Page 37 of The Fine Line

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My first interview in thisrole?

Rhett Sutton? After a disastrous first period during his first game as captain?

He doesn’t even know he’s being interviewed. He doesn’t even know I have this job.

What could possibly go wrong?

The Storm players start filing off the ice.

Bryan’s voice is calm in my ear. “Get ready. Let us know when you’ve got him.”

“Will do,” I say.

But I don’t need to look.

I feel him before I see him.

Rhett enters the tunnel.

I step in, grabbing his arm.

“Can I borrow you for a minute, please?”

nine

RHETT

My skates slow as I near the tunnel, the buzzer still ringing in my ears. Everything’s a blur—what just happened on the ice, the three goals against us, my screw-ups. It’s like I’m walking underwater, too slow to catch up with the reality pressing in around me.

Then a hand grabs my arm.

“Can I borrow you for a minute, please?”

My head snaps up.

Caroline?

I blink, certain I’m hallucinating.

Before I can ask anything, Bear steps up behind me.

“Caroline, are you interviewing him?” he asks.

“Yes, Coach,” she answers, all professionalism. “Just for a minute.”

He nods. “Keep it brief. We need him in the locker room.”

“Of course.”

He looks between us, then exhales like this entire situation personally wounds him. “Good luck,” he mutters to her, smacking a hand against my shoulder. I barely feelit.

My eyes don’t leave her. Not even when she turns slightly and mutters something I barely register: “I have him.”

“Cub?” I say her name like a question, because… what the hell is going on?

She doesn’t answer. Just keeps listening to whoever’s talking in her ear. I try again.

“Cub?”

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