Free The Slot: A Rochester Riot Sports Romance by Colleen Charles

decided to host a Town Hall meeting in spite of Sheehan’s objections. She’d beg forgiveness instead of asking permission.
    “I think the team training room’s our best option,” Eloise said as she and Kylie huddled over their notes and planners at the round meeting table in her office.
    “You’re right,” Kylie agreed. “There’s already chairs, tables and AV systems in there, and it’s not in use most nights.”
    “Plus it’s five thousand square feet of space,” Eloise added, tapping her ballpoint pen against her leather planner. “Should be plenty of room for everyone. Let’s just hope the residents show up.”
    “They’ll show up,” Kylie said with authority, jogging her stack of papers into a neat pile. “Your Riot for Rochester campaign theme is brilliant.”
    “Thanks,” Eloise said. The Riot for Rochester name had come to her after her argument with Kristoff and his reference to the angry villagers wielding flaming torches from old horror movies. The play on words encompassed both ideas of the team supporting the city and the fans supporting the team; the underlying connotation of rioting citizens being tongue-in-cheek. “Let’s get Kristoff’s team working on signage, and flyers inviting the local business people. Can you line up a team of interns to deliver them in the neighborhood?”
    Kylie saluted, flipping her pink bangs with the motion. “Aye-aye, sir. Consider it done. I’ll lead the charge of Monica Lewinskys.”
    Eloise laughed. Kylie’s sense of humor was off the chain. “Arrrr! Curb the enthusiasm there, matey. We’re not out of troubled waters yet.”
    “With you at the helm, Skipper, what could possibly go wrong?” she asked with a waggle of her eyebrows. Seemed they were the only body hair she had that wasn’t pink. She’d confessed a few weeks ago that the carpet matched the drapes. “Can I be Gilligan? I’ve always wanted one of those cute white sailor hats.”
    Eloise clucked her tongue and ignored the antics. “Well, we only have a week to pull this together, while the team is on the road and Murphy along with them. I’d like at least some of them on hand for the meeting, so we have to hold it the night they get back before the home games start. That reminds me, did you requisition the comp tickets for door prizes?”
    “I’ll get right on it,” Kylie said with a nod but remained in her seat instead of returning to her desk. “You think Murphy will be pissed?”
    “Ugh,” Eloise let out a fearful chuckle. “I don’t think it – I know it. But with any luck, he won’t find out until the meeting’s over and we’ve restored peace to the nation.” She chewed on the end of her thumb. “If so, I’ve done what he asked. He ordered me to make the situation go away. He didn’t say how.”
    “You’re a genius,” Kylie stated, resting her chin in her hand. “I bow down.”
    “If I were a genius, I’d have seen this coming,” Eloise said. “I don’t know how Sheehan got past the traffic commission to close off an entire intersection. I thought the proper planning procedures would have been followed, the residents surveyed, notified and given time for due process. To ask questions or make appeals. Doesn’t seem like any of that happened.”
    “I walk past the construction now and then,” Kylie said. “I noticed some of the shops nearby were boarded up. Why would that be?”
    Eloise nodded. “I heard something about certain businesses selling out to Murphy. He must have needed the extra right-of-way to construct the parking tower and pedway.”
    “What if that wasn’t the reason?” Kylie waved her hands in the air as if to stop the sky from falling. “What if he just wanted to eliminate the competition? Buy the bar next door, and bingo, there’s one less place for customers to spend their money.”
    “Makes sense. Sounds like something he’d do. I just hope they got fair market value.”
    “From Sheehan?” Kylie laughed. “They