Page 10 of Ice-Cold Obsession

“Welcome to the team, Scarlett,” he says, and his voice is smooth and warm.

“Thanks,” I say. “I’m looking forward to working with all of you.”

The other players introduce themselves, and I smile and nod at each one, trying to memorize their names and faces. Taj is the one who threw the party. Cory is the guy from the quad. There’s a goalie named Ron, who seems quiet, and a forward named Leonardo, who won’t stop cracking jokes.

They seem friendly enough, and a few of them ask about my camera and what kind of shots I’m planning to take. I answer their questions, acting as if I’m just thrilled to be part of the team.

But the whole time, I can feel Gabriel watching me. His eyes never leave my face, and his grin stays plastered on his lips.

Coach clears his throat. “All right, Scarlett’s going to take profile photos before you guys hit the ice. Line up outside, and we’ll get this done quickly. Equipment room has a camera setup for you, Scarlett.”

I follow Coach to a small room where professional camera gear is waiting. A high-end DSLR, several lenses, and lighting equipment... This is much better than anything I own.

The players start filing out into the hallway. Coach has set up a spot with decent lighting, and I position myself with the camera ready. I’ve done this before. Back in high school, I shot portraits for the yearbook and for a few local sports teams. I know how to make people look good and how to find the right angle and lighting.

Cory is first. He’s relaxed in front of the camera, and I get a few solid shots of him.

“Turn your head just a little to the left,” I say, adjusting the angle. “Perfect. Now give me a serious look.”

He does, and I snap a few more frames. When I show him the screen, his eyes light up.

“These look great.”

“Thanks. You’re a natural.”

He grins, and for a second, I think he’s going to say something else, but then Gabriel speaks up from down the hallway.

“Cory, Coach wants to talk to you about tomorrow’s lineup.”

Cory glances over at Gabriel, then back at me. “Uh, yeah. Okay. Thanks for the photos, Scarlett.”

He walks away, and I watch Gabriel’s face. He’s still smiling, but there’s something cold in his eyes.

I move on to the next player. Taj steps up, telling me all about his summer and asking where I’m from. I answer politely, keeping the conversation light, and I get some great shots of him laughing.

“You’re really good at this,” he says when I show him the photos.

“Thanks. I’ve had some practice.”

“You should come to more of our parties. Maybe we’d have something better than drunk selfies.”

I laugh. “Maybe.”

“Taj, can you grab that extra stick for me?” Gabriel asks.

Taj’s brow furrows, but he nods. “Yeah, sure. Scarlett, see you around.”

He leaves, and I glance at Gabriel. He’s pretending to examine his stick, but I can see the satisfied smirk on his face.

Every time one of the guys lingers too long or tries to start a conversation, Gabriel finds a way to interrupt. He calls them over for something, or he walks past and makes some comment that pulls their attention away from me.

It’s subtle, but I notice, and it pisses me off.

He thinks he owns me already and that he can control who I talk to and when.

But I just smile sweetly and keep working, acting as if I don’t see what he’s doing.

By the time I’ve photographed the entire team, they’re all thrilled with their shots. A few of them ask if they can post the photos on their own social media, and I promise to send the edited versions to them soon.