Page 3 of Love in Overtime

BLAIR

Yep?Really? That’s all he has to say. I stare at my phone, and of course I shouldn’t be surprised by the short and to the point text message from Cooper. Even after many conversations with his former agent Estelle, I’ve done my own research on my new client. Talented hockey player, Cooper Montgomery is well-known for his skills on the ice, his generosity, and his tough exterior. Estelle assured me that he’s one of the best clients she’s ever had, despite the stories of his difficult nature. Regardless, I know he’s not happy about the changes, and I’m not taking it personally. It’s a good thing I’m not afraid of a challenge. In fact, I thrive on it.

Being a publicist has been my dream career for as long as I can remember. I’m a big believer in fate and the right timing, and I was fortunate enough to connect with Estelle just as she was preparing to retire. In a stroke of luck I was talking to a friend at a networking event, and she told me about Estelle’s impending retirement. I reached out to her, and we instantly hit it off. I’ve taken over her two remaining clients just in time for a big charity hockey event in MapleFalls, Washington. I was thrilled about this for multiple reasons—despite this being huge for my career, I’ll get to see my best friend from college, Keira. She helps her sister take care of her two children and runs the local farmers market which is perfect for her. She grew up in the small town, and despite college in the city, I believe she always planned to return to her home.

I grew up on the East Coast, and as much as I loved it, I’ve always wanted to experience life in different cities. New places don’t scare me at all. I have a strong wanderlust, and at one point in my life, I considered pointing to a location on a globe, and that would be the next stop on my journey. I didn’t do that, but I’m currently living in Dallas and loving it. Who knows how long I’ll stay there. I’m open to all possibilities the future may hold, and for the next few weeks I’m going to enjoy small town life and all the fun seasonal activities. Apparently, the fall season is a huge deal in Maple Falls and people travel there to immerse themselves in the town and its festivities. I’m ready for apple cider, pumpkins, and changing leaves. I’ve studied up on everything the town has to offer, even though I’ll be working the whole time. I still can’t believe this is my job, and I’m determined to make it a success.

I fasten my seatbelt and settle into my window seat—this is really happening, and there’s an empty seat next to me, which I’m convinced is a sign of a successful trip. I switch my phone to airplane mode and slip it into my bag. I lean my head against the back of the seat as we climb into the air. My plan was to get some work done, but my three a.m. wakeup call is beginning to catch up to me. My eyelids are getting heavier by the second.

The loud voice of the flight attendant startles me; we’ve begun our descent and will be landing shortly. Wow, I sleptthrough most of the flight—I guess I was more tired than I realized. I adjust my seat and lift the window shade. It’s a very clear day, and I smile to myself as soon as I see the rows of gorgeous fall foliage—oranges, reds, golds cascade down the mountain sides.

Hello, Washington.It’s great to be back in the beautiful Evergreen state. And yes, I googled the nickname because I can never remember it. I haven’t been back here since college.

Now I just need to wait for Cooper’s plane to arrive in a few hours. Estelle suggested I send a car service to pick him up, but I feel like I should personally greet him. Making a good first in-person impression is important and will hopefully put his mind at ease with all the changes taking place. I thought about holding up aWelcome to Maple Fallssign and balloons, but quickly decided against it. That would be over the top even for me, and I don’t think Cooper would enjoy that outlandish greeting. My goal is to assure him he’s in good hands as my client. A huge bouquet of balloons probably isn’t the way to do it.

Why is getting off a plane the longest process ever? Even with my seat being close to the front, it takes a ridiculous amount of time. When I’m finally free from the aircraft, I grab a coffee, a scone, and find a semi-quiet corner in the terminal to wait. I need to use this time to be productive—even though I’ve been preparing for this trip for weeks. I open my laptop and read through my game plan.

Confession—I’ve gone over this more times than I wantto admit. It’s probably silly because I know things never go the way we expect them to. I’m prepared for anything that might come up, but I can’t function without some sort of plan. Estelle seems to have more of a go-with-the-flow style, but that could be after many years of experience in the business. She did give me some helpful advice, which I appreciate. Mostly about Cooper, but she also cautioned me to be aware of the press, specifically Yolanda Simms, who is a reporter for KBIZ. She has a reputation for being trouble and has major drama with Zach Hart, the billionaire backer for the Ice Breakers charity team. I want my client to be out and visible in the community, but to also stay away from negative press and reporters like her.

I scroll through the emails Cooper and I exchanged leading up to this day. They are all short and to the point, no small talk. Ha—that might be an issue for us. I’m a master at the small talk, one hundred percent a people person but not a pushover. My dad has always said I never met a stranger, even when I was very young. I firmly believe being genuine and real makes a difference—people want to feel connection. If I can help build that connection between my clients and the public, then I’m doing my job successfully.

I have every intention of becoming a part of Maple Falls in the time we’re there—and encouraging Cooper to do the same. He doesn’t seem as excited as I am about the fall activities in town. Naturally he will be busy with team practices and games, but there will be time in his schedule to be out and about, mingling with the residents and visitors of the town. The big items on our agenda are media events, team meetings, and the Maple Fest, which sounds fantastic. Keira is very involved in organizing the festival, and the Ice Breakers players will be doing meet and greets during the day.

I grab my phone and send Keira a quick text.

Kiki! I made it to Washington. At airport waiting on the hockey player to arrive—wish me luck. Can’t wait to see you.

I’m so excited to see my friend after all these years. We text all the time, but it’s been a while since we’ve been together in person.

My phone buzzes almost immediately.

Welcome! I’m so excited. We have so much to catch up on.Kiki and B back together again.

I smile to myself as I’m instantly sent down memory lane. She’s the only person in the world who calls me B. We have one of those friendships where we can pick up like we just saw each other, no matter the number of years that have passed. Is there a better friendship to have?

I type a reply and smile to myself as I hit send.

I hope your town is prepared for this epic reunion.

I put my phone down and return to my notes. I’m trying not to watch the clock as the time gets closer for Cooper’s arrival. I don’t usually get nervous, but this is very important. The impression I make could change everything for me, both positive and negative.

Naturally I’m having a hard time concentrating, so I pick up my phone and scroll until I find my parents’ number. I’m extremely close to my family, and we talk almost every day. I’m lucky they’ve always been supportive of my adventurous spirit and encouraged me to chase after my dreams, even when it’s included going to college across the county and moving away from home.

“I just told your father you’d be landing any minute,” my mother answers. “How was the flight?”

“It was fine,” I say. “I’m still at the airport waiting for Cooper’s flight to arrive.”

My parents know all about the hockey charity event and my new client.

“You should FaceTime us when Cooper’s with you,” my dad calls in the background. “I’d love to say hi.”

I roll my eyes. I should’ve known I was on speaker phone. That’s normal for a Radcliffe family conversation.

“Hey, Dad, I will—just not today. Remember, it’s the first time Cooper and I are meeting in person. This is my job, and he’s my client.”

The moment I landed this job, my father did a deep dive into Cooper’s career, and now he’s a fan of hockey and the Tennessee Wolves. Go figure. He even made me promise to get something for him signed by Cooper and the other players. The funny thing is I don’t think he’s ever watched an entire hockey game. He plays golf and has been a fan of baseball and football. Now he’s constantly bringing up hockey stats and history like he’s an expert.

“Tell him I watched some highlight reels of his greatest moments on the ice,” he adds. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate our support.”

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