“Why did Caitlyn sound so nice?” Rhodes asks. “I heard she was a hard ass.”
“She is,” I chuckle. “When it’s necessary, she’ll give me tough love, but she’s not going to kick me while I’m down.”
A knock at the door has Skylar get up, while Rhodes drops into the chair beside me.
Edna appears more put together as she stands outside, and I wonder belatedly if I’m going to have to wear a suit that’s not so slutty for the media circus event.
“Is everything all set on your side?” she asks primly.
“I lost some brand deals,” I reply.
Not everything is peachy on my side. While I’m willing to move forward, I’m a bit worried that Edna isn’t able to perform her duties anymore.
As if she can hear my thoughts, she brushes her hair over her shoulder and stands taller as she steps into the office.
“I’ll help you make up for my failure to check the sinks,” she replies. “I’ve been going over and over it, and it’s the only thing I can think of. Rhodes, can you give me as exact a description as possible of the pap? I want to give it to the guards at both this building and the stadium. I don’t care if I’m going completely overboard. I don’t want this to happen again on my turf.”
Okay, I like her a little more now.
“Yeah, I can do that,” Rhodes says. He gives her his description, and she records it all.
“I’m going to have a sketch made based on this,” she decides. “He wants to play Peeping Tom, I can treat him like a criminal. Coach said you should take the day off, but I need you to go home and get dressed to the nines. Your good suits, nice shoes,all of it for this press conference. Think about what you want to say, but don’t offer anything until they ask a question. I’ll take the lead of the discussion, and remind them when they’re being inappropriate.”
“This press event is inappropriate,” Skylar growls.
“Well, we’re all in agreement on this,” Edna says. “You know how to play hockey, and I know how to play the press. Twenty minutes of questions, and then you’ll be on your way.”
“Only twenty?” I ask distrustfully.
“Yes. If they don’t use their time wisely, then they’re shit out of luck,” she replies. “We’ve been lucky enough to avoid the photographers in our smaller town, but it seems that’s not true anymore as we grow. I expect photographers are going to see dollar signs with you all, and if this blue haired pap thinks he’s going to get an easy repeat performance, he’s sadly mistaken. Now, go get dressed and make the female reporters drool.”
“Get their attention,” Rhodes says, beginning to nod.
“Yes. Use the full weight of your relationship to shame them,” Edna says. “You’re on the ice together, roommates, and it’s to be expected you’d begin dating.”
Oh. Oh shit.
“Edna?” I ask, biting my lip. I guess I need to give her an important piece of information. “They’re my scent matches.”
She blinks at me for a few seconds before glancing between the three of us.
“Does Coach know?” she asks.
“I told him in confidence, before you go yell at him,” Skylar says.
“Shit,” she mutters. “Okay, this is better. Fate makes sense. No one can mess with that, nor should anyone be wanting to even if you weren’t.”
“We know you’re on our side,” Rhodes says gently.
“Alright. We’ll reconvene in an hour,” she says, shooing us out of the office. “Go home.”
“Will you lock up for us?” I ask, handing her the keys.
Nodding, she turns and locks the door before continuing on. She’s a woman on a mission, and no one is going to keep her from it.
I’m just glad she’s on our side.
An hour later,we’re walking to the media room of the stadium. It’s nicer than the one where our practice rink is, and our footsteps seem to echo along the hard floors in our nice shoes.
