Page 72 of Beauty
“How can I help you?” I push off the desk and stand, holding his gaze.
“Wanted to introduce myself. I’m Ezra Bardot, the Bolts’ GM.” He straightens to full height and steps into the room.
I skirt my desk, keeping my shoulders pulled back, and hold out my hand. “Sienna Langfield.”
He smiles, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yes, our new CEO, I’m told.”
There’s no hiding the hint of bitterness in his tone. This man does not like the changes my brothers have made. Noted.
I grip his hand firmly, meeting his pressure, then motion to the guest chairs. “Would you like to sit?”
Nodding, he eases into one. I settle in the seat beside him rather than on the other side of the desk with the hope that it’ll earn a little goodwill. I don’t know a thing about this man, but if we’re going to work together, I’d prefer to get along.
“I wasn’t aware that there was another Langfield interested in the sport.” He infuses the comment with a bit of humor. Or he tries, at least. Though the words are more cutting than anything.
I shrug. “I honestly wasn’t.”
His eyes go wide, like he’s shocked by my candor. But it’s pointless to lie. He’ll learn soon enough how little I know about hockey.
“This is a family business. My brothers need help, so here I am.”
Tongue poking into his cheek, he nods. “Right. Well, I played hockey professionally for ten years and have been on the administrative end for the last fifteen.” Yep, the man is definitely in his late forties. “So let me know if I can help at all.”
I give him a professional smile. “I appreciate that.”
We’re silent for a moment. As if we’ve come to a stalemate.
And the tension in the air is not the good kind.
He studies the room, his focus pausing on the view I was admiring when he appeared. “Nice office they gave you.”
My hackles rise. The words themselves are innocuous. But the tone is off, his eyes a little too cold.
“Yes. Though considering all the traveling the team does, I don’t suppose I’ll spend much time here.”
Ezra lets out a derisive snort. “You intend to travel with the team?”
I shrug, keeping my expression serene. “How else will I figure out which of our guys we should be pushing to keep and which other players we should be looking at offering contracts to?”
He frowns, his brow creasing. “That’s the GM’s job.”
“And the owners’,” I point out. “And since, as CEO, I represent them, it’s my job too.”
That may not be completely accurate, but the idea that I’ll have any say seems to addle him, and that only inspires me todig my heels in. I can’t imagine Beckett getting along with this guy, and now I can’t wait to find out why they hired him.
Ezra stands, causing his chair to slide back a couple of inches. “Well, then I guess we’ll be working together a lot. Welcome to the team.” With a sharp nod, he turns and strides out.
When I’m sure I’m alone, I inhale deeply and let the air out slowly. I get the feeling he doesn’t mean that at all.
TWENTY-THREE
NOAH
“I keep forgettingto give this to you.” Brooks pushes a crossword puzzle book toward me.
A wave of guilt washes over me. Again. Like it has at regular intervals for the last twenty-four hours. Because for the last twenty-four hours, I haven’t stopped thinking about all the things I want to do to his little sister.
Yes, I’ve known for well over a year that Sienna is his sister. But now that I’ve decided to act, it feels different. There’s no way I can’t approach her, talk to her, worship her now that we’ll see each other every day. Once I figure out how to get her to talk to me, of course.
