Page 77 of On A Manhunt: Complete Series

DEX

“For the past year, we’ve thought you’d be a great fit with our company.”

Ellen Masters, the CEO of OutdoorNow sat across from me at a huge conference table in the corporate office in Chicago. Three colleagues sat with her along one side, and I was on the other. My agent, Scott, was beside me.

The high-rise view out the wall-to-wall windows was pretty spectacular. After spending over a week in Montana, I missed all the green. The open spaces. The lack of people.

Hunter Valley was changing my perspective.

For a business that built their brand on adventure, they looked far from outdoorsy in their crisp corporate attire.

I didn’t look much like a hockey player in my own suit.

This was business though. Big business. The number they were proposing in the contract would be greater than the one I had with the Silvermines.

I sat up straighter and adjusted my suit at her words.

“But the bar incident in June really had us thinking twice.” She glanced at the others who nodded.

I looked to Scott, who didn’t even blink. He’d told me in the elevator that I’d have to withstand their thoughts and opinions on the fight to get through the meeting.

“While I’d like to apologize for what happened, I won’t,” I said.

One of the women to Ellen’s right sucked in a breath, clearly surprised.

I held up my hand hoping they’d let me finish what I had to say on the topic.

“I’m not denying responsibility or diminishing what happened, but the unvarnished truth–without any kind of media spin–is that a woman was being bullied and harassed.

Verbally, but the words were sexually threatening.

I won’t stand by and let this happen. The man refused to back down or listen to reason, which I tried first. He threw the first punch, and I threw the second. ”

I paused and out of the corner watched Scott’s jaw clench. His commission was on the line.

“You’re saying you condone violence,” Ellen stated, her words spoken carefully.

I shook my head. “No. I defend myself if attacked and I defend those who are not as strong as me. Note, I didn’t say weak.

The woman at the center of this wasn’t–isn’t–weak.

She was being threatened by someone bigger and a danger to her.

I stood up to her bully for her. There’s nothing I can do about how it went viral on social media, without context I might add, and how I was turned into an enforcer off the ice. ”

“Which is why we question you for a partnership. You’d be joining our family and our customers will believe what they see online and in the media.”

“I won’t stop protecting others, sponsorship or not. You should respect that about me. My teammates and others who were there do.”

I held my breath because this was the moment.

Ellen took a moment, as if she was making her final decision, or just torturing me.

“Which is why the latest round of news about you is what we feel is the actual Dex James.”

I frowned and glanced at Scott, gave him a, What’s she talking about? look.

“Haven’t seen the latest?” Ellen asked, sounding amused.

“I’ve been in Montana.” I made it seem like the state had no internet or social media access.

Scott pulled out his cell, swiped on it a few times, then handed it to me.

He must’ve screen captured articles and posts because one after the other were photos of me on the ice with the kids at the winter complex.

In one, I had a cone on my head and led the girls through a fun skating drill.

I couldn’t help but smile at the photo. Another was where I was high fiving a line of boys as they left the ice at the end of practice. Fuck yeah, that had been a good time.

“Yes, we know,” Ellen added.

I kept scrolling. Oh shit.

There were the ones of me and Lindy. Nothing racy at all because we’d never once kissed in public.

There was one where we were holding hands outside the complex.

Another with us sitting on the bench together by the rink.

I was smiling at her in a way that anyone could see meant I was into her. I scanned the headlines.

Does Dex have a Dame?

Sexy Dexy and the Montana Mystery Woman

Dex James: Brawler or Boyfriend?

Sexy Dexy. Fuck, I hated that. It sounded like I was a porn star or in an all-male revue.

Besides that, I was fine being plastered all over social media, but Lindy wasn’t.

It was to be expected though, people speculating about a woman in my life.

I didn’t imagine it would happen this fast, or without me even realizing.

Paparazzi hadn’t swarmed us. I hadn’t even seen one flash, but that meant nothing these days.

I should have known. I’d been in bed with Lindy this morning and she hadn’t known anything about this then, because she totally would have said something.

So it was either new, or she didn’t do much social media.

Maybe both. Except Mallory did and I had no doubt knew all about this.

I had to wonder why she’d stayed quiet. Giving me a chance with Lindy, perhaps?

What was she going to think when she saw it? Panic? Get angry? Hide? She didn’t want anyone to know she was a romance author and now her life was going to be splashed all over the world. If the media went digging…

“It seems you’ve turned your image around,” Ellen added. “A special woman?”

I didn’t even take a breath before responding.

“Yes, I have a special woman in my life now. Hopefully she wants to keep me because I sure as hell plan to keep her. Ellen, I’m the same person I’ve always been, girlfriend or not,” I countered, then set the phone down and looked at the four across the table.

“I want to work with OutdoorNow. I have for a long time. Your business and philanthropic goals align with mine and I see a long-term future together, one where we can hopefully make some kids lives better. I hope you do, too.”

Ellen finally–finally!–smiled. “We do as well. I understand you are off to Finland for an exhibition game. We don’t want you to miss your flight. We’ll work the details out with Scott.”

That was it? Grill, grill, grill and then go? She’d already made up her mind about me but seemed to want to hear what I had to say. A reasonable action, although she could have said we were a go before the cross examination.

I stood, buttoned my suit jacket.

“Welcome to the team,” she said, standing as well and holding out her hand.

Reaching across the table, I shook it and grinned, finally at ease. Except what about Lindy and the media? I couldn’t return to Montana and shield her. I was off to fucking Finland.