Body Check by Deirdre Martin Page A

on. He did not look happy to see her.
    â€œWhat?” he barked.
    â€œI need to talk to you. It’s important.”
    â€œNow’s not a good time.”
    The door slammed.
    Janna stood there, the old familiar nausea creeping up her throat. She took a deep breath and knocked again. This time the door flew wide open. Behind Ty, Janna could see all the players assembled in a circle. A minute ago Ty had held their rapt attention. Now it was fixed on her.
    â€œWhen is a good time?” she demanded.
    â€œIf this is about PR, then the answer is never.”
    He moved to close the door again but Janna wedged herself between the door frame and the door. “I’m not going anywhere.”
    Ty chuckled mirthlessly. “Yeah, you are.” Gently but firmly, as if she were light as helium, he picked her up and put her back down in the hallway.
    â€œI’m going to wait right here,” she informed him. “Like I said, this is important.”
    â€œSuit yourself.”
    Once again the door closed with a frame-shaking bang. Alone now in the hallway, Janna propped herself up against the cold concrete wall. Why had Lou insisted she talk to him now , when the team was trying to concentrate on the upcoming game? It was like deliberately sending a nice, plump lamb into the lair of a vicious, snarling wolf. Ten minutes passed. Fifteen. Half an hour. Janna knew he was taking longer than usual to give his pep talk to torture her. She knew it. Just as she was about to whip out her cell phone and call upstairs to Lou to let him know he should feel free to fire her, the door flew open and Ty stepped out into the hall.
    â€œWell?” He was less than half dressed for the game in boxer shorts, big, thick socks, and the long-sleeve, gray cotton T-shirts issued to the team. His wrists and ankles were taped. His gaze was hard.
    â€œLook, I hate to bother you, but—”
    â€œThis is important,” he mocked. “What?”
    â€œWednesday night is one of the biggest black-tie dinners in the city. Roy Duncan was set to go, but his brother died and now he can’t make it.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œSo I need you to fill in for him.” Before he could protest, Janna hurried on. “Please. If you do this one thing, I swear to God I will never ask you to do anything again.”
    Ty blinked, unmoved. “Ask Kevin.”
    â€œKevin isn’t you,” Janna replied, glancing quickly around the empty hallway to make sure there was no one there to hear. “He’s not one of the greatest leaders in sports history. People aren’t going to feel they’ve gotten their money’s worth with Kevin.”
    â€œ ‘Their money’s worth’?” Ty repeated, his handsome face distorting with contempt. “What are we, circus performers, there to amuse the rich little donors?”
    â€œYou know that’s not what I meant.”
    â€œThen what did you mean?” Ty shot back, clearly unwilling to let her off the hook.
    â€œTy, this event raises a lot of money that goes to lots of worthy causes. The United Way is an umbrella organization for groups like Meals on Wheels, Literacy Volunteers. The more high profile people there are at these events, the more people want to attend, and the more money is raised. When word went out that Roy Duncan was going to be there, a lot of plates sold. If the Blades organization doesn’t cough up someone comparable in his place, it’s going to look really bad. It could hurt our reputation.”
    â€œYou mean Kidco’s reputation,” Ty sneered.
    Janna said nothing.
    â€œIt’s not my problem.”
    â€œGod help me,” Janna muttered to herself, her temper starting to simmer. “I’m begging you, okay? Please help me out just this once. Please .”
    â€œNo.” His gaze was unyielding. He raked a hand through his blond hair, frustrated. “You know how I feel about this stuff, Janna.