27. Heigh Ho
Heigh Ho
C assie, Alex and Kellan sat along one side of the long table in the executive conference room of Horizon Media.
Across from them were the prospective clients, Horizon’s Chief Marketing Officer, Head of Publicity and Vice President of Creative.
The shades had been drawn, the dimmed overhead lights keeping the room from complete darkness.
After a series of introductions, Cassie started the presentation.
Her voice was steady, engaging, her body language confident.
She knew this client inside and out. She’d done the research, able to read between the lines, anticipating every question before it was asked.
Alex watched her with pride, smoothly taking over for the next section, building on Cassie’s momentum without missing a beat.
They’re charming, concise… obviously in their element.
The chemistry between them was undeniable. Cassie and Alex passed the lead back and forth effortlessly, slipping in details without interruption. When one spoke, the other supported or jumped in to elevate the idea. Their energy, magnetic.
Kellan, seated between them, played the perfect supporting role by handling data visuals, answering tactical questions, and stepping in with a dash of humor, keeping the tone light without undercutting the professionalism.
They brought a polish to the whole presentation, showing just how well this trio works together.
The final moments of the pitch were quiet but powerful. Clicking to the last slide, Cassie looked across the table. “We don’t just want to win your business. We want to grow it. Strategically. Creatively. Authentically. And we’re ready to start today.”
There was a pause. A long one.
The CMO, a sharp-eyed woman in a navy suit, folded her hands on the table. “That was impressive.” She glanced at her colleagues, who all nodded subtly, exchanging unreadable expressions. Then she looked back at the trio. “We’ll be in touch soon.”
Polite. Noncommittal.
Cassie smiled professionally, though her hand clenched beneath the table. Alex gave a respectful nod as the Horizon execs stood in unison and filed out the door. Kellan kept their game face on, but the second the door closed behind the client team…”Okay, that wasn’t a ‘no,’” Kellan said quickly.
“It wasn’t a yes either,” Cassie replied, voice tight, shoulders dipping slightly.
“But it was a killer pitch,” Alex added, their voice calm but eyes burning with adrenaline. “And we know we’re the right fit for them.”
Looking at them, Cassie squared her shoulders, her eyes matching Alex’s. “Yeah. We are.”
They gathered their materials slowly, the buzz of the pitch still humming in the air. No answer. Yet. But something in the room said they nailed it. And all three of them knew… they were closer than ever to something big.
The trio returned to The Sharpe Agency in the early afternoon—tired but still riding the high from the pitch. Leah stood by the reception desk, arms crossed. Trying for casual, but not quite pulling it off. “Well?” She asked, practically bouncing toward them as they entered the lobby.
Cassie exchanged a glance with Alex, who gave a slight, satisfied smirk. Kellan’s the one who answered, sweeping dramatically into a bow. “We were magnificent.”
Leah arched a brow, delighting in Kellan’s infectious energy. “That so?”
Nodding vigorously, Cassie added, “It went well. Really well. They were engaged, asked smart questions, didn’t push back on pricing or scope. They didn’t say yes yet, but—”
“But you felt it,” Alex finished, completing Cassie’s sentence without second thought. “There was a shift in the room by the end.”
Leah’s eyes lit up. “Tell me everything,” she said as she herded the group toward the elevator.
Stepping off the elevator on the fourth floor, they passed Leah’s office, heading for the smaller conference room, the one with the cozy chairs and the whiteboard that still had half-erased notes from someone’s earlier brainstorming session.
Kellan plopped down dramatically, marking the moment with an exaggerated sigh.
Cassie stayed standing at first, then began pacing as she relayed the events of the meeting.
She broke down the flow of the presentation… the structure, the transitions, the client reactions. Alex jumped in with insight on the body language they observed from the lead executive. Kellan adding notes about which metrics landed the hardest .
Leah listened intently, nodding along. “Sounds like you hit every mark.” Pride evident in her tone.
Cassie finally stopped pacing, looking directly at Leah, satisfaction bright in her eyes. “We did. And honestly?” She said, looking at Alex and Kellan, all three of their smiles growing exponentially. “It didn’t just go well. We were good. Beyond good, even.”
Kellan stood, a knowing quirk of mischievousness running across their features. “We’re like the Avengers of client pitches.”
Raising their hand, Alex asked shyly, “Can I be Iron Man?”
Leah shook her head, rolling her eyes fondly. “You can all be whoever you want if this deal closes.”
After a few moments, she exhaled slowly, leaning back in her chair, an air of seriousness taking over. “This client could shift everything - reputation, revenue, growth potential. And from what I’m hearing, we’ve never been more ready.”
The trio shared a moment of quiet pride. Looking up through her lashes, Cassie’s eyes met Alex’s across the table. A flicker of something deeper passed between them… acknowledgment, connection, maybe even a little awe at what they’d built together in just a few short weeks.
Standing, Leah slapped her hands on the table, her smile returning. “Okay. Go home. You’ve earned a minute to breathe.”
Fists pumping, Kellan rose instantly, nearly sprinting to the other side of the table. “Woo-hoo! Finally!” Shocking Leah with a bear hug, they turned, fingers pointing at Cassie and Alex. “Peace out!” And then they were gone, disappearing down the hallway before Cassie or Alex could respond.
Shaking off the shock, Leah turned to Cassie and Alex. “And if they do say yes? We’re throwing a party.”
Alex paused, half standing, half sitting, an air of seriousness settling over them. “Can there be cake?”
Smirking, Cassie stood fully, collecting her messenger bag from the chair next to her. “You’ll get a whole damn bakery if they say yes.”
