Read Body Check for Free Online Page A

frowned. “No need to be sarcastic.”
    â€œI’m not! When the time is right, I’ll know. But right now, this thing with Robert works fine for me.”
    â€œWhatever.” She reached again for Janna’s glass. “So tell me all about your first day of work.”
    She recounted for Theresa what happened in the locker room with Ty Gallagher.
    â€œSounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you, honey.”
    â€œOh yeah,” Janna roundly agreed, taking back her glass. “But he doesn’t realize who he’s dealing with.”
    â€œThe PR piranha.”
    â€œYou got it.” She drained her glass and rose. “Tomorrow I’m going to try using the sweetness and light approach to charm the pants off him.”
    â€œOr on him, as the case may be.”
    The two women laughed.
    â€œMark my words,” Janna called over her shoulder as she headed toward the kitchen to refill her glass. “By the time this season’s done, the captain is going to be considered one of the most caring, concerned, and respectable citizens on the planet.”
    Â 
    Â 
    Strength and grace. Those were the two words that sprang to mind as she watched the Blades warming up before practice the next day, the entire team circling around the rink. It was amazing how all of them could make gliding on ice atop steel blades less than a quarter-inch thick seem so effortless. Again and again her attention was drawn to Ty, to his powerful skating stride. Back held erect, he swayed his arms from side to side while pushing off those strong legs renowned for quick acceleration. He seemed focused yet relaxed, his banter with his teammates light and easy. Janna thought she saw his eyes quickly dart in her direction, taking in that she was there, but she couldn’t be sure. For the most part, he and the team seemed oblivious to her, Lou, and the rest of the media who sat watching.
    Her eyes might be glued to the ice, but her ear was cocked to Lou, who was happily schmoozing the writers. God, he was good, directing spin, fielding interview requests, deftly deflecting questions about players’ supposed injuries, dishing dirt on other teams and players in the league. Janna was impressed, and found herself glad once again that she’d taken the job. She could learn a lot from Lou.
    The Blades were in the middle of a puck-passing drill when Janna noticed a small, pear-shaped woman with chin-length, light brown hair guiding two small, tow-headed boys toward some rinkside seats near the center of the arena. Before she could even process who it was, Lou’s sausage-shaped fingers were poking her in the shoulder.
    â€œThere’s Abby Gill. Go talk to her about your idea for the family profile. When practice is done, head over to the locker room and see if you can get some more guys to sign up for stuff, ’kay?”
    â€œ ’Kay,” Janna returned, sliding out of her seat. The arena was virtually empty except for the media and the players, whose raucous shouts echoed off the cavernous, high-domed ceiling. Abby Gill watched her approach, her expression friendly and inviting as her sons excitedly pressed their faces to the Plexiglas framing the ice and tried to get their father’s attention.
    â€œBoys, c’mon,” she gently chided. “You know Daddy has to concentrate right now.” She smiled up at Janna. “Hi, I’m Abby Gill, Kevin’s wife. And these two ruffians are Adam and Jacob.”
    â€œI’m Janna MacNeil, the new publicist.”
    â€œKevin told me about you,” Abby said pleasantly, patting the seat next to her. Janna sat down. “He said Ty was a bit harsh with you yesterday.”
    Janna grimaced. “I didn’t exactly get things between us started on the right foot.”
    â€œDon’t worry about Ty. His bark is worse than his bite.”
    â€œYou know him well?”
    Abby’s eyes drifted to the ice, where