After Liam had taken a bathroom break and chugged a Monster, they debriefed on new highlight footage, then started again. Second period and third went by in a blur, and then they were in their post-game analysis before the Canucks faced off against the Flames for game two. All of Country's predictions throughout the game had come true, specifically when it came to his player predictions, and he revelled in Glen's recognition of that fact.
But despite the high, Country was getting antsy. Jenna was back there in the booth, but she disappeared at every break, and he needed to catch her before the end of game two. His time was running short, and he'd already screwed up royally. As soon as the light went dark, Country launched from his seat and rounded the desk.
"Jenna," he called the second he saw her emerge from the booth with her head down, ready to beeline to the studio door. She looked up and hesitated. "Can I talk to you for a second?" Before she could decline, he added, "I had a question. About the broadcast."
She pursed her lips but couldn't say no since John was standing right there and Country hadn't requested quietly. A brutal strategy, but one he wasn’t ashamed to take advantage of. Was career ambition the only thing that made Jenna tick now?
Jenna folded her arms in front of her. "Fine. What is it?"
Country motioned to the booth. "Can I show you something?"
Before Jenna could open the door, Tasha and Liam pushed through, heading for the snack table. She reached out and blocked the door from closing with her forearm. "After you."
Country walked in, trying to ignore his racing pulse as Jenna followed him into the shadows. The hubbub of the studio faded, and even the sound of Jenna’s heels on the carpet disappeared into the sound treatment. The air around them felt soft and still, like the world during a gentle first snow.
"Go for it." Jenna adjusted the monitor and stepped back to give him access to the keyboard and mouse.
Country navigated to the highlights they'd pulled from the game, then scrolled back to a moment five minutes into the third period. He stopped and pressed play. "I want to discuss this at our next break."
Jenna watched Petrov streaking down the ice, receiving a pass from Humboldt, and then missing a shot on net in double coverage. "That's not exactly highlight-worthy or the team would've selected it."
"They should've selected it because it was probably the moment that summed up why the Leafs lost this game." Country leaned forward, his finger hovering over the pause button. "Look. Petrov has the puck, but it’s the positioning I’m interested in. He's facing double coverage, and instead of looking for a pass to a teammate, he forces a shot."
He played the clip again, highlighting how the two defending players effectively boxed Petrov in. "This play is emblematic of the Leafs' approach tonight. They were too focused on individual efforts instead of synergy. The Leafs were only down by one. A goal here could've changed the game's momentum.”
Jenna didn’t argue for once in her life, just nodded and opened her tablet. "Sure. I'll get it pulled for you."
Her acquiescence made him bold. Maybe this was his moment. He’d ruined any chance of her getting close to him purposefully, and he needed to make something happen before she full on ghosted him. "Go out for a drink with me after the broadcast."
Jenna froze with her smart pencil over her screen and blinked. "We won't be getting out of here until one in the morning, Country. You realize that, right?"
He nodded. "Do you have something you have to wake up for tomorrow?"
"No, but?—"
"Then come out for a drink. I'm buying."
Jenna leaned in to the computer and started pulling the highlight herself. "I'm not a night person."
"False."
"I'm not a night person anymore. It's been thirteen years?—"
"Who's counting."
"—and just because you knew something about me once doesn't mean you still know?—"
"Exactly, which is why I think we should go out for a drink."
Jenna slammed her finger down on the "return" key to extract the selected footage. "How could that possibly be a good idea? Especially since you only see me as a sell-out with low-cut shirts?"
Country gritted his teeth. “I apologized for that.”
“Only for one of them,” Jenna muttered, searching for something on the desk.
He took a step closer. "I’m sorry, okay? I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what?”
