Page 71 of The Rebel (Looking to Score 1)
Pushing my shoulders back, I focus on taking one step at a time. Click. Clack. I steady my breath to the slow click of my heels against the floor as I push open the office doors. Les is the first to spot me from his desk. His unruly gray eyebrows are like two eager caterpillars leaping up his forehead.
“Eden. You’re back.” Surprise fills his tone until he schools his eyebrows back into place. “It’s great to see you.”
“Great to be here,” I manage to say, reaching into my purse to finger my key ring, a reminder that my car is right outside if I need to get away fast. I run my thumb against my key fob like it’s a Buddha belly I’m rubbing for good luck. Let’s face it, I’ll need it.
I turn away from Les for a moment to assess the office. It’s not even eight o’clock yet, so it’s only the early crowd so far. The general manager’s door is open a crack, a low rumble of discussion leaking out. A meeting is going on in one of our glass-walled conference rooms, and I spy Aspen scuttling around the table, clearly focusing a little too hard on not spilling the tray of coffees she’s delivering.
It’s business as usual here. No major fires or catastrophes as a result of my recent press. Maybe this won’t be as big of a disaster as I worried it would be.
“Your grandfather would be proud of you, you know.” Les speaks in a hushed tone, but even spoken quietly, those words bring a lump of emotion to my throat.
“You think so?” I ask, but I truly doubt it.
“I know so. In all the years I worked for Pete, not once did I see him back down from a challenge. Right up until the very end. He didn’t go down without a fight.” A small, sad smile pulls at Les’s lips. “I knew you were just like him.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, ignoring the tingling sensation building in my throat. “I sure hope I am.”
With a smile, I excuse myself and head to my office, desperate to be out of sight before I get too emotional about my grandpa. But the universe has other plans, because as I pass by the general manager’s door, it swings open. Price St. James steps out, smiling and oblivious to the fact that I was close to tears mere seconds ago.
“Hey, look who’s back.” A huge smile breaks out on his face. “I knew you wouldn’t be out for long. In fact, I made a bet with one of the D-men about it. Thanks to you, I just won fifty bucks.”
I force a smile, unsure of how to feel about the players betting on my return, but thankful that Saint was on the right side of that bet. “Thanks for your confidence in me, I guess?”
“No sweat, Eden. I mean, um, Miss Wynn.” His face scrunches up as he shoves a hand through his messy brown hair. “I forget, can I call you Eden in the office? Or only when we’re hanging out as friends?”
I blink up at him, temporarily rendered speechless. If you would have told me two months ago that one of the players would refer to me as a friend, I would have bet a lot more than fifty dollars that you were lying, that’s for sure. “Eden is just fine.”
“Well, Eden,” he says, emphasizing my name with a wiggle of his brows. “I just wanted to say I think it’s cool as fuck that you and Holt are together. He’s a good dude, and you’re a cool chick. Perfect match, I say.”
I stiffen, all too aware that three days of ignored phone calls may have changed my status with Holt, but I’m not about to fill Saint in on that. Instead, I just murmur, “Thank you.”
“Of course. But seriously, fuck the media. Those buzzards will rip you apart for anything, but it never lasts. Teddy King from the Seattle Ice Hawks had a freaking sex tape leak last year, and that dude is still playing. Plus, he’s married to some hot lawyer now. Seems like everything worked out for him.” Saint scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief. “A whole damn sex tape. What do you have, one picture with Holt’s hand on your ass? You’re fine.”
My lips pull into a tight frown. “I think that only works when that person in question is well liked to begin with, and isn’t a woman working against a double standard.”
Saint only nods. “I can’t say anything about the whole being-a-woman thing, but what I can say is the team is behind you. We like you, and we like what you’re doing for the Titans. We’ve got your back no matter what, okay?”
His words mean more to me than I can say. I only manage a grateful smile while I try not to tear up again.
