into this that you don’t see me as the enemy. If we can work together, I think we’re going to come out on top once again.”
“I’d like her to be on top,” someone whispers from my left.
We’re hockey players; of course someone is going to say something crude. It’s expected.
“Fuck off, Evans,” Spencer grumbles under his breath.
But that, I didn’t expect.
I glance over at Spencer. The guy looks like someone has a pair of pliers on his nuts, squeezing the life out of him. I lift an eyebrow and Spencer shakes his head.
Phoenix speaks up. “What I’m asking Mark and Amber to do might be a little outside of their job descriptions, but we know drastic times require drastic measures. And guys, this is the last fucking straw.
“With their help, we’re going to be focusing on each of you as individuals. It’ll be a divide-and-conquer type thing. They’ll be working with you, devising a plan on how to improve the image of the team through you.”
A few guys grumble.
Phoenix frowns. “If you don’t like it, there’s always someone ready to move up and take your spot. Just say the word,” he snaps, his voice continuing to rise. “I don’t have the time or the patience for this shit, and neither does Coach Moen. You’ve shown exactly what you’re capable of, taking home the Cup, and I fully expect that we’ll do that again this year. Or get pretty damn close. But, in the process, you’re going to have to work your asses off. Not only on the ice, but also by earning the fans’ respect once again. And if you can’t tell me right now that you’re willing to give one hundred fifty percent, then you can walk your ass right out that door.”
I don’t budge. I’ll give two hundred fifty percent if that’s what Phoenix requires. Hockey is my life; this is my dream. No damn way am I going to let our failed seasons derail my career. I’m too far in for that to happen.
“I’m taking your silence to mean you’re in,” Phoenix says, addressing everyone in the room. When no one speaks up, he continues, “Good. Now, I’m giving you back to Coach Moen. He’s got a practice to get under way. I have complete confidence that we’ll overcome this.”
When it’s clear the lectures are over, I get to my feet along with everyone else in the room. I make it just a few feet shy of the door when I hear Spencer call my name.
Damn it.
Turning, I see Mark and Red … err … Amber … along with Phoenix, Tarik, Spencer, Coach Moen, and Phil the Lawyer standing in a huddle.
“You can stay.” Phoenix nods in my direction.
Well, fuck.
Just when I think I might survive the morning.
Ellie
As I lie on my bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for Noelle to call me back, I pull up Twitter and shoot off a tweet: Sleep is overrated. But only to people who don’t need to freaking sleep.
I’m hoping she sees that.
It’s been a long morning already. Once again, Bianca refused to be ready in time to catch the bus, so I had to take her to school. Granted, she seemed in a better mood today, and I even told her I liked the pink hair, which I’ve actually gotten used to. However, once I got back from dropping her off, I got caught up in watching the morning news and didn’t get to sleep when I should have. And now, I’m so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open, but I know my business partner wouldn’t be calling me unless it was urgent.
Well, mostly urgent.
Okay, she wouldn’t be calling unless it was important. To her. She’s done this plenty of times before.
Like the time she called because she found a box of chocolates and wanted to know if they were mine. They were. She ate them anyway.
Then another time when she called to ask if I knew where the mop was. I didn’t. She found it when she went out to the floor and saw one of the bus boys cleaning up a spill.
Another time when she called to see if I had checked the weather or not. I hadn’t. She was worried that she should’ve brought a coat with her to work (although she doesn’t ever have to go outside).
But my favorite was when she called me from the phone at the bar to see if I’d seen her door key. She insisted she’d lost it