Once Upon A Half-Time 1(58)

But I couldn’t blame Sean for heat stroke, not when it was just anxiety upsetting my tummy. The pressure was getting to me. I was the worst investigative reporter ever. At least when Lois Lane was in trouble it was because she was facing a crazy billionaire stuffing Kryptonite in his boxers, not heaving up the grilled chicken wrap she had for lunch.

I stared into the bathroom mirror. I looked sickly. Exhausted too. I hadn’t slept at all last night. Couldn’t, not after parsing the stolen emails that passed from Peter to Coach Thompson.

And now I had the full-story…every secret that would destroy the team.

They’d worked together to get the pictures. Coordinated their strategies and collected photographs during the other teams’ walk-throughs. Most were taken from the opponents’ practice fields—hidden camera and cell phone footage. It was an efficient and effective method. Coach Thompson knew everything about the opposing team before we played them.

And, as a result, the Rivets had dominated the league last year. Now I knew why.

For the past two weeks, I’d cataloged everything I could find. Linked all the illegal photos to the emailed orders passed from Coach Thompson to Peter. Recorded the dates of my conversations with them. I saved my own nudes too, though I was certain the instant I said anything, they’d leak onto the internet.

But I was expected to start my own intelligence on the Atwood Monarchs for the opening game of the season. I was out of time, and I had to do something.

Even if it sickened me.

I only wished someone could have helped me. I trusted no one with the information though…and the only person I might have considered telling had his own shit to deal with. Lachlan wasn’t having a good camp, and, thanks to Sports Nation and loudmouth Ainsley Ruport, everyone knew it.

I couldn’t burden him with this. Not until I had it figured out.

Not until I could figure out why I so desperately wanted to go to him for support. Comfort. A hug. A touch. Another night spent in his arms.

Wasn’t I already confused enough?

I splashed water on my face and rinsed my mouth. I couldn’t spend the afternoon pouting over some tossed cookies.

If I wanted to ensure the proper people were held accountable for the cheating, I had to do it by the book and in accordance with the team’s handbook.

Loathed as I was to follow the chain of command, I had to cover my ass and report the problems to my superiors. That meant going above Coach Thompson and our general manager and talking to the team’s current owner—Adam Richardson III.

Fortunately, I didn’t need an appointment. His reception still owed me a favor for doing her wedding photography after her hired crew cancelled the day before the wedding. She waved me into his office with a smile.

Adam was a young man, hardly into his thirties. Third generation money—the kind that hadn’t worked to earn the fortune, just spent it.

“Elle!” Adam knew me by name, but he still owed me for the work I did when he listed his house on the market. “God, you get sexier every day.”

Ah. Professionalism.

I stepped into his office, but I didn’t sit, even though the leather looked awfully comfy, especially to someone who just couldn’t shake her stomach bug.

“Thanks for seeing me,” I said. “I was hoping I could talk with you.”

“Gee, Elle. I’m kinda swamped today.” Adam rubbed his chin. “But if you wanted to meet tonight…”

Vomiting was more preferable. “This won’t take very long.”

“I don’t know what you’re used to, but nothing is really short with me.”

Oh god. That just meant his itty-bitty was definitely a teeny-weeny.

This would be the only time I’d admit the truth with a straight face. “Sorry. I’m…married.”

“Oh right. I heard about that.” He licked his lips. “Wish I could have been there to see the locker room reaction.”

All he had to do was ask Coach Thompson for the pictures . “So, I was concerned with something. I wanted to bring it to your attention.”

“I’m all ears, Elle.”

That was good, cause his eyes certainly didn’t stay on mine. They lingered on my chest. Probably shouldn’t have picked this particular tunic with my leggings, but it was the only shirt that sufficiently contained the girls. I’d caught more men today than just Adam staring at my breasts.

That included Lachlan, but at least he had stopped grabbing them during practice.

Adam gestured for me to continue.

How was I supposed to explain this?

“I just wanted to…make sure the whole organization was on the same page,” I said.

“Okay.”

“I was recently approached and asked to utilize my talents in an…unconventional manner.”