#author 5

Here’s a snippet from a CSBB work in progress for you to enjoy!

“They showed me around,” Emma said, smile widening just a bit when she noticed his eyes widen. “Figured I should see the place before we do our thing in a week.” “Our thing in a week?” “Youth event. Anti-concussions. Learn how to skate. You should probably mark it down now, you’ll have to be there.” “That so?” “You’re the captain aren’t you?” “Unless this was some sort of long con.” She laughed – a real, genuine laugh and maybe this wasn’t going as badly as he thought it was. “Then I’m afraid you’ll probably be required to attend. With that slightly fancy jersey on as well.” Killian hummed, lower lip sticking out just a bit as he pretended to consider his options – like there was some sort of option beside the resounding yes, of course practically ricocheting off the corners of his brain. “I think I can do that,” he said. “Consider this your personal invitation to come and impress kids who’ve never seen ice before.” “Consider this me accepting your invitation then, Swan.” The smile widened and the laugh was a bit quieter, but just as real as she shifted the papers again. “You don’t think you’ll be busy then?” “I’ll figure it out.” Emma made a face and it almost looked impressed and Killian could hear Will screaming for him from the other side of the door. “They’re going to leave without you,” she said softly. “Not if they want to keep their spots on first line.” “You’re an evil captain. Lording your power over those beneath you.”

Here’s a snippet from a CSBB work in progress for you to enjoy!

It was absolutely a set-up. “Killian,” Ariel said. “Emma Swan. Emma, this is Killian. He’s…” “I know who he is,” Emma interrupted and that caught him by surprise. He blinked once, trying to keep his fingers off his left hand or out of his hair and he knew the smile had fallen off his face for half a second as he rocked back on his feet. “Ah, so you've heard of me?” he asked, falling back on bravado and confidence he didn’t really have, even in a contract year, and he kept his eyes away from Ariel, certain she was rolling hers again. Instead he stuck his hand out into the small amount of space between them and waited on her to make the next move. Emma nodded. “Kind of my job.” “Ruby mentioned something about PR.” “That was in LA. I’m strictly community relations here.” Killian nodded, lower lip jutted out just a bit and she hadn’t fallen for the act at all. That was interesting – most people did. She didn’t. She didn’t move an inch, just stared at his face and waited for him to say something else and he didn’t know what else to say. His hand was still hanging in front of them and Emma hadn’t moved her arms away from her sides, drawing his gaze down to her waist and that had absolutely been a mistake. He twisted his lips when she narrowed her eyes, as if she were suddenly realizing something, and smiled genuinely, waggling his fingers at her until she looked down. “I’m not going to check you, or anything,” he laughed.

Here’s a snippet from a CSBB work in progress for you to enjoy!

Emma glanced down and these letters, unlike the ones on the jersey, made her gasp audibly and the business card didn’t say what she expected. It should have said public relations coordinator or something with communications in the title and it didn’t say either of those things.

It said Community Relations, Fan Experiences & Events. “What is this?” Emma asked, not taking her eyes off the card as if she stared at it more intently, the letters would somehow shift around into a string of words she could understand. Ruby scrunched her nose and huffed slightly, sliding down a bit in her chair until her hair fanned out over the back of it. “See, that’s why Mary Margaret should have warned you.” “I needed to be warned?” She shrugged. “You tell me.” “I don’t understand what’s going on. I thought I was going to work for you.” “You want to work for me?” Ruby asked skeptically, eyebrow raised and Emma rolled her eyes again. She didn’t. She didn’t, strictly speaking, want to work for anyone, had been in charge of the entire office when she’d been in LA, but that was months ago and she needed a job and she wasn’t entirely convinced she was qualified to do anything outside a hockey arena. “No,” Emma