Read Online Power Play (Center Ice Book 2) by Katherine Stark - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Katherine Stark
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the Eagles! Like, I didn’t wanna say anything, but I’m actually a huge fan. Like, a really, really big fan. Have you seen Drakonov? And Erik Magnussen?” She presses the back of her hand to her forehead. “What a bunch of hunks.”
“I’m partial to Marcus Wright, myself.”
Mariko giggles and loops her arm through mine. “Can’t blame you there. Though he hasn’t been doing so hot lately.” I hold out our tickets to the entry clerk and we slide our purses through security, then head into the arena. “Word is, they might send him down to the farm team if he doesn’t shape up by the All-Stars Game.”
“Wow. You really do know a lot about the Eagles.” I raise one eyebrow at her. Marcus hadn’t said anything about his uncertain prospects. Not, I realize, that we spent much time talking about hockey at all. “Where did you hear that?”
“Ummm, well . . .” She turns her gleaming dark eyes toward me. “Promise you won’t tell anyone else at the paper?”
I give her a confidential grin. “You got it. We’re off the record here.”
Mariko relaxes at that. “Well, I’ve been doing some freelance writing for the District of Sports blog. They get loads of insider tips on all the area sports teams. Anyway, I guess someone in the Eagles front office let it slip that Wright’s on unofficial probation with Coach Isaacs.”
“Interesting.” I wonder how recently that happened—if it’s true at all. And then, because I’m a relentless bloodhound, I start to wonder what else these “Eagles insiders” might know about Marcus. And all the other leads I’m chasing on my sports corruption story. “Hey, do you think your friends at District of Sports might be willing to talk to me about a story I’m working on?”
“A story about the Eagles? Maybe.” Mariko frowns. “I can put you in touch. But I didn’t think we were running anything on pro sports in the student paper.”
I clench my jaw. “Yeah, well . . . it’s not for the school paper.”
“Ahhh. I see. I’m not the only one chasing leads on the side.” She elbows me in the ribs. “I should’ve known. You’re going places, Fi.”
“Trying to, anyway.”
“You wanna be a hotshot at Insight News like your mom?” Mariko asks. “I can totally see that.”
My stomach sinks. No. I want to do my own thing. As much as I can, with a pedigree like mine. “We’ll see.”
Mariko checks our tickets again, then checks the Section number on the wall. “This looks like us. Holy crap, we’re going to be right against the glass, center ice.”
I blink. “So we are.”
“Why don’t you go find our seats while I get us some drinks? Then I want to hear all about this mysterious benefactor who got you these kick-ass seats.”
I manage to sidestep most of Mariko’s questions while we drink our beer and wait for the game to start. Yes, the tickets are from an Eagles staff member. Yes, it’s for this secretive story I’m working on. No, I really can’t say anything more.
Fortunately, she’s more than happy to spend most the time chatting a mile a minute about everything she knows about the Eagles and how they’re playing this season. “They say Drakonov’s coming back tonight. I wouldn’t, if it were me. Did you hear he got electrocuted? That’s messed up. By his own brother. I mean, I wish I could electrocute my brother sometimes, but still! Oh, and did you know she’s dating one of the girls in our class?”
“Yeah, I’m supposed to get an interview with her at some point,” I say. “Jael Pereira? Are she and Drakonov dating?”
“Yeah, supposedly they got back together after he got all healed up. Can you imagine? Dating a hockey star.” Mariko sighs wistfully. “The sex must be fantastic. ”
I manage to only half-choke on my beer.
The lights dim, and a series of red and blue spotlights sweep across the packed arena. Despite the proliferation of Drakonov jerseys, my eye keeps picking out the Wright
“I’m partial to Marcus Wright, myself.”
Mariko giggles and loops her arm through mine. “Can’t blame you there. Though he hasn’t been doing so hot lately.” I hold out our tickets to the entry clerk and we slide our purses through security, then head into the arena. “Word is, they might send him down to the farm team if he doesn’t shape up by the All-Stars Game.”
“Wow. You really do know a lot about the Eagles.” I raise one eyebrow at her. Marcus hadn’t said anything about his uncertain prospects. Not, I realize, that we spent much time talking about hockey at all. “Where did you hear that?”
“Ummm, well . . .” She turns her gleaming dark eyes toward me. “Promise you won’t tell anyone else at the paper?”
I give her a confidential grin. “You got it. We’re off the record here.”
Mariko relaxes at that. “Well, I’ve been doing some freelance writing for the District of Sports blog. They get loads of insider tips on all the area sports teams. Anyway, I guess someone in the Eagles front office let it slip that Wright’s on unofficial probation with Coach Isaacs.”
“Interesting.” I wonder how recently that happened—if it’s true at all. And then, because I’m a relentless bloodhound, I start to wonder what else these “Eagles insiders” might know about Marcus. And all the other leads I’m chasing on my sports corruption story. “Hey, do you think your friends at District of Sports might be willing to talk to me about a story I’m working on?”
“A story about the Eagles? Maybe.” Mariko frowns. “I can put you in touch. But I didn’t think we were running anything on pro sports in the student paper.”
I clench my jaw. “Yeah, well . . . it’s not for the school paper.”
“Ahhh. I see. I’m not the only one chasing leads on the side.” She elbows me in the ribs. “I should’ve known. You’re going places, Fi.”
“Trying to, anyway.”
“You wanna be a hotshot at Insight News like your mom?” Mariko asks. “I can totally see that.”
My stomach sinks. No. I want to do my own thing. As much as I can, with a pedigree like mine. “We’ll see.”
Mariko checks our tickets again, then checks the Section number on the wall. “This looks like us. Holy crap, we’re going to be right against the glass, center ice.”
I blink. “So we are.”
“Why don’t you go find our seats while I get us some drinks? Then I want to hear all about this mysterious benefactor who got you these kick-ass seats.”
I manage to sidestep most of Mariko’s questions while we drink our beer and wait for the game to start. Yes, the tickets are from an Eagles staff member. Yes, it’s for this secretive story I’m working on. No, I really can’t say anything more.
Fortunately, she’s more than happy to spend most the time chatting a mile a minute about everything she knows about the Eagles and how they’re playing this season. “They say Drakonov’s coming back tonight. I wouldn’t, if it were me. Did you hear he got electrocuted? That’s messed up. By his own brother. I mean, I wish I could electrocute my brother sometimes, but still! Oh, and did you know she’s dating one of the girls in our class?”
“Yeah, I’m supposed to get an interview with her at some point,” I say. “Jael Pereira? Are she and Drakonov dating?”
“Yeah, supposedly they got back together after he got all healed up. Can you imagine? Dating a hockey star.” Mariko sighs wistfully. “The sex must be fantastic. ”
I manage to only half-choke on my beer.
The lights dim, and a series of red and blue spotlights sweep across the packed arena. Despite the proliferation of Drakonov jerseys, my eye keeps picking out the Wright
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