KXEM, Spokane
“Marek, I’d like to schedule an exclusive interview with you...”
“No, absolutely not.”
I try to hand it back to her, but she covers my wrist with her palm. It’s surprisingly warm, even though she’s a reporter, who are more like bloodsucking vampires in my estimation.
Cocking my head to the side, I stare directly in her eyes and dislodge my arm from her hold, flicking the card into the trash can a few feet from us. Then I cross my arms and disengage.
“So, all of this”—I gesture with a hand between us—“was just a setup? Some elaborate ruse to corner me to get me to agree to an interview? Who the fuck does that? Your station manager or producer should’ve contacted my media relations manager if you wanted an interview about the team. This is wholly unprofessional, Miss Conrad. Shame on you.”
Fucking reporters. I should’ve smelled this a mile away. Maybe Harper is a newbie, because she obviously doesn’t know protocol, or she hasn’t heard that I’m not interested in opening up my private life for the vultures to pick apart. They’re always out for blood and show no mercy.
Case in point—my divorce from Jasmine.
My scorn does little to deter Harper and she continues anyway. “Please, Marek. I’m with a small news station…if you could just consider the spin I want to take on this interview…”
I shake my head, holding my hands near my head in a clear signal. “I don’t care. You’re wasting your time, Miss Conrad. I’m not doing any interviews, exclusive or otherwise. Have a nice day.”
I sidestep around her and head into the men’s locker room. I nearly run into Lars this time.
Lars notices something’s up. “Everything okay, Mr. T? We still on at seven?”
I shake my head, forcing my locker open so hard that the door slams against the locker bank with a loud thud.
“No. Sorry, Lars. I need to get into the office right away. You know how it is. I’ll see you next week, okay?”
“Sure thing. Have a good one.” He turns away and then stops, swiveling his head back at me. “Hope everything turns around for you today.”
* * *
I allowmyself some additional time in the sauna and steam room to calm down and work through my frustration over this morning’s incident with Harper, before I jump in the shower and change to head off to the office.
I have no idea why this situation with her has made me so hot under the collar. I don’t normally allow my temper to get the best of me. I didn’t get nominated as GM of the Year because I fly off the handle at every little irritant. I manage my stress and my anger in a calm, productive manner.
But this thing with Harper flipped some switch in me. A long-dormant fuse that she lit and then…boom. Not since Jasmine turned my world upside down and filed for divorce have I acted out this way.
But this isn’t about Jasmine. It’s about being duped by this reporter, a wolf in sheep’s clothing who had me believing for a minute we were heading in one direction, only to find out she just wants to use me to advance her career.
She got the best of me, and I don’t like it.
I push out the doors and into the bright daylight, the drizzle lighter than yesterday, but still a nuisance, and head across the street to the parking lot. I press the button on the fob and the door of my car unlocks with a mechanical click. Opening it up, I throw my gym bag in the back and slide into the driver’s seat. Before I’m able to close it, someone stops it with a hand on the doorframe.
Great. I’m being mugged.
Glancing up, there is no criminal looking to steal my valuables. Just a reporter looking for her scoop.
Harper.
“Please, Mr. Talbert. Please just give me one on-camera interview. That’s all I need in advance of the upcoming NBA Combine and draft.”
I give her a look that clearly indicates my distaste for her tactics of hijacking her interview subject, but it does nothing to stop her.
She’s bold, I’ll give her that.
“Again, Miss Conrad, my answer is no. Now, unless you want me to alert security regarding your harassing behavior…” I nod my chin over to the beefy guy in the secured lot’s pay station. She follows the direction with her eyes and quickly drops her hand from the door. “You’ll leave me alone and not contact me again. My final answer isno.”
“But why not? This is for the good of your team.”