Page 12 of Hard to Break

I lower the phone. “Always.” I hold out the flowers I bought.

“What are these, a bribe?” She turns the vase in her hands, admiring it.

“They’re a thank-you. For having Miles’s back with James and Harlan.”

She motions me inside. Her office is large with a window that looks out toward the mountains. She’s got a few years on me, but she’s already head of PR with several staff. All the time I spent chasing after Elise, I’m not sure I fully appreciated what Chloe’s accomplished.

“Want a drink?” Chloe shuts the door after me, then reaches into the mini fridge behind her desk.

“I should probably turn down alcohol.”

“Just as well because I have water and Powerade.” She shifts back to reveal a fridge full of rows of colored drinks.

“Wow. Every flavor?”

“Sponsorship deals.”

“I’m good with water.”

She pulls out and sets one in front of me with a glass.

“So, the team has some work to do.”

“It’s been a tough season. Sponsors and fans see you win once, they expect it to happen again. But it takes luck and skill.”

“Is that the excuse the team uses when they lose?”

“No. It buys us time to figure out how to win.” Her eyes glint. “You must be here to talk about the job.”

“If the offer still stands.”

Chloe nods.

“Great.” I take a breath. “Can you tell me more about the day-to-day?”

I ignore the glass and twist off the lid of the bottle as Chloe walks through the basics—liaising with the social media lead to grow brand presence, looking for ways to improve the team’s visibility and reputation.

Being an influencer is what I know, but this could be a way for me to build on those skills in a different way.

“It’s long hours but limited travel. I often go to away games with the team, but with rare exceptions, you’d be based here,” she confirms.

That all sounds doable. But I have a question.

“Why me?”

“With anyone else, I’d be worried about you coming in with rose-colored glasses. You understand enough about both PR and the team to know it’s not always sexy and no job is perfect. But this one is a fantastic position to build your skills and resume, and there are chances to advance.”

On paper, it’s a great opportunity. The salary she mentioned would be more than enough to pay my expenses.

Still, I’m hesitating, though I can’t put my finger on why.

“I need a few more days. Just with everything going on.”

Chloe’s brows lift. “Okay.”

“I actually need a favor. Miles’s apology for the incident with Kevin—any way he can get out of it? Public service?”

She shakes her head. “No way. If he dodges this, it’ll piss off management.”

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