Page 25 of Hot Damn
“I told you KAW is made up of four women who met in college and started Rogue sportswear in their living room.”
“You did, yes. Okay, so who are the other three women?”
“As you said, Oakley James. Your assistant coach, Blake Lattimer Watts.” She holds up a finger with each name. “The Rogues GM Natalie Redding and…”
“The GM and Assistant Coach? Isn’t that a?—”
“Wait, wait. I saved the best for last.”
Rolling my eyes, I motion zipping my lips.
“Camilla Nelson Barnes.”
She looks at me like I should know who that is, but I don’t know anyone in the Rogues org named Camilla.
With an exasperated sigh and roll of her eyes, she says, “Also known as Cami Nelson.”
“Cami? Reporter Cami? The woman who did our interview?”
“Yep.”
“What the fuck!”
“Hey!”
“Shit. Sorry. Sorry.” I wave my hand. “But what the? Cami is co-owner of the Rogues?”
“Yes. From what I can find, she’s a silent partner. Has no job within the organization. Either the hockey team or the sportswear business. She’s just a reporter. She works for her father’s network on the local paper here.”
“Her father’s network?”
“FNB. Her father is Fenton Nelson Barnes.” Whit leans closer. “He’s worth billions. But get this. Cami is worth more. One, she’s his only heir, and two, Rogues sportswear is a billion-dollar global business and KAW paid cash for the franchise and the development of the arena and surrounding area. The info I found said they’ve poured over three billion dollars intodeveloping Baton Rouge, both the area around the arena and downtown.”
“She’s an owner.” I shake my head. “How did that not come up in conversation?”
“Why would it? We were talking about me. You.”
“Yes, but…” Why wouldn’t she tell me she was an owner? When she was trying to get me to believe she wouldn’t hurt Whit or me she could have easily slipped that nugget of information into our conversation and that would have put an end to my hostility toward her. “Jesus. I own her an apology.”
“Why? You weren’t rude. Much.” Whit grins at me. “Honest, Dad. You have nothing to apologize for.”
“Not for the other night no. But yesterday. After training.” I put my hands on my head and roll through my memories from yesterday. “Shit. I’m a dick.”
“What happened yesterday? You didn’t mention it last night.”
“I saw her when she did a couple of interviews with two of the players.”
“Why were you there?”
“Because I’m the captain of the team and Coach thought it would be good for me to be there and because Cami asked to see me.”
“What did she want to see you about?”
“To ask if you were okay. If I was okay.” And now, with this new information, her inquiry doesn’t seem nefarious. Not like it did at the time. “To warn me we might get some reporters asking questions about you. And me.”
“What questions? Didn’t we tell them what they want to know?”
“Some, yes, but neither of us mentioned your mother or that I was only sixteen when you were born.”
