Page 5 of Bar Down

She hadn't spotted him yet. Her dark hair was pulled back in a low, sleek ponytail today—different from her usual style. She wore a tailored cream blazer over a simple black dress, standing tall even at this early hour. As she reached for her coffee, he noticed the tension in her shoulders.

Something was wrong. Her body language was clear as a defenseman telegraphing a hip check.

"Morning, Spreadsheets," a voice called, breaking his focus.

Coach Vicky approached, coffee in hand. She wore her game-day blazer—strange for a practice day. Another warning sign.

"Morning, Coach. Any hints about this emergency meeting?"

Vicky's expression stayed neutral, but Marcus caught the tightening around her eyes. "Management will explain everything. Just keep your stick on the ice."

She moved on before he could dig deeper, stopping to check in with Kane. Marcus headed for the coffee counter, which meant crossing into Stephanie's territory.

"Ellis," he acknowledged, stepping up beside her.

She turned, and for a split second, her PR mask slipped—showing what looked like relief before her features reset to their professional default.

"You're early," she said, stirring her coffee.

"Always am. You look worried."

"And you look like you've already skated a double shift." Her eyes tracked over him, lingering a beat longer than strictly professional. "Good thing you're warmed up. It's going to be a long day."

Her cryptic answer only confirmed his suspicion. "How bad?"

Stephanie glanced around, then stepped closer. That perfume hit him again—notes of vanilla and sandalwood, expensive but understated.

"Not here," she murmured. "But when we get to the conference room, sit next to me."

His eyebrows shot up. "Why?"

"Because for once, Spreadsheets, we're going to need to play on the same line."

Before he could respond, she was gone, coffee in hand, already cutting off Mateo who looked ready to blast something on social media.

Marcus's coffee arrived, and he added one teaspoon of sugar—just enough kick without the crash, according to his testing. His mind ran probabilities based on this new intel from Stephanie. As he stirred, his eyes tracked the clean line of her neck as she spoke to Mateo, the way her hands moved when making a point.

A united front?

Stephanie wanting to team up with him was like Crosby asking to practice with the Capitals—completely unnatural and a definite sign of trouble ahead.

***

THE CONFERENCE ROOMwent silent as owner Richard Montgomery walked in, flanked by his son Tyler and two suits Marcus didn't recognize. Montgomery rarely showed at team meetings, preferring to watch from the owner's box and let his son handle the day-to-day.

Marcus had followed Stephanie's surprising request, taking the chair beside her at the middle of the long table. Their proximity felt like crossing center ice into enemy territory. Under the table, her knee almost touched his. He became hyper-aware of the small gap between them, the subtle shift in her breathing when their arms nearly brushed as she arranged her notebook.

"Thank you all for coming on short notice," Montgomery began, his voice filling the room. "I'll get straight to the point. As of nine o'clock this morning, the ownership of the Charm City Chill is in transition."

The room erupted in whispers. Marcus kept still, his game face locked in despite the bombshell. In his experience, new ownership meant new coaches, new systems, and roster overhauls. Bad news for a team mid season.

Stephanie's hand moved under the table, hovering near his arm but not touching. A warning sign, like a goalie tapping the post before a big penalty kill. The nearness sent a jolt through him, scrambling his focus momentarily.

"Darby & Darby," Montgomery continued, gesturing to the suits, "has acquired a controlling interest in the franchise. This transition has been in discussion for several months and is now being finalized."

Marcus tracked reactions around the room. Kane's jaw clenched like before a tough face-off. Coach Vicky wore a neutral expression (the same one she wore after a blown call). Chenny's fingers twitched with the need to document this moment for his vlog. Beside him, Stephanie sat perfectly still, breathing measured. She'd seen this play developing.

The taller suit stepped forward. "I’m Jack Westfield, a managing partner. We're excited about the future of this franchise. Let me be clear—we believe in the core of this team and the direction you're heading." His gaze swept the room, pausing briefly on each player. "But we also believe in modernization and analytics-driven decision making. We've been particularly impressed with some of the innovations happening here."

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