AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Calista wanted to be fair here. Was she making her decisions only for Ronan? Because that wouldn’t be good for the organization. She wanted to make business decisions with her head, not her heart. She also wanted the big ones to be democratic. Get the players’ buy-in along with Piper’s and Dahlia’s. But not yet, because having others help circumvent Dodo put them in an awful position should she lose her stake in the team. She didn’t want that, and honestly, the call she was about to make was a no-brainer. Hockey lovers knew the name Olson Urqhardt. This would be like acquiring Zee. Getting him was a miraculous win. Missing an opportunity to make Olson Urqhardt a job offer would be a mistake.
Confident with her decision, Calista got off the sidewalk, leaned against an old oak tree and video-dialed the number.
Olson showed up on the screen. “Calista, this is a surprise.”
Calista jumped right in. “Did you sign with Washington yet? Do you want to be Snowers GM if I keep the team? Work with Ronan again? I don’t even know what to offer you except that I’d increase your salary and give you the four years you want.”
Olson blinked.
She got that reaction a lot from people. Sometimes it meant good, sometimes bad. She held her breath. Birds chirped around her and leaves blew. The easy nature of the world still spinning calmed her down.
Olson rubbed his jaw. “You’ve knocked me back.”
“That’s not a no.” Calista paused. “Do you want to discuss the offer with your family?” That was something she needed to do better. She knew her family indulged her, and after some point, she’d begun plowing ahead with whatever she wanted to work on despite the inconvenience to anyone else. She could work on that.
A younger man popped onto the screen, a handsome man with brown hair who had to be related to Olson, given their resemblance. “Dad, money’s not everything.” The man waved at her. “Sorry, you laid out your offer before I had a chance to leave the room. I’m Ulric, son and financial advisor.”
A financial advisor should say money is everything. Calista processed what she knew, and it boiled down to the fact that she knew Ulric was also Ronan’s advisor. She trusted Ronan’s judgement, and a financial advisor would benefit the team. “Family matters to me, so the offer is the same for you, Ulric. A four-year contract, salary increase, and move package. You’d be offering financial advice to the players, dancers, and staff.” Olson had mentioned his wife, so his family was at least the three of them. “My mom can talk to your mom about Austin if you like.” Her voice grew easier, Mom was persuasive. Ugh, maybe he’d think that was unprofessional. She didn’t care, the offer was authentic.
Ulric looked straight up shocked. “You don’t know anything about me, or what I make.” He rattled off his degrees and background, giving her a sales pitch and career snapshot which was both clear and convincing, though she didn’t need persuading.
“Ronan trusts you, that’s enough for me.” Calista went with honesty. Not everyone could get a degree. That didn’t mean they weren’t capable. Look at her with no seal on her PhDs, and the class her friends liked to call Project Genius, but she knew it was project prove you’re not too much to handle. “Think about the offer and let me know what else we can put in the contract.”
Olson and his son exchanged a look and a nod. “We’re not slow to make decisions. You get your position solidified this month, and you have a deal.”
Wow. Power player had never been her goal, but this felt so good. Like the locker rooms, like she was helping her Snowers succeed. Calista smiled as she nodded, and then rang off.
She wanted to run to Ronan and tell him the news, but she couldn’t. She shoved down her excitement. He’d know soon enough, if the arbitration went her way. If not, she’d share the news after, showing him she had the restraint to keep him out of an awkward position. Decisions settled, Calista went back to Ronan’s, and upstairs to his gym. She got to work on his treadmill, adding the final touches that included a better WIFI connection for his screen.
Wait until he used it. The balanced track, the hi-def video, and the new speakers would turn the old whirring chirping machine into a bad memory from pre-Calista times. Her hands fell to her sides, and she stared at the functional treadmill. Fixing the machine ended her excuse to stay. Lingering at his place any longer because she didn’t want to be at her overly quiet house and because she wanted to be near him were reasons based on emotions she’d have to voice if she wanted to stay. Calista went downstairs to find him. “Ronan?”
* * *
Ronan emerged from the kitchen holding a bag of spinach. Calista was coming down the stairs. His heart flipped at her prettiness, and he met her at the landing. “Heard you upstairs, and I thought I’d lure you into a meal. Where do you land on veggie juice with dinner?”
Calista put her hand on his waist and stretched up on her tiptoes. She looked like she wanted to offer her own suggestions about what interested her but hesitated and dropped back down without saying anything. Her face flushed.
He was game. Ronan put his hand on her hip and leaned down. “Hmm?”
“I finished your treadmill.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I should leave, right?”
Ronan hated every word of that, though she was making a prudent decision. They needed distance, not to be tangled together naked in his sheets. His hand slid around her waist and tightened. Let her go. Vanilla met his nostrils, and he nuzzled her neck.
A rattling knock jarred his intent. “We see you.” His parents’ voices came from beyond the glass inset in the front door. “Let us in, we want to meet your lady friend.”
Holy hell.
