Free Skating on Thin Ice: Seattle Sockeyes (Game On in Seattle Book 1) by Jami Davenport Page B

playoffs at all. Cooper and Cedric carried the team on their broad shoulders and inspired their young goaltender to reach new heights. Brick possessed this unique instinct, prized in goalies, of knowing where the puck was heading before the shot was taken. He’d made a few mistakes, but not a lot.
    She was exhausted, but sleep hadn’t been an option. She couldn’t stop all the thoughts ping-ponging around in her brain—Ethan, Cooper, the team, her father, and everything else related to Ethan and the team. Sure, she had misgivings, but she wanted to trust Ethan, believe he only wanted the best for the team. Yet Ethan was just a middle man for nameless/faceless billionaires who’d control this team’s fate. No one could be worse than the Sleezers, and she had to keep reminding herself of that fact. Unless they uprooted the team.
    Rubbing her bloodshot eyes, she stared at the headlines on the hockey sites. The wildcard Giants were gaining the attention of the entire NHL.
    Kaley waltzed into Lauren’s office and dropped some mail on her desk. “Great game last night, huh?”
    “Oh, yeah. Incredible.” Lauren sat back and massaged the back of her neck. It didn’t help ease the tension. “How’s it been back here, holding down the fort for all of us?”
    Concern flashed in Kaley’s eyes and put Lauren on instant alert.
    Lauren sat up quickly. “What is it?”
    Kaley didn’t look her in the eye. Instead she stacked and restacked the mail into a tidy, little pile.
    Alarm rose in Lauren. Kaley didn’t usually let shit get to her, yet something obviously had.
    Her friend abandoned the pile of mail and met Lauren’s gaze, her own deeply troubled. “I picked Brad up at the airport last night.”
    “You didn’t sleep with him, did you?” Lauren shook her head and sighed, almost relieved it wasn’t anything more serious.
    “No, it’s not that—not that I didn’t want to rip his clothes off and jump him right there on the luggage carousel, but no, I didn’t.”
    “Then what is it?” Her fears flooded back, fears she’d been holding at bay since that morning they’d been told to play nice with Ethan.
    Kaley turned around to shut Lauren’s door. She sat down in the seat next to Lauren and leaned forward, keeping her voice a whisper. “What do you know about Brad and Ethan? Who are they? Where are they from? Where do they live?”
    Lauren thought for a moment, realizing she didn’t know a thing. “It’s never come up, and it’s none of my business.”
    “Did you assume they were from the east coast, at least?”
    Lauren nodded slowly. “Well, yeah.” Her stomach clenched as she fought back a wave of nausea. Please, dear God, no.
    Kaley’s red lips pulled in a thin, grim line. She glanced around the room as if it were bugged, then whispered. “Brad’s plane flew in from Seattle.”
    “Seattle?” A metallic taste filled Lauren’s mouth. She swallowed and got a grip on her emotions. Not Seattle. Not the very city stalking every NHL team in a tenuous position with crappy ownership, like the Giants. Especially the Giants.
    “When I asked him about it, he blew it off, mumbled something about being in Seattle for business.”
    “I’m sure that’s all it is.” Lauren didn’t believe her words. It all made sense, the deception, the secrecy, the mandate from the league that Ethan be given any information and access he required. Who was Ethan Williams? Really, who the hell was he? She’d Google him the first chance she got. And Brad? What the hell was Brad’s last name?
    “I hope you’re right, but it did put a damper on getting any from Brad. He was anxious to go straight to his hotel, as if he couldn’t wait to get away from me.” And Kaley’s prying eyes, no doubt.
    “That’s troubling. What’s Brad’s last name again?”
    “Richards, I think.” Kaley shrugged, all serious with none of her usual diva-may-care attitude. “I just thought you might want to know.”
    “Thanks. Not sure