CHAPTER FOUR

Hannah had planned to try and get in touch with Zach while Jackie was meeting with the team's PR firm. She passed out on the couch instead. Two hours later, she woke up to someone banging on the door. She looked to see her it was, then luckily caught a quick glance in the mirror before she opened the door. It was obvious she had just joined the living again.

"Just a minute" she said into the intercom before dashing to the powder room in the foyer. Good thing she had dropped her purse there when they got back from practice! She did a quick touch up on her hair and make up and returned to let their guest in. Unfortunately, Jackie had already let him in by the time Hannah got back. It was beyond embarrassing that her cousin and Zach knew she had put off opening the door to primp!

"Hi guys. I didn't know you had gotten home yet Jackie."

"I actually just pulled up, to find poor Zach waiting at the door."

"Sorry about that, I had just gotten up from a nap and didn't want to scare anyone!"

"Well, glad you're awake now. We need to have our first team meeting. James should be here any second."

Right on cue, James walked in, still wearing his unpleasant look. He'd already had a rollercoaster of a day, and he was fairly certain being in a room with Alexandra's ex was not going to help it get any better. Comfortable in Jackie's home, he went straight to the fridge and got himself a beer before joining the others at the table.

"Thanks for coming guys. I know its very last minute, so I really appreciate you all being here. I met with the guys Profess today, and they are less than excited about the team change. With the various ups and downs professionally and personally regarding everyone involved, they say this is a PR nightmare." Jackie looked at the faces around the table and continued. "That said, we will no longer be using their services. I refuse to work with people who don't stand behind us and trust out judgment. I would love to just say to hell with it and put all of our energy into Nationals, but unfortunately, we have commitments that we can't afford to back out of. From the get-go, it was team consensus to use anyone but ConSon," she paused to give Zach an apologetic look, "but I'm not sure we have any other choice at this moment. They understand our sport and how much focus needs to go into last minute changes and can help us with the transition, along with all the mess that may come when the partner change is announced. I need to know that the team is okay with this, though. It's not going to be easy for any of us, but sacrifices have to be made."

Hannah was all too quick to agree, but James had yet to look up from his beer. He stood and without looking at any of them, he agreed and walked out.

Jackie turned to Zach. "I am sure you know this is going to be very hard for me. I imagine it is for you, too. I would like for you and Hannah to handle as much of the communication between the firm in the team as possible. I am not sure anyone else is up to it, yet." She looked over for Hannah's approval. "Good, I'll have Hannah come by between practices tomorrow for paperwork and to get the schedule set in stone. The rest, well, we'll just figure that out as we go." She rose to go get a glass of wine, leaving Hannah and Zach a few minutes alone.

"Wow. It's been quite a day for everyone." Hannah reflected.

"No kidding, it's been one shock after another with your team. I had just let it settle that you would be stepping in when I got the call from Jackie that you guys would be needing my services. And I still don't even know what provoked all of what happened today."

"Honestly, I don't either. I was just told that Alexandra had no choice but to back out. The only other detail I got was that she called Jackie before she even told James. Whatever it is, James is not taking it well."

"I'm sure that me coming into the picture is not making things any easier."

"Right, I sometimes forget that you were Alexandra's first partner."

Zach was about to mention that he had also been her first in a few other things when Jackie walked back in with drinks for everyone.

"What a twenty-four hours this has been. First, I come home and try to attack my cousin with a juniors trophy. Then, just when I'm getting my head around that, all hell breaks loose on a team I thought was solid and a shoo-in for gold. We had a plan of action to smooth that when the firm goes all jack-ass on me! In a weird twist, I am thankful for you firm, Zach, and that you needed to get away from Minnesota, Hannah!"

Zach gave Hannah a questioning look over his beer. Alex has seemed surprised when Zach mentioned that he had met Hannah that morning. She was supposed to be at school for graduation ceremonies. Jackie's comment about her needing to get away made her appearance here both a blessing for the team and a mystery.

Hannah could feel Zach's interest pique when Jackie mentioned her get away. There was no way she was ever going to fess up to him that she escaped Minnesota because of some guy! It was such a stupid reason to jump on the first flight out, but it also turned out to be a wonderful twist of fate. She was glad to be able to both help her cousin out and to jump right back in to competitive skating. The fact that James was in a relationship with Alexandra made the whole pairs skating a lot easier to swallow.

Jackie, too, noticed Zach's looks at Hannah. The two had been quite something to watch during the day. While they would make quite a pair, she did not need another couple brought into the odd mix that was already surrounding the business partnership they had just formed.

The ringing of Hannah's phone brought everyone out of their thoughts and into the moment. When Hannah looked down and saw that it was Jackson, she shut the phone off and downed the remainder of her glass before saying her goodnights and escaping to bed.