Page 48 of Cold Carnage

This was ridiculous. I took in a breath before releasing it. I needed to calm down. Even if I had every reason to be upset with Ryker, that anger wasn't going to help the situation.

Ryker sighed audibly. "Let's get this over with."

Chapter 14

Ryker

Ifollowed Paige back to her office, my footsteps heavy against the tile floor. She didn’t look back. I pushed the door shut behind me, a soft click echoing in the small room. Paige slid into her chair, her fingers already dancing across the keyboard, typing furiously.

“About the back-to-school event,” she started, her eyes never leaving the screen. “I think we should?—”

“What’s your plan?” I cut in, leaning against the edge of her desk. Her fingers paused, hovering above the keys. "With everything?"

She frowned, and that wrinkle bridged across her nose the way I remembered it. “I think we should focus on community engagement,” she continued, her tone steady. “Maybe host a meet-and-greet with the players and offer some workshops on teamwork and leadership.”

“Workshops?” I couldn’t help but scoff. “Do you think anyone’s going to care about that?”

Her gaze snapped up to meet mine, a flicker of determination in her eyes. “Yes, I do. It’s not just about promoting the team; it’s about giving back to the community.”

“Fine,” I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest. “But how are you going to get the players on board?”

Paige’s lips pressed into a thin line as she straightened up in her chair. “I’ll talk to them. Most of them will understand the importance of this.”

“And if they don’t?”

“I’ll make them understand,” she said firmly. "Or you will."

Her confidence rubbed me the wrong way. It reminded me too much of my younger self—before I learned that confidence without control was dangerous.

“You think you can just waltz in here and change everything?” I challenged.

She tilted her head slightly, a small smile playing on her lips. “I think I can make a difference.”

I stared at her for a moment, then turned away, pacing towards the window. The city blurred together outside, an abstract painting of chaos and order.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” I murmured.

Paige didn’t respond immediately. The clacking of keys resumed as she typed out something on her computer.

“This isn’t just about you, Ryker,” she said softly after a while. “It’s about all of us.”

I stiffened but kept my gaze fixed on the view outside. Her words lingered in the air between us, an unspoken challenge hanging heavy in the silence that followed.

“Now, about the event,” she said, pulling up a document on her computer. Paige’s eyes lit up as she spoke, a gleam that caught me off guard. Her enthusiasm was almost contagious, but I kept my face neutral, arms still crossed. “We need to create an environment that’s welcoming and interactive. I was thinking we could have different stations where kids can meet the players, get autographs, and even participate in some mini-games.”

She paused to look at me, as if gauging my reaction. I stayed silent, just nodding slightly for her to continue.

“Additionally,” she went on, “we can set up workshops focused on teamwork and leadership. Each player can share their personal experiences and lessons they’ve learned. It’ll be both educational and inspiring for the kids.”

"You and workshops," I muttered.

I noticed the way her freckles danced across her cheeks when she smiled, the way her blue eyes sparkled with every word she spoke. It annoyed me how beautiful she was. I hated how it made me feel—distracted.

“And for the parents,” she continued, oblivious to my internal struggle, “we could have sessions on health and fitness, maybe even some Q&A panels with the coaching staff.”

Her ideas were good—better than I wanted to admit. She had thought this through more than I expected. But acknowledging that meant letting down my guard, something I wasn’t ready to do.

“Fine,” I finally said, pushing myself off the desk and standing straight. “But you better be ready to follow through on all of this.”

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