12. Emma

Chapter 12

Emma

" A gain?" I pant with a laugh when he gives me a scathing look.

"See, this is why it's a good idea to have more than one bloke. You, the rampant rabbit, can take your pick and give the rest of us a break."

"Well, can't argue with that, however, the other two aren't here."

"Fucking idiots," he mutters, but chuckles all the same. "Their loss and all that…"

He rolls us over and starts kissing me again, softly, sweetly, and it is utter perfection.

There is a distant knock on the front door, but I ignore it, knowing Anna will answer it. I just lose myself in this magnificent man and count my lucky stars that he wants to be with me—that they all do. Sometimes, it is still a bit surprising, and the doubts creep in, like yesterday. But here, with Keir now, it feels natural and right.

"Emma?" There is a cautious knock on the bedroom door as Anna's voice filters through. "There is a man here to see you."

"A man?" I ask, pulling away from Keir and sitting up. "What kind of man?"

"A large one with a folder."

"Huh?" I squint at Keir, who shrugs. Scrambling off the bed as this sounds ominous as fuck, I frantically search for my clothes, snatching up my knickers and hopping into them as I turn, looking for my bra. Keir is there to help, holding it up for me with a smirk, and I grin at him as I continue my rapid re-clothing while he sits there naked and smug.

"You aren't coming?" I ask.

"They didn't come here to see me," he points out.

"Well, gee, thanks for the backup. They could be an axe murderer for all you know." I shove my hands into my hair and pull it up in a messy bun before reaching for a hair tie.

He frowns. "Do axe murderers knock in London? They don't usually around here. Not that you get many, like…"

"Fine, fine," I huff, yanking my shirt over my head. "Just listen for screams, okay?"

Keir nods, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, when you put it like that."

I roll my eyes but can't help the grin creeping up on me. "Bite me, Keir."

He winks. "Maybe later."

I cautiously open the bedroom door and make my way down the corridor to the living room, where there is, indeed, an enormous man who looks like he could bench press a car, waiting for me. The sight of him holding a sleek black folder almost seems comical.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?" I demand, trying to sound aggressively on the front foot… just in case.

The man turns around slowly, revealing a face carved with stern determination and a hint of uncertainty. He steps forward, towering over me, but his eyes hold a softness that contradicts his imposing stature.

"Miss Thornton," he addresses me, his voice deep but gentle. "My name's Gregor MacLachlan. I work with Highland Spirits."

Taken aback, I blink at him, speechless. "Oh?"

"Can we sit?" he asks, indicating the couch.

"Erm, sure, but your company cancelled on me, so I'm not really sure what this is about."

"That's why I'm here," he says cryptically. "Unofficially as a favour to your dad."

Frowning at him as he has completely lost me, I'm a bit slow on the uptake. "My dad?"

Gregor sits, and I perch on the chair adjacent to him, as nervous as a bag of cats. "Mm. This is all off the record, so to speak, but here." He slides the folder across the coffee table to me. "It seems there were reports of complaints about the leadership at the Warriors that made the money team a bit skittish."

"Leadership?" I croak. "You mean me?"

He doesn't reply, but I take it as read that he means me. "Colin McCrae?" I ask bluntly after a few seconds of trying to pull myself together.

His expression says it all.

Gritting my teeth, I glare at him, even though this isn't his fault. "Oh, really? And so your company takes the word of one sad little man to make their decisions, do they?"

"I can't answer any of that. I don't work in the sponsorship department. But unfortunately, this is the reality you are facing right now. I'm giving you the heads up so you can get in front of this. Go down and see them, put your case forward. If you don't, then they won't get the opportunity to change their minds."

While what he says is logical and reasonable, I'm beyond pissed off. How dare Colin go behind my back and jeopardies the team he was working for just because he doesn't like me? What an absolute twat.

Gregor is staring at me as if he expects me to say something, so I clear my throat as I see Keir hovering in the corridor in my peripheral vision. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention," I say stiffly. "I will take your advice under… advisement." I cringe, as my vocabulary has abandoned me in my rage.

Gregor nods, standing up. "I suggest you don't wait too long, Miss Thornton. Timing is crucial here."

I force a tight smile. "Thanks for the advice."

As Gregor leaves, I slam the folder shut and toss it on the coffee table, my heart pounding with frustration. Keir steps into the room, concern etched on his face.

