Chapter Three

Inside Raquel’s office, the shades were pulled against the afternoon sun. She gestured to the chair in front of her desk and Darcy walked in and took a seat.

“Did Chip find you?” Darcy asked, half curious, half anxious.

Raquel nodded but even in the dim light, she couldn’t hide the eye roll from Darcy. “He wants to change the coverage team for the Olympics.”

Darcy’s heart sped up. “Really?”

Raquel leaned her chair back. “He wants to ditch one of the segments he’s been doing for a while. Thinks it’s beneath him and undignified.” Raquel shook her head slowly. “That’s where you come in.”

“Because I’m unimportant and undignified?” Darcy couldn’t stop a laugh from bubbling up and escaping her mouth.

Raquel allowed the tiniest hint of a smile to twitch across her lips before squashing it. “You want to be on TV, right?”

Darcy nodded.

“Then you won’t mind starting from the bottom.”

Darcy forced herself to rein in the locker room quips running through her head. She was not going to joke with her boss about being a bottom, not when she was so close to finally getting her chance on TV.

“You know the segment where Chip learns how to play the Olympic sports?”

Darcy nodded. “I’ve seen the segments. The one where he gets a water polo ball to the face is a classic.” She laughed and made a mental note to pull up the GIFs of it when she got back to her desk. Watching Chip look like an asshole was always a good time.

Raquel’s mouth twitched again at the corner. She covered it with a beleaguered sigh. “He doesn’t want to be the subject of any more sports-related viral videos. So, would you like to learn how to do some curling? Cross-country skiing? Ski jumping?”

Darcy paused for a second at the mention of ski jumping. She wasn’t a fan of heights. But it didn’t take her long to recover. “You’re offering me an on-camera job?”

Raquel nodded.

“Then, yes! I’m up for learning whatever sports you can throw my way.” She grinned, any pretense of remaining professional melted away in her enthusiasm.

Raquel leaned forward so her elbows rested on the desk. “I know this isn’t the opportunity you were hoping for, but it gets you on-camera experience and a chance to make America fall in love with you.”

Darcy smiled. “How stupid do I have to look for America to forget I’m Canadian?”

Raquel clicked her pen half a dozen times. “Here’s the thing. We don’t want America to forget you’re Canadian. In fact, we found someone to do the segments with you who should help everyone remember you played for Team Canada.”

A chill slipped down Darcy’s back. “Raquel, who do I have to work with on this?” Her brain spun wildly, trying to figure out who on earth could be worse than working with Chip.

Raquel cocked her head to the side. “Is it going to be a problem for you to work with a partner?”

“Who, Raquel?” Darcy couldn’t keep the edge out of her question. She didn’t like surprises and she didn’t like being fucked with.

“Don’t worry, you two go way back.”

“Raquel.”

Raquel grinned, enjoying Darcy’s anger a little more than she should. “Natalie Carpenter.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “At least that’s the plan if Natalie can read a teleprompter.”

Darcy was speechless, but it didn’t stop her mind and stomach from going on a wild roller-coaster ride. The last time they were together, they had gotten into a fight and were sent off the ice for two minutes. Darcy spent the time staring at the game passing her by while Nat spent most of it screaming at her from the other penalty box. Chirping was one of Natalie’s skills. It’s what started the fight in the first place.

Darcy stared at Raquel across the desk. “You think you can put her on TV? She can’t make it through a sentence without swearing, and she’s got to be the most inappropriate person I’ve ever met.”

Raquel clicked the pen a few more times before speaking. “You done?” Darcy crossed her arms over her chest. “The network wants to play up the rivalry the two of you had on the ice. She just got cut from the Olympic team, she’s bound to be a little pissed off about it and frankly I think the two of you duking it out on camera—” she paused “—appropriately, of course, could be exactly what we need to stand out in the ratings.” She cocked her head to one side and let her appraising eyes travel over Darcy’s face. “But if you can’t manage that, let me know now. I’m sure we can find someone else.”

Darcy let out a long breath. “That would be great. It’s just that Nat and I have this history and—”

Raquel stopped her by putting one hand in the air. “Oh no. I meant that if you can’t handle working with her we can find another Canadian to do it. The network likes her and as long as she can read, they want her to be the one opposite you. You’re not going to make me tell them that you’d rather work at your desk than play a couple goofy games against a former rival, are you?”

Darcy shook her head. How the fuck did this happen? How did she go from asking to work the Games to being put in some dopey puff spots with Natalie fucking Carpenter?

Getting an on-screen job was her dream. If her chance to do that required her to get along with Natalie Carpenter, the biggest pain in the ass she’d ever met, she’d find a way. There was no way she was letting that mouthy American get in the way of her dream.

“Nope. I can handle Carpenter.” Darcy stood up. “But you might want to see if she can handle me.” She paused at the door. “I won’t let you down, Raquel.”

“I know,” she said, eyes already back on her computer. “I know you won’t.”