Page 11 of Playing the Neutral Zone

I lifted my head and looked at Carol, who sat there staring at me as she shoved the biographies of both the players toward me.I picked up the papers, looked at them, and nodded.

“Yes, both players were transferred at the middle to end of the season last year.Traded to the team.”

“Correct, however, I’m not sure that you’ve noticed, but most of the Dominators players, especially the starting lineup, are always in the news.Dylan Hayes, Knox Evans, Lucas Clark, and Clay Harris are all rather outgoing in the media and take part in many social programs.While Clay doesn’t provide many interviews, Levi Anderson and Colton Fox take hardly any.”

“Well, that could be for many reasons,” I said, but Carol held her hand up to stop me.

“Colton Fox has a reputation.I’d hedge a guess that is why he’s been off-limits to many personal and private interviews.However, he often appears in the news regarding whatever latest scandal he is involved with.”

“I can see what I can do about getting an interview with him if you’d like,” I offered, hoping to avoid the Levi situation.

Carol smiled and then shook her head.

“I’d love a personal and private interview with each of the players, but to be honest, Clay and Colton are not the ones I’m interested in.”

“They aren’t?”

“No.What I am interested in is Levi.”

“Levi?”I repeated.

“Yes.The others have given personal interviews—few, but they still give them—but Levi has never.”

I swallowed hard.It was true.Levi hated being in the public eye.I knew that from when he first got signed.I remembered that he immediately refused to speak to any journalist, even going so far as getting his lawyer to remove the publicity clause from his contract.He told me about it, and even though the clause had stayed in his contract, everyone knew it was a section that was void.

So, I knew how Levi felt about interviews; he didn’t want the fanfare for being a skilled player.He loved the sport, and he loved playing it, and in his mind, fanfare was something that could ruin it for him.Then, when Mia came along, it became something else entirely, or so I’d heard from Scottie.

“I want theIce Insidersto be the first publication to have an interview with him.He is a hell of a player, and I want us to be the first to—”

I tapped my pencil on the table and looked at Carol as she stared back at me.

“Is there a problem?”she questioned.

“No, not at all,” I said, remembering that Levi had told me that had I asked him for the interview, he would have granted me one, so maybe that meant that he’d trust me to run the interview.

“You look like you are going to be sick,” she said.

“No, just been feeling a little off because of the lack of sleep.Just leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do.”I smiled, closing my notebook and shoving it back into my bag.

I got up and walked to the door when Carol cleared her throat.

“Scarlett…”

I turned around.“Yes.”

“You do this for me, you get this interview with Levi this season, no matter how long it takes, and I will make sure that you get that promotion you’re after,” she said.

I studied her expression.Was she bribing me?

“Whatever it takes, Scarlett.You get me that interview, and I promise you the job is yours.”

I was exhaustedby the time I pulled my car into my parking space behind the building.I’d barely got any work done after my meeting with Carol because I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about everything that was said.

I climbed out of my car, grabbed my bag from the back seat, then reached in and grabbed the rest of my cup of coffee from an hour ago.With my bag flung over my shoulder, coffee in hand, I walked with my head down as I checked my phone for messages.

I’d just turned the corner when I tripped over something.I flew forward, trying to maintain my balance and keep the coffee in my hand from spilling, when I felt myself bang right into someone and then felt the warm liquid travel down my blouse.

“Ugh, oh god!”I cried as I looked down at the mess of my new white silk blouse.

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