Page 126 of Ice Mechanic

Max just groans.

I check my watch and cringe. With the way traffic is crawling, I could miss my flight.

Scooting forward, I tell the chauffeur, “I’ll pay triple your fare if you get me to the airport on time.”

“Yes, sir.” He salutes and shifts gears.

Max’s eyes take up half of his face. “What do you mean you’re going to the airport? You’re not heading back to the hotel?”

“No.” My phone buzzes and I take it out, distractedly explaining, “I’m heading back to town now.”

“What about your luggage?”

“Oh, right.” I look up and give him a pleading stare. “Could you handle that for me?”

Max grumbles, “Why would I, the owner of the team, take care of your luggage?”

“I’m not asking the owner of the team,” I reply, noticing that Derek is calling. “I’m asking my best friend from college.”

Max sulks in his seat, but he’s such a giant guy that he can’t even slouch properly. “I’m charging a transportation fee.”

“Send me an invoice.” Sliding the phone to my ear, I smile. “Derek, that was fast. Ijustleft the press conference.”

“You think you can say anything in front of the media and I wouldn’t know about it? I make half my entire salary from that pretty mug of yours.”

I laugh at my agent’s excited tone. “I know what you’re going to say and I’m going to correct you ahead of time. What I did today was not brilliant marketing. I meant every word.”

“Doesn’t make a difference to me. The only thing that needs to be real in my life is money. Speaking of,FreshButtFitthas been hounding me day and night. They want to lock you down for another five years.”

“That’s a gamble. What if I’m no longer relevant in five years?”

“McLanely, everyone with eyes can see that your trajectory is heading in one place and one place only—up. Besides, the currency those companies are looking for is influence, and you have more now than before your suspension.”

“Because of me and April?”

“The family man image doesn’t hurt, but it’s your incredible ice time too. People are watching what you’re doing with that team from Podunk Town and they want more.”

“Lucky Falls.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s luck, Chance. We made an intentional, targeted effort to clean up your act by involving that female mechanic?—”

“Thetown, Derek. The name is Lucky Falls.”

“Right, right,” he admits, his tone indicating that he’s already forgotten. “I’ve been invited into some rooms, Chance. I can’t give you any more information now, but I’ve got a great feeling about this.”

“What’s with the mystery, Derek?”

He laughs. “I’ll let you know when I have more. Just keep on doing what you’re doing.”

“‘What I’m doing’ is playing the game I love and heading back to town to see my girlfriend.”

“Exactly.”

I sigh in satisfaction. “I’m really living the dream.”

“Because of who?” Derek coos.

“My hard work and my incredible agent?”

---