Page 2 of A Little Too Forward

“It was you, Sabrina, and you did a remarkable job.”

“You gave me the reporting position because you know I’m a damn good interviewer and reporter.”

“But it was only a temporary gig. You knew this.”

My fists ball again at my sides, and I have to pause a moment to get myself under control. “Yeah, I thought I would hold the position until Jules recovered and then have the opportunity to apply for the next live reporting spot that opened.Yousaid that to me. I didn’t think I would be replaced with yet another ladder-climbing dude-bro.”

“Robert isn’t—”

“He is, and you know it. He doesn’t deserve this position, Chris. I do.”

“You’re a talented reporter, Sabrina, but leadership thinks Robert is a better fit for live-action hockey.”

“He mispronounced Kowalski during his last live interview. To Kowalski’s face.”

“Yes, well. That wasn’t his finest moment.”

“He has no idea about the rookie’s stats on the Vancouver Vikings and couldn’t ask a decent question at last month’s pre-season practice.”

“That doesn’t matter. He’ll be following the Toronto Nighthawks for the rest of the season.”

“You don’t think that matters? If he doesn’t keep fans up to date this year on Dawes reaching Mats Sundin’s franchise record, the fans will riot. If he slips upagainand mocks Crane’s mental health challenges, he’ll not only damage our goalie’s reputation but also mess with fans’ trust.”

“I get it, Sabrina. His track record is a little shaky. But all the more reason to get him out there. Learning on the job.”

It’s then that I realize no matter what I say, I’m not going to convince Chris he’s made a huge mistake. He’s willing to risk tarnishing theToronto Sphere’s reputation and the sports department’s reliability in order to kiss the executives’ asses. And he won’t say it, but I know one of the reasons I’ve been pushed to the side again is because the powers that be don’t want a woman as their lead hockey reporter. Hell will probably freeze over before they try and be progressive or a leader in the industry.

“You’re still one of our best reporters, Sabrina. But instead of only reporting live at the arena and limiting yourself to hockey, you have the freedom and flexibility to write about whatever you want in the sports world.”

I snort in disbelief. What utter bullshit. He’s making my demotion back to print sound like a dream. Yet I know the freedom and flexibility he’s talking about is being able to write articles at home when one of the senior editors calls me at 3:00 a.m. demanding a piece on a trending topic.

No, thank you. Been there, done that. I love my sleep too much to go back to that hell.

I’ve worked hard, and I deserve to keep the reporting spot. I know this. It’s not vanity or ego. The ratings have spoken for themselves. But it’s not enough.

I don’t think it ever will be.

If I stay, if I concede and agree to wait for the next promotion…it will never come. The process will just repeat. I’ll continue to be overlooked, and everyone will think it’s okay. Because if I let it happen once, then why not a second time.

No. No more. I’m tired of giving more than I receive. It’s time for a change.

I come to a decision right there. “You’re right, Chris,” I begin, feeling all the tension melt from my body. I let a small, semi-fake smile spread across my face.

Chris’s shoulders fall in relief at the look on my face. He must think he’s appeased the emotional female. His hands open, ready to congratulate me, no doubt, but I stop him in his tracks.

“I am one of your best reporters. And it’s clear now that I’ve been taken for granted here. So I’m done. Please take this as my two weeks’ notice. I’ll have a letter to you and human resources by the end of day.”

Then, I walk out of his office, closing the door with a silent click behind me and a gasping, fumbling Chris.

CHAPTER TWO

SABRINA

“Damn it. She’ll see right through that.”

Adjusting my car’s rear-view mirror, I practice my smile again and again. Minimal teeth, no teeth, all teeth. Big grin with wide eyes. Shit. Nothing looks right.

There’s a tightness in my jaw that makes every smile look strained, and my red-rimmed eyes are noticeable even with my heavy use of concealer. My mom is going to take one look at me and know something is wrong.

---