"What did he want?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Just some corporate bullshit," I snap. "Apparently, Colin McCrae has been spreading rumours about my leadership, and it made Highland Spirits cancel my meeting with them about a sponsorship deal."

Keir's eyes darken. "That slimy little weasel."

"Tell me about it." I huff, pacing back and forth. "Now I've got to go down there and convince them to give me a chance when, quite frankly, I've done nothing wrong!"

He steps forward, placing a calming hand on my shoulder. "You will. They'll see what a great job you're doing with the team."

I look up at him, my anger only igniting further. "But I'm not, am I? I lost a coach, I'm banging half the team, and I've got a rival transfer coming in that is going to cause mayhem with team and fans alike?—"

"Hey, hey," Keir interrupts, his grip tightening just a bit. "You're doing great. And as for the banging half the team part… well, I'm not complaining."

I laugh despite my anger. "This is serious!" I exhale heavily, trying to collect my thoughts. "What am I supposed to do now? Just march in there and hope they listen?"

"Pretty much," he says with a shrug. "You've got that fire in you, Emma. Use it."

Ignoring the rapid pounding of my heart, I nod. "Right. I'll go down there tomorrow. There is no point setting up a meeting. They'll just cancel it."

Keir steps closer, looking down at me with a reassuring smile. "Good thinking."

His confidence is contagious, even though my stomach feels like it's been replaced with butterflies on steroids. "Thanks," I mutter, tentatively leaning into him.

"Anytime." He kisses the top of my head before releasing me when there is another knock at the door. "I'll go," he adds and walks over to open it.

To my relief, it's Lachlan and Taran, and not the bearer of some other bad news.

Both men step inside, their faces lighting up when they see me. Lachlan's dark eyes glint with mischief as he steps forward. "What's got you all riled up, Red?"

Taran closes the door behind him and crosses over to give me a lingering kiss that messes with my already scattered thoughts.

"A whole load of bullshit," I mutter, flopping back onto the couch with an exaggerated sigh. "Mixed in with a huge dose of cunting arsehole ex-coaches."

Lachlan raises an eyebrow at my rampant expletive. "Wow, okay. What did Colin do to get your knickers in a twist?"

"He went behind her back to a potential sponsor and put them off making a deal," Keir replies for me.

"What?" Taran thunders. "Why? What did he say? Who would do something like that?"

"That bastard," Lachlan growls. "I can't believe he did this and then quit."

I stare at them all for a moment, taking in their genuine concern and support. It's heartwarming but also a little overwhelming. "Well, I'm going to march down to Highland Spirits tomorrow and demand they hear me out."

Taran smirks. "That sounds like it'll be quite the show."

"Well, I figured if I can survive running an ice hockey team with zero knowledge of the sport, I can handle a few corporate suits," I retort with a wink.

Lachlan laughs, stepping closer and wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "You're damn right you can."

"You know we've got your back," Keir adds, standing on my other side. "If you need us to come down as character witnesses, we will be there with bells on."

I nod, feeling a surge of positivity that all is not lost. "Thanks, guys. But I might have another idea in mind. I'm going down to Highland Spirits to make my point, but to be honest, any company who would cancel a meeting over some rumours is not really a company I want to be working with. Anna had a great idea to get local businesses involved. Lots of them, each with a piece of the pie, but I'd need your help."

Taran leans in, his eyes twinkling with interest. "What kind of help are we talking about?"

"Well, we need to create a buzz. Make local businesses see the value in supporting us. Maybe hold an open day at the rink, have them come down and see what we're all about. Get the community excited and show them firsthand how investing in the Warriors is investing in their own town."

Lachlan nods thoughtfully, a slow grin spreading across his face. "I like it. We can set up booths, have games for the kids, maybe even a scrimmage match to show off our skills."

Taran taps his chin, gears evidently turning in his head. "We could get the local media involved too. Have them cover the event and spread the word."

"And we'll need lots of volunteers," Keir adds. "Players, staff, anyone who can help out on the day."

A spark of excitement ignites as their ideas start taking shape. "Exactly! This isn't just about getting sponsorships; it's about showing that we're a vital part of this community."

Lachlan plants a kiss on my temple, his arm still wrapped comfortably around me. "You've got this, Emma. We'll do whatever it takes to make this work."

The knots in my stomach start to loosen as I absorb their unwavering support. Maybe this setback with Highland Spirits is a blessing in disguise, and bigger and better things are on the horizon.