“Miriam.” His voice was firm. “Can I count on you?”
She bit her bottom lip. Spending time with Silas wasn’t going to be easy, but Greg was right. She had a job to do. Two years was a long time. She’d changed since then, gotten stronger, and wiser. Plus, she was really good at her job. Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as she thought it would be. She nodded. “Yes. Of course.”
Greg leaned back in his chair. “Great. Then I’d like you to head down to the arena to meet with some of the new guys and introduce yourself.”
Her heart dropped into her stomach. “Right now?”
He nodded.
“Will Silas be there?” She tried to keep the tremble of dread out of her voice. Seeing his picture was one thing, but she thought she’d have a bit more time to prepare before facing him.
More time, as in, forever.
Greg nodded again. “You know he will.”
Miriam sighed, closed her eyes, and counted to ten.You’re a professional. You can do this.She opened her eyes. “Then I guess I’d better get my game face on.”
“I knew you could do it.” Greg smiled. “We really are so lucky to have you as a part of the team.”
Miriamdidn’t feel lucky. She gave Greg a tight smile in return before she got up and walked out of his office.
It was amazing how quickly this day had gone from the best to the worst.
She grabbed her purse on her way past her desk and started shoving the essentials in it—her phone, a couple of loose business cards off her desk for Vinny and Grant, a candy bar from her super-secret stash. Each item was handled roughly as if they were the offending party who brought Silas back to Waterfront.
“Hey.” Harris appeared beside Miriam. “What’s going on?”
Miriam slung her bag over her shoulder. Harris was one of the few people who hadn’t worked at the office two years ago. He didn’t have a front row seat to the Miriam-Silas drama, and she wasn’t about to rehash it with him right now.
“Nothing.” She moved to push past him.
Harris reached out and grabbed her arm. “Doesn’t sound like nothing. You went from being excited about the new contracts to walking out of Greg’s office looking like you’re about to cry.” He paused. “Did he fire you?”
Miriam shook her head in quick, jerky movements. “No. Why would he fire me?”
“Then what’s going on?”
She yanked her arm free and started walking toward the front door. “Nothing.”
Harris followed behind her. “Where are you going?”
Miriam growled. “Geez, Harris. Why do you care so much?”
Hurt flashed across his face. “Because I’m your friend.”
Miriam instantly felt like a jerk and stopped her irritated stalk to the door. It wasn’t Harris’s fault that Silas was the Storm’s new forward or that he’d broken Miriam’s heart into a thousand pieces. “I’m sorry. I was just a little...unpreparedfor the list you showed me. And now Greg wants me to go meet with the players, and I have a bunch of businesses to reach out to and will be totally behind schedule.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. She was supposed to be spending her afternoon reaching out to people in the community to try to schedule appearances. But even if she didn’t have to go to the arena, she’d still be behind schedule. How was she supposed to focus on work right now?
“Let me help.”
Miriam looked up at Harris.
“I can drive you out to the arena. That way you can work on the way and not lose any time.”
A rush of warmth spread through her. It was nice to remember not all guys were total jerks. “And what about you? Won’t that put you behind?”
A corner of Harris’s mouth lifted. “I’ll catch up later. Besides, I kind of want to meet Silas Jenkins.”
