Page 13 of How to Puck Your Boss (L.A. Hawks Hockey #3)

He had let them pull weeds for pocket money only to steal it from their rooms at night to teach them not to be careless with hard-earned money.

He had every friend who came to visit Gareth or her fill out a questionnaire in advance in which the potential guests had to list at least three character traits that they liked about his children to ensure that they didn’t just become friends with them because of their money and status.

He had taught them over the years that they were no better than anyone else.

At the same time, their mother had always pointed out when they were worse than anyone else.

In their mother’s estimation, it was a privilege to have such high expectations placed on them; it was up to Penny and Gareth to meet them.

That had not been a good mix for a couple of rebellious teenagers.

Gareth had rebelled against their parents by proving to them that he was better than everyone else, that he not only met expectations but exceeded them.

Penny had simply chosen to do fundamentally unconventional things where she could not be compared to others, like gassing a few chicks in front of her parents and the house staff when she was fourteen to show them what happened when you bought a whole chicken at the supermarket for three dollars.

Who else but her would have done that? And then there was that one time – okay, three times – when she had deliberately left her car unlocked in a terrible area because she was convinced that the people who lived there needed the money more than she did.

She and Gareth had their defense mechanisms. They’d both endured a lot. It wasn’t fair of her father to pretend they’d led an easy life.

She dropped her hand and ran it over her face. “He really took the cake this time, didn’t he?”

“Yep,” Gareth confirmed. “And what was all that stupid talk about us not working hard and not doing what’s best for everyone?”

“I’ve been doing what’s best for everyone for five years!”

“I’ve been working hard since I was ten!”

The words came out of their mouths at the same time. They both responded with surprise.

“Well, Penny,” Gareth said slowly, scratching the back of his neck.

“Sure, you help a lot of people…but all that traveling was for yourself. You wanted to run away from the reality that was waiting for you in LA. It was a little selfish of you to abandon us here. To abandon me . We had a plan, and you just left without a word.”

She gritted her teeth. She hadn’t just left.

“Oh yeah? And what about you?” she replied tersely.

“All that law stuff is easy for you, Gareth! It’s not hard work for you.

Neither is bossing people around or being the decision maker!

As long as you get your way and stay in control, you’re completely at ease.

It’s only stressful when you have to prioritize the wishes of others. When you’re asked to be empathetic.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he replied hostilely.

She opened her mouth, wanting to tell him exactly what she meant…but instead, she groaned and put her hand on her forehead. “Oh God. He’s already started turning us against each other! Teaching us something we don’t realize yet. And the stupid competition hasn’t even started!”

Gareth blinked, confused. “Wait. You seriously want to take part in this?”

“You don’t?” she asked, perplexed.

“Yes, of course, but I thought…” He paused, opened his mouth, and ran his index finger over his chin. “Well, I assumed that you…”

“That I what?” Penny asked sharply.

Her brother cleared his throat with an expression straight from the negotiating room. “That you’d just give it to me.”

She blinked at him, confused. “What?”

He sighed heavily. “Come on, Penny. You have no interest in the team at all. You just want the money so you can continue to enjoy your freedom.”

She swallowed. Was that what everyone thought of her? That she was only here to make money and then leave? That she hadn’t been in South America for the past few years to do something good, but to forget her real, disastrous life in L.A.?

And more importantly, was that truly her plan? Had she been running away for five years?

A lump worked its way up her throat, but she swallowed it quickly.

She blinked, catapulting herself out of her thoughts.

“I grew up just as obsessed with hockey as you, Gareth,” she reminded him quietly.

“Like you, I studied something I wasn’t honestly interested in just so I could lead this team one day.

I may not have graduated summa cum laude, but I did save two dozen animals from animal testing labs! ”

Gareth tapped his fingers impatiently on his folded arm.

“I’m not saying you wouldn’t be suitable to lead the team, but…

” He narrowed his eyes before sighing heavily.

“I love you, Penny. Honestly. We always wanted to do this together. But then you abandoned me and traveled the world. I, on the other hand, have been working toward exactly this for the last few years.”

Her mouth went dry. “But I had to leave! I…”

“ Why? Why did you have to leave?” he interrupted sharply. “You never explained it to me!”

“Because… Because I…” … Because I was the crazy Penelope nobody took seriously. Because I felt like I was truly going crazy. Because I had to get away from being compared to anyone and everyone else and be only me. Because…because I was a burden .

She thought all these words, but they didn’t come out of her mouth. Because Gareth was right. She had let him down, even if not intentionally.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, suddenly exhausted. “That was then and now is now. Back then, I left, but now I’m here. Back then, I thought I didn’t want the team at all, but now I’ve changed my mind.”

Penny knew that leading the L.A. Hawks wasn’t merely a job. It would be her opportunity to prove that she was neither crazy nor eccentric. On the contrary, she was competent, intelligent, and no longer the black sheep of the family.

It wasn’t only about the money, it was about…

everything else. About what the damn country thought of her!

About what her incredibly successful parents thought of her.

Her father, who had been a successful businessman for years until he began focusing exclusively on the Hawks.

