CHAPTER ONE
Charlie walks out of the room we watched Cyrus race in together. Once she’s outside, her steps turn to a slight jog. I don’t know how far security will allow her to get, but I hope she has the chance to wish Cyrus good luck.
And I hope the two of them dating doesn’t become a public relations nightmare. When I took this job, they warned me it would be a lot of work keeping everythingunder control. They didn’t tell me pro athletes are fucking crazy and their lives are nothing but drama. ScrewAs the World Turns.I’m living in an episode ofAs the Snow Falls. It’s not what I envisioned when I agreed to the temporary position.
This was supposed to jump-start my career in marketing and public relations, not send me to the loony bin.
Of course it has always been my dream towork on a high-profile account like the Golds. I thought I would be helping set up interviews, prepping questions, or arranging photo shoots. I did not know I’d be a personal assistant. Actually, that’s putting it too nicely. I’m basically kind of their bitch.
“McKenna, why don’t we have a meeting in my office?” Asbell stands behind the couch, his belly straining the buttons on his suit jacket.
That’s not good.
“Right, sir.” I jump up from the couch, leaving it vacant for Marley and Reagan to sit, and follow him and Dexler, the head of security out of the room. No one speaks a word and it’s a little like walking to my doom.
It’s not that I’m afraid of my boss… exactly. It’s more like I’m terrified of him. I spent the last month doing my best to avoid being anywhere near him. We wererequired to report to athlete housing at the same time the first athletes were allowed here. It only took three faculty meetings of him screaming, spit flying out of his mouth and landing on the table in front of us, before it became my new game to avoid him at all costs. It may be the only aspect of this job keeping me half sane. It’s something else for my mind to focus on rather than the constantissues I’ve had to deal with.
A snowboarder’s hot water isn’t hot enough from the bathroom faucet. A skier’s shower water is too hot. Two figure skaters don’t like the mandatory Team USA uniform and refuse to wear it because it’s not in their color wheel. Another person lost all their hats. Yesterday I had to help hire a special cleaning crew to come in because one of the speed skaters ran outof clean underwear. Laundry service is not something we normally provide. And that’s only a tiny amount of the shit load of issues we’ve fixed. These people are helpless.
Rooms have been broken into, sexual harassment complaints — two against Isaac alone — and now a snowboarder being detained minutes before his competition. How anyone makes it out of here alive is anyone’s guess.
None of itlooks good for me.
Asbell walks in his office without stopping and takes a seat behind his desk. Drexler and I stop short, in the space between the chairs and the door. Maybe if I don’t sit down, he won’t have as long to yell.
“Shut the door and have a seat, you two.”
Damn.
Drexler shuts the door and shoots me a look saying everything I’m feeling. We’re screwed.
“I don’t know what to do withyou.” His words start softly and slowly increase in volume. “Are you special? Did you ride the short bus to school? I asked for the best of the best and you two are what they sent me.”
“The paperwork had your name —” Dexler’s body tenses in the chair next to mine. He obviously hasn’t learned fighting isn’t the way to go.
“Shut up! You talk when I tell you to talk.” Asbell slams a big fist onthe wooden desk. “You’re lucky I didn’t fire you yet. I told Tommy I didn’t want a meathead from the army, but you were highly recommended. Get out of my hair before I change my mind and send you back to the US. From this point forward you don’t take a piss unless you get my approval. Got it?”
Dexler stands. “Yes, sir.” He turns and walks out of the room not even giving me a pity look on hisway out.
Thankfully Asbell waits until the door closes before he unleashes his wrath in my direction. “How in the fuck did you let one of your snowboarders get detained by that meathead of a security guard?”
“I don’t know, sir. I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry? What if you cost us a gold medal? Cyrus was your responsibility.” The first few drops of spit fall on the word responsibility, but there’sso many more to come. Once he gets started he won’t stop until his desk is flooded.
“I’m sorry, sir.”
“You’re sorry. I’m sorry. We’re all fucking sorry.” He’s almost screaming at this point. It’s like internally he knows I haven’t been yelled at over the last few weeks and he’s decided to make up for it by getting it all out now.
This time I only shake my head, fearful if I open my mouth tearswill come out.
He ruffles through some papers on his desk. “You have one athlete left in your pack, Oliver Slade, on the parallel slalom track. This is the last year this event will be at the Golds. James and Oliver are our final chances to medal in this event. Don’t fuck up again. I want you to keep your eye on Oliver at all times. I want the two of you bunking together if that’s what it takesto keep him out of trouble.”
I nod my head erratically.Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.All my chanting doesn’t work and I’m forced to blink quickly to stop tears from forming. I refuse to sniffle and let my emotional breakdown be known. There are over twenty athletes on the US Snowboarding team. Four of those men were my responsibility and I let one get detained before his competition. I’mlucky I still have a job. I can’t screw anything up with Oliver.
“If you cry, do it in the hallway. I don’t have time for emotions.”
I nod again and stand. “Right. Thank you, sir.” There’s nothing else to say and I use this as my chance to escape.
