whole ‘catching more flies with honey thing’, but part of her couldn't stop smiling at him. He was just so handsome, even if he was a bit aloof.

“I’ll check and see when we get back,” he said, slipping his earbud back in.

Nope. The GM wanted these videos, she needed to get moving.

“Can't we schedule something right now? What about the morning skate next Tuesday? We can film then or a few minutes before or after. Super quick, I promise.”

He sighed. “I’ll have to check.”

“Don't you have a calendar on your phone? I'm trying to get things planned.” She was getting him on her calendar before this plane landed.

“What is this big push? Our old social media person never did this.”

“Which is why you have a new social media manager. I’m trying to give the organization a presence online.”

He took a deep breath. “Fine. We can do it ten minutes before the morning skate. I'll give you some shooting tips.”

“Okay, perfect,” she said, putting that in her phone. “I was also wondering if maybe you and Wes could do some passing videos, what do you think?”

“I’ll help you with your little videos when I can, but right now I really need to focus on our play and the game.”

He put both of his earbuds in and turned his whole attention back to his phone. She straightened and made her way back to her seat fuming. He had always been at least polite, but that sure wasn't. What she was trying to do would help the whole team. She was a direct link to the fanbase. She was here to make them all look their best, it was more than ‘little videos’.

Little videos. Those words made her want to scream. That was the same dismissive attitude her family had when she was an influencer, and she made a hell of a lot more money as an influencer than she did now. It was her job now and people still acted like it was silly. Social media is necessary and there is so much money to be made.

He may not have known it but telling her she made silly little videos had changed the way she saw him. She would make some Captain's Tips videos and still try and get him to participate because he was a crowd favorite, but she needed to rework her plan to not rely on Conner so much because she was not going to put up with someone who didn't see her value.

As the plane landed, they were all getting off and making their way to the bus to go to the hotel.

“Hey Sasha, when we get to the hotel, wanna meet us for drinks down at the bar?” Ethan asked with his friendly smile. He was walking with Wes and Conner.

Sasha's eyes met Conner's before he looked away. Maybe he actually was an ass.

“No, I have some work to do. I need to edit my 'little videos' tonight,” she said with a pointed look and walked off.

The ‘catching more flies with honey thing’ was over. She was over Conner McPhee. There was value in her job, she could make a difference for this team and their fanbase. His dismissive attitude had only fueled her further. Her little videos would raise sales. With or without Conner McPhee, she was here to do a job, and it was a job she was good at.

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