I’m about to grab her phone when she snaps at me and walks away. I don’t even know what I did. “Bitch,” I say under my breath and shake my head. Walking in, I shake coaches’ hands and say hi to some of the guys while I try to find out who the new PR girl is so I can ask her about doing a hospital visit. I turn the corner and see Matthew Grant laugh with the girl I met outside and it all clicks into place. She’s fucking Allison Grant, Matthew Grant’s sister and Cooper Stone’s stepdaughter. Not only is she out of my league, she is in the biggest no fly zone if there ever was one. “Hey,” I say, coming face to face with them.
Matthew nods, civil, which is the way we both like it. It’s not a secret we don’t like each other, but I’m not going to waste my energy on him. “Did you meet my sister Allison? She is the new PR girl hired to take Mindy’s place,” he says proudly.
The only thing I can think to say is, “Good to know.” Before I walk away and send Denise a text.
Yeah, looks like the new PR girl isn’t going to do the whole hospital thing.
I put the phone in my pocket, make my way to the locker room, and get into the uniform for the team photo. “One year,” I whisper to myself.
Chapter Three
Allison
“Okay, everyone look over here,” the photographer says, standing on a ladder and taking a picture of the team for the season. Everyone is in uniform, with the captain, which is Matthew, the two assistants, which are Phil and Max, and then the coaches and goalies sitting front and center. I watch them all smile and my eyes drift straight to the one I shouldn’t think twice of. He’s the biggest jerkface I have ever met, and let’s not forget about his shady play when Matthew was arrested. Nope, he is the last thing I need to focus on.
I walk back into the locker room, grabbing the envelopes I prepared to give to the players, even though I emailed all of them. Some are old school and like paper. I place them in each person’s mailbox slot. Everyone has at least some paper in it, but Max’s is the only one empty with nothing lingering. When I hear the herd coming back to the locker room, I wait in the shadows as they all take their designated seat.
“Okay, before we continue, we have a couple of things to address,” Doug says to everyone. “Mindy will no longer be traveling with the team.”
Some whisper, some in shock, while others just start peeling their tapes off.
“She’ll be in charge at the home office, but you should all meet your new girl. Allison,” he says my name and looks around for me.
I step out of the corner and wave my hand at everyone. Some whistle at me while Matthew glares at them.
“Hi, guys, as Doug just said, I’m Allison. I sent you an email with all my contact information. Now I don’t know how many of you got them, but I also put a hard copy in your mailboxes. If there is anything you need, you must let me know.” I look around the room while they almost hang on to my every move, except Max, who is peeling his jersey off, showing me and everyone what is underneath. He’s a work of fucking art. His muscles are so defined you can trace them in the dark with your fingers and know exactly where you are. His chest has no hair on it, but his arms are tatted full sleeves. I try not to focus on it by looking at anything else but that, but my eyes have a mind of their own and swing back to him.
“I’ll also be traveling with you guys, so I need to know if you have any preferences for the hotels we stay at. I know some of you share a room, so if you can please discuss things with each other before coming to me.” I smile at the guys. “It’s not my job to decide who gets the bed by the window. Any questions for me?”
Phil raises his hand.
“Yes?”
“Just so that no one fights over you, are you single and will Matthew be your bodyguard?”
I laugh at him as Matthew shoves him hard to the side.
“Not available.” I nod at them. “So if you guys have anything to discuss, I’ll be in my office.”
I walk out of the room and head down the hallway, past the gym, to my small office with no window. My office is bleak to say the least as it’s the second time I’ve been in here. The walls are stark white, and the brown desk holds my laptop. Tomorrow I’m going to bring in a plant, some pictures, and dress this room up. I’m opening my laptop to make sure I have the travel schedule downloaded so I can make everyone’s travel itinerary.