Page 124 of The Wingman

Wait.

“Stop distracting me. The trade deadline is tonight. Did Ward sign Luca Walker?”

He pulls his phone out to check his email. Ward sends out team memos whenever someone joins the organization. “Still no.”

I make a strangled noise of frustration. I know he’s mentioned it to Ward already.

“I texted Alexei about him, too. He didn’t respond.” I chew at my bottom lip, insides in knots. I’ve been watching more of Walker’s college games, and the nagging feeling that he could thrive on the Storm only grows stronger every day.

The school year’s ending. Now is the time to draft him. Before someone else does.

I glance at the time. Ward’s probably still at the arena. My lungs expand with a big breath before I meet Hayden’s curious, entertained expression.

“I need to go to the arena,” I tell him, closing my laptop and sliding it into my bag.

“Now?”

“Right now.”

He beams. “Great. Let’s go.”

The receptionist is gone for the evening, so I’m grateful Hayden’s here to buzz me into the quiet offices. He takes a seatin the private lobby outside the corporate offices and sends me a playful wink. “I’ll be right here. Go get ’em, tiger.”

I nod, heart in my throat. I can’t believe I’m about to do this.

Ward’s office door is open, and I rap a quick knock on it as I breeze inside.

“Hi,” I say, louder than intended, and he looks up. I clear my throat and lower my volume to a socially acceptable level. “Sorry. Hi.”

Amusement dances in his eyes. “Hi, Darcy.”

He doesn’t seem surprised to see me.

“You need to sign Luca Walker.” I set my laptop on his desk so he can see the screen before coming around to his side. “Here’s my data.” I flip through the models. “I’ve reviewed every college game of his I could find. The same hunch I had about the Storm power plays and penalty kills? I feel that about this guy.” I point at my screen with urgency, heart beating in my ears. I don’t even recognize myself right now. The old Darcy would have let this go and then secretly resented Ward and myself for it for the rest of eternity, all while telling myself it was fine.

I don’t know where that version of me is, but the person I am today? She knows she’s right.

“You need to draft him before someone else does.”

Ward studies me thoughtfully for a long moment, and I hold my breath. “I know,” he finally says.

“Youknow?” I shake my head at him. “So what’s the delay? Money?”

He leans back in his chair. “Come work for me.”

I’m about to protest, but he shakes his head.

“I can’t figure out what the hang-up is.” He gestures at my laptop. “This is clearly what you’re meant to be doing.”

Right?something deep in my chest shrieks. Mymind flits to the Women in STEM event, to Georgia, to the guys on the Storm. All these people who love their jobs.

Why can’t I have that? Why don’t I deserve to put the past behind me, learn, and move on? I’m so tired of letting the past hold me back.

I take a seat in the club chair across from his desk, clasping my hands together between my thighs. “It’s a lot of pressure.”

He nods. “Yep.”

“A lot of eyes on the team.” Especially this season, when they’re ranking better than they have in years. Fans are getting excited.

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