Chapter 36 -Alli
I sit back on the couch with my glass of wine. Ronan sits with his arm around Emalyn, and she’s pressed into his side. I blow out a breath and sink further into the cushions.
“Look, I’m just saying if you were in my position, you would do the same.” Ronan said eyebrows raised in defiance.
“No, I think you’re overreacting. He probably didn’t know.”
“Everyone knows you don’t eat someone else’s poptarts. Especially not the s’more’s.” Ronan rolled his eyes. “Honestly, I liked the guy up until then.”
“So you reported his motorcycle stolen?” Emalyn said slowly.
“Fitz ate my poptarts. The whole box. He doesn’t even like that kind!” Ronan exclaimed, sitting forward on the couch. “Honestly a night in jail will do him some good. Teach him some damn manners.”
“Whatever, Ro. We are here for Alli’s problems, not yours.” Emalyn put a hand over his mouth. She shrieked and snatched her hand away after he licked it. She wiped it on his cheek.
“Yes, let’s focus on me.” I nodded enthusiastically, more than a little buzzed at this point.
“So, age old question...” Emalyn held out both hands, palms up like a scale. “Career or love?”
The word hit my chest like a ton of bricks. Love. Tate was the kind of man that would catch me if I were to jump, that much I was sure of.
“Allison, you deserve to have happiness. A real chance at it.” Ronan said, he took a deep breath before adding, “You always take care of everyone else. It’s okay to put yourself first for once.”
“I can’t risk my job. What if it doesn’t work out? My birth parents gave me up because they couldn’t take care of me. We were on the streets. I can’t ever risk Hudson having that kind of life.”
Ronan waves his hand in the air like I can’t see him. “Hello. Multimillionaire, NHL goalie little brother here. You’re not alone anymore.” He shrugged. “Hudson has people. You do too. I think… Tate wants to be one of them.”
“I mean… Do you have to choose?” Emalyn asks before taking a sip from her glass.
“I guess not. I just have to be completely hands off this entire thing with Tate and TJ and any future interactions or coverage. It’s hard to let go of that too… I don’t really trust anyone else to handle it.”
Understanding showed on Ronan's face.
“I get it,” He sighs, “Letting go of control feels like losing protection.”
“Tate risked his own job to protect Hudson. If that doesn’t let you know that you aren’t alone in it, I don’t know what else could.” Emalyn added.
I lean back into the couch, the weight of it settling.
Maybe letting go doesn’t mean falling. Maybe it just means trusting someone else to catch me.
I pulled my laptop over onto my lap and typed out an email to Jameson. I had both Emalyn and Ronan proofread it so that it didn’t sound like a drunken ramble littered with typos. The CCO probably wouldn’t see it until morning, but I didn’t want to wait any longer.
*
I apply a perfect layer of mascara to my lashes and touch up my battle armour lipstick before marching into the office. Am I hungover? Yes. Yes, I am. But I'm not gonna let that stop me today. I’m on a mission.
Honestly, who does Jameson think he is? Other than the CCO, of course. Emalyn sits on the edge of Talia’s desk, feet swinging.
“Hell yes, you have your war paint on!” She grins hopping down, as sure as a mountain goat in her heels, “Can I sit in on the meeting?”
“No.” I say pointedly. I march right past her to the waiting elevator. She keeps up with me easily.
“What are you gonna say? Did you practice in the mirror?”
“No.” I scoff though I totally did. I take a deep breath and straighten my shoulders. Jameson’s office door is shut but I strut right to it, shooting Emalyn a pointed glance. She holds her hands up in surrender, muttering under breath but waits in the hall regardless.
I lift my chin and push open the door to Jameson’s office.
The floor to ceiling windows showcases the cityscape behind him but I’m not here to admire the view.
He looks up in surprise when the door falls shut behind me— a little harder than I intended.
He opens his mouth to speak but I’ve gotten myself all worked up before this moment, so I don’t give him the chance.
“I’m a hard worker. Andrew handpicked himself. I basically run this entire department myself alread—“
“Alli—“
“— And let’s be honest if I was going to smear anyone’s image it would be TJ’s, but he does a good job of that all by himself. I mean would you have these same worries if I were a man? I've protected this team and this franchise, you’ve said so yourself—“
“Allison.” Jameson says sharply, effectively cutting me off.
“What?” I say a little too snappy. He raises a brow. I take a deep breath. “Sorry, sir. Gotta little carried away there.”
A chuckle comes from the chair across from Jameson. I didn’t even see Coach King sitting there in his game day suit.
“I have to say, I enjoyed the rant. You were on a roll there.” He says grinning from his spot in the chair. Randall King sits in it more like a throne with his hands resting on the arms of the chair, ringed fingers on display.
“Would you mind waiting outside until we are done here?” Jameson says, flipping through a folder in front of him.
“Respectfully… No.”
Jameson set the folder down, giving me his full attention. I refused to cower, only lifting my chin. Randall chuckled again.
“It’s okay, James. I’ll come see you about that info later. Ladies first.” He rises from his chair, towering over me with his six-foot-seven frame and making me feel about two feet tall next to him. He shoots me a playful wink on his way out. I take his chair.
“So, Allison. Let’s talk about your email last night.” He clicks his mouse a few times, pulling it up, I suppose. I wiped my palms on my pantsuit. “The one where you call me a bitch for trying to dim your sparkle.”
I blanch. Emalyn.
“Uh, sir— “
“Don’t apologize. My wife quite enjoyed reading that one. She also agreed that it was in fact a ‘dick move’.”
Fucking Ronan. That’s what I get for asking for their help. I scratch my temple, trying to justify it somehow. Honestly, I couldn’t. That was about as unprofessional as it got.
“I’m assuming if you checked your email this morning, you wouldn’t be here either.” He straightens in his chair. “In which case, I will just tell you my response in person, I suppose.”
I steeled myself. You’re fired. Fraternizing with the players and sending your boss a drunk email is way over the line. Way to go, Alli.
“I apologize. You have been dedicated to this team, and I undermined that by trying to make you choose. Per this email thread and this discussion, I believe we can both conclude you are more than capable of handling this team and its players. I hope you’ll accept my apology along with an increase to your salary by five percent. ”
I sat up straighter, taken aback. “Oh. Well, yes, I suppose that’s acceptable.”
Jameson smirked, “I’m glad you find that agreeable. Now if you don’t mind, I do have other meetings today.”
“Yes, sir.” I say quickly rising from my seat and exiting the office.
“Fuck yes! I heard every word. Good job, girlie!” Emalyn cheers and holds both hands up for a high five. “We are so going out tonight. Assemble the girls!”