Her mother, the owner of a five-star hotel until she retired.

It was about her proving to them that she could be successful, too, if that was what she wanted.

It was about what she thought about herself.

She cleared her throat audibly and adjusted her posture.

“I want the money, Gareth,” she said soberly. The language of money was something Gareth understood. “Not for me, but for all the good I could do with it. I want the organization, the reach, and the charity events I could host.”

Her brother sighed heavily. “The misunderstood philanthropist. Batwoman, if you will.”

The corners of her mouth twitched. “Better than Batman. I don’t sound like I smoke five packs a day.”

Gareth raised the corners of his mouth but didn’t look particularly pleased. “So, we’re being forced into opposition now?”

“Looks like it.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah, shit,” she repeated. “But look on the bright side, if you fail, you can still work as a lawyer.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I won’t fail. I’ve never failed. And you’ve forgotten that I’ve been with the organization for several years. I’ve got a hell of a head start.”

He was right. And if she lost, it was okay.

She doubted that she would become so attached to the hockey team in a few months that it would be painful to let it go.

That didn’t mean she was going to give up from the get-go, like everyone expected.

She wasn’t going to prove their assumptions right.

She wasn’t the same woman she’d been five years ago.

She had a goal. She would…forget what had happened then and move on.

“Well, if you’re so far ahead, you don’t have to worry at all,” she said easily before continuing with dripping sarcasm, “Because we both know that you always make a fantastic impression on people and get on generally well with colleagues. You’re nothing if not likable, friendly, and approachable.

Not at all bossy or controlling, or a loner.

I’m sure the General Manager already loves you. As does the entire PR team.”

Gareth’s expression darkened. “I forgot how mean you can be when you put your mind to it.”

She had to laugh. “You’re confusing mean with honest. But, Gareth…” She tilted her head uncertainly, “do you know how many friends and siblings fall out when it comes to business?”

“I have no idea, but I’m certain you can give me one or two statistics on that right now.”

She smiled. She could but wouldn’t. “What I’m saying is, promise me that business is business…but we’re still brother and sister outside of it?”

He smiled too, although it was a little pained. “If you promise not to hate me if I take the team away from you?”

“Never. But the same goes for if you go away empty-handed.”

“That’s not going to happen. You won’t last two weeks. You never do. That’s why you have three bachelor’s degrees and not a single master’s.”

“A degree is a degree — and getting a bachelor’s takes more than two weeks.” The difference was that this time she wanted to outlast someone specific.

“Yes, in your case, five years.”

“It took me five years to get my business degree,” she replied angrily. “But it doesn’t matter. Do we have a deal?” She raised her eyebrows and held out her hand.

“Fine,” he murmured and shook her hand. “I’ll let you tell Dad the good news though.”

“Because you have to go fire someone?” she asked tersely.

“No, because I might punch him if I see him again today,” he stated simply before turning and walking out the door.

Sighing, she watched him go and rubbed her arms. She just hoped their deal would hold up for the next few months.

As soon as the front door closed behind Gareth, the one at the other end of the atrium opened. Her mother sauntered toward her, craning her neck as if Penny was hiding her brother behind her back.

“Is Gareth gone?” she asked.

Penny nodded.

“So, you’re going to tell your father…?” She raised a single eyebrow.

“…we’re going to proceed exactly as he suggested.”

Sybil Clark opened her mouth in surprise. “Really? So, you want to play along with this silly game?”

“Play along?” she echoed, frowning. “I don’t understand.”

Her mother clicked her tongue. “Penelope, I’m begging you, we both know that Gareth is the more suitable candidate.

You’ll play the game, but in the end, you will naturally step down voluntarily and leave it to your brother.

An organization like that needs to be run rationally and with a firm hand.

By someone with leadership qualities. And that is not you. ”

Penny’s jaw clenched as she wrapped her arms more tightly around her torso. “Mom,” she said, forcing herself to be calm, “you have no idea what I am and what I’m not. I’m as smart as Gareth with just as sharp mind, and just as capable of being a leader.”

“I know you’re smart enough, honey,” she replied, astonished. “You just won’t be able to stay in one place for that long! Keeping a job. Adjusting. Focusing on one thing. Not getting distracted by all the little things that are important to you, that you want to change and make better.”

“I’ve had the same job for the last five years!”

“That took you all over South America.”

“Since my job was to collect statistical data from the entire continent, I had no other choice, right?” she replied, irritated.

“What I mean, Penny,” her mother insisted, drawling, “you had to be on the move for work, but you could act however you wanted. Now, joining the L.A. Hawks…”

“It’s exactly the challenge I’ve always been up to,” she replied coolly. “Now excuse me, I have to prepare. The new year starts in five days. Tell Dad we’re playing his silly game, so he gets his way.” Then she turned and, like her brother, walked out the door.

“You can’t even walk in heels, Penelope!” her mother called after her.

“Well, thank God my feet are far from my brain,” she replied, pushing the door shut.

Then she squeezed her eyes shut, took three deep breaths, and nodded to herself. Her parents had no idea what she was capable of.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t certain she even knew, herself...