Norma

ed up as front-office executives and players fr

leared his throat, be

real this afternoon, I have a major a

f of the season, the front office went all out to bring in a pr

pinned a specific video feed to

e bottom corner read: *

y hotel suite in Montreal. For a second, the frame

ompletel

still damp and tousled, as if she had just stepped out of the

ed monogram I knew by heart: *B.N.*-the exact custom

loosely off one shoulder to reveal a tel

mmediately unmuted their mic

er his mic. "Isn't that Cap's account? And Dr

gether with a show of bashfulness, her

e," Candice said, her

s suite to freshen up. I accidentally spilled water on my blouse,

tall figure stepped in

is custom Patek Philippe watch gleaming at the wrist-reached into the

t," Bryant said, his low voice carrying an intimacy t

wkwardly and hurried to ste

officially taking over as Head of our Sports

titan Dr. Bertrand Watkins, she holds multiple

hed Candice soak up the praise on

for me-the anonymous scholar "Luna," whose research had saved his cl

ut were nothing more than discarded first-draft for

whose chronic ankle injury I ha

a?" the rookie asked cautiously. "Hasn't she been handling all the c

look of wounded innocence, lightly touch

he wrong idea about me,

ated, but I'd hate for her to be out of a job. If she's willing to stay on

on the back of Candice's chair. His ice-blue eyes looked co

y. "The Bruins don't need an amateur housewife who only knows h

ut straight

ed he might never skate at peak speed again, my seventy-two sleep

pertise and devotion was nothing

m inside Bryant's suite: "Mommy Candice! H

k, Candice jerked her arm-knocking her elb

icrophone as the mug shattered and

ling the back of her hand where a few drops

nstantly. All his cold compos

Without caring that thirty team executives and players wer

onnected, leaving a dark squar

eflected my still,

ruins captain lose his mind in front of the entire franchise. Meanwhile, m

ow to look out at Boston's gray winter skyline. My chest felt co

cond phone, I ca

ming to your office right now to sign the final d

dy on my conference table, Emi

ool coat, grabbed my handbag, and walked