“Now that’s motivation,” Leah added, laughing at the look of pure childlike joy on Alex’s face.
They exited the room still smiling, the tension of the pitch giving way to something lighter, something hopeful. The waiting began... but this time, they knew they were ready for whatever came next.
***
Cassie couldn't bring herself to call it a day—not yet. Not with so much still buzzing in her mind. It was mid-afternoon by the time she finally made it back to her desk, still riding the buzz from the pitch and the debrief with Leah. She’d barely sat down when a calendar notification popped up.
Saturday: 7:00 p.m. – Game vs. The Queens
She stared at it for a beat. Oh, right. That’s this week.
Shaking off the momentary distraction, she scrolled through her dozens of emails from that morning…
searching for anything that required immediate attention.
After a few minutes spent deleting several unnecessary emails, she spotted one that drew her attention. Clicking it open, it filled her screen.
From : Missy (Captain, Arctic Blades)
Subject : Saturday
Body : Don’t forget to bring your A-game. And maybe a little chill? We all like Alex, even if you still pretend you don’t. ;)
Groaning, Cassie rubbed a hand over her face.
She hadn’t just forgotten about the game…
she’d forgotten that they were playing Alex’s team.
Again. Before she could overthink it, she grabbed her phone and headed down the hall.
Glancing into Alex’s office, she found it empty.
Continuing down the hall, she spotted Alex in the sitting area at the far end of the building, half-reclined on the couch, typing on their laptop.
They looked up when she lightly cleared her throat.
“Not ready to leave yet, either?” Cassie asked, resting her hip against one of the oversized chairs across from Alex.
“Oh… just getting caught up on some emails before I head out,” Alex replied, closing their laptop and setting it on the small table in front of them as they sat up fully. “You’re here still, too,” they added with a wink, teasing. “What’s your excuse?”
Cassie smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Did you know our teams are playing again this Saturday?” Cassie asked, trying to sound casual.
Alex blinked, their eyes narrowing as they searched their memory. “Shit. I completely forgot.”
“Same.” Cassie shifted her weight, rocking slightly as she crossed her arms.
A beat of silence stretched between them. Not awkward, exactly. But… something.
Cassie tilted her head slightly, watching them. “This isn’t going to be weird, right?”
Alex leaned back on the sofa, their body language relaxed, but their eyes glinting with something playful. “Are you asking if I’m going to go easy on you again, or if I’m going to let you body-check me into the boards like last time? ”
Cassie’s brows lifted, mouth twitching in mock seriousness. “Let me?”
Alex gave her a look. Part amused, part wounded. “Did you know I had a bruise the size of a grapefruit?”
“You must bruise easily, I guess,” she teased, one eyebrow lifting, nearly defying gravity.
That pulled a laugh from Alex, quiet but genuine, their eyes crinkling at the corners. “And you’re ruthless.”
For a second, everything softened. The teasing, hanging in the air. Cassie’s smirk faded, her arms slowly uncrossing as she let her gaze linger on Alex.
“This game…” she said quietly, the words less playful now, more weighted, “it’s gonna be different, isn’t it?”
Alex’s amusement faded too, their expression mirroring hers. Serious now, thoughtful, almost tender. “Yeah. But I think that’s okay.”
Cassie took a slow step forward, “I’ve been thinking about the last game,” she said quietly, “About how I played…”
Alex’s brows pulled together slightly. “Cass—”
“I was angry,” she cut in, voice soft, emotional. “I was… hurt. And I took it out on you on the ice. I wasn’t just playing hard… I was trying to punish you. Hurt you like you hurt me. That’s not who I want to be.”
Reaching for Cassie’s hand, Alex squeezed it gently.
“I know why you did it. And I forgave you weeks ago.” They tugged softly, drawing Cassie’s gaze to their own.
“We’ve both said things. Done things. But that’s not where we are anymore.
You, me, and Kellan… we’re a team now. No more secrets.
No more tension.” They paused. “I don’t want one night on the ice to drag us backward.
And I don’t want you carrying guilt that doesn’t belong to you anymore. ”
Cassie nodded slowly, taking it in. “Okay. I hear you. ”
“Good.” Alex leaned back again, releasing Cassie’s hand. “And if we’re being honest, I probably needed to get checked into the boards to knock some sense into me.”
Cassie’s mouth twitched. “I mean, if it worked…”
Alex mock gasped. “So it was on purpose!”
Cassie finally cracked a real smile. “I figured you could handle it. It’s not my fault you bruise so easily. “
Alex laughed, full and throaty, their whole body relaxing into it. The tension that had hovered around them at the start of the conversation dissolving instantly. A moment of quiet settled over them.
Then Alex glanced at her, waggling their eyebrows. “So… you want to start mapping out how we’re going to divide responsibilities once you get promoted?”
Cassie narrowed her eyes, a slight grimace flashing across her face. “You that sure we’re landing the client?” She asked.
“I’m sure,” Alex replied with conviction. “You crushed that pitch, Cass. They’d be idiots not to sign with us. And once they do, you’re getting that promotion.”
Cassie shook her head in disbelief, but she was smiling again. “You’re really just planning my future now?”
Alex shrugged playfully. “Someone’s gotta do it. Might as well be the person who’s going to be working beside you every day.”
Cassie’s chest tightened, warmth blooming behind her ribs. “That’s… actually really nice.”
“I have my moments.”
They looked at each other again, something soft passing between them. Finally sitting, Cassie softly leaned against Alex’s shoulder. “I don’t want to lose this,” she said quietly.
“You won’t,” Alex replied, just as softly. “We’ve come too far for that.”