Page 8 of Skating and Fake Dating
“Long day?” I ask.
“Yes. Listen, this is a really quick turnaround, which isn’t unusual in these circumstances, but I spent the afternoon arranging for your truck to be shipped to Washington and for movers to bring your things north. You’ll primarily need your hockey gear and any personal belongings for the flight.”
“You did all that already?” I hadn’t even given thought to moving my stuff.
“I know this is a lot to process, given how sudden it is. But that’s why you have me.”
“My Personal Assistant L?—”
She corrects, “Player Assimilation Liaison.”
“PAL.”
“I’m here to help you make the transition from the Knights to the Ice Breakers. I imagine you already have a team?—”
Yeah, the Knights.
She lets out a slow breath. “I mean, a group of people like an agent, manager, maybe even a personal assistant, but as they’re already helping you with day-to-day things and because this change is so abrupt, they can’t be expected to rearrange your entire life on short notice. So the league has me help. I’m just here to help,” she repeats the last part cautiously, like she knows I’m not thrilled by the news and wants to be clear that she is just doing her job.
I hold my hands up, innocent. “Don’t worry. I won’t shoot the messenger.”
Just then, a male voice calls, “Hey, Bailey. I heard you’re leaving.” A guy in a suit trots over, flagging her down.
While I tried to keep myself stitched together after Badaszek gave me the big news, I didn’t catch her name. I’ve been thinking of her as Blondie. Bailey is a strong name for a small-town girl. I can picture her in a cute pair of overalls, the sun on her face, and wearing a smile that’s as sweet as pumpkin pie. Then again, for all I know, she may have been raised on concretein the city like me—save lots of time spent on my grandparents’ farm.
She gives an awkward little salute, as if not sure how to greet him. “Oh, hi, Jayden. Yep. I’m getting shipped out.”
He steps closer to her, gaze dropping to her lips. “But Bailey, babe, we haven’t gone out for that drink you promised.”
She slides back and points at herself. “I didn’t promise. I don’t dri?—”
“Come on. Just one. For old times’ sake. We should go over those reports, if you know what I mean.” He winks.
A furrow ripples across her forehead and she shakes her head slowly. “Reports?”
The corner of my lip twitches at how sweetly oblivious she is to his overture.
Meanwhile, Jayden, who must work in the admin wing, seems purposefully oblivious to my presence. He steps fully into her space and she backs up slightly, clearly not interested. If the dude gets any closer, I’ll be shooting someone after all—with those verbal darts Gabe mentioned.
Interrupting, I firmly say, “Bailey, you were just telling me about our travel plans.”
Side-stepping Jayden, she spins and turns to me. “That’s right. We’re leaving tonight. Sorry, Jayden. I guess I’ll have to take a rain check.”
A grumble escapes because I don’t want her offering a smarmy guy like him anything.
He waggles his eyebrows and saunters off, then, over his shoulder, adds, “Look me up next time you’re in town, Bailey babe.”
“Or not,” I mutter, siphoning off my irritation.
Giving her head a little shake, she opens a spiral-bound planner with the year printed on the front, along with the wordsPurpose + Perfection = Successin a fanciful script. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be,” I say sharply.
Her eyes slide from side to side. “Well, he interrupted us.”
“Not your fault. Not your problem. If he becomes a problem, let me know.” Inexplicably, my jaw tenses.
Gaze far away, she tucks her hair behind her ear. Referring to her planner, she says, “I have us leaving Eppley on the seven fifteen flight. That means you have three hours before meeting me at the airport. I mean, technically, you don’t have to meetme. Just your flight. We have a tight turnaround because the Ice Breakers want you there as soon as possible, so you have time to settle in with the new team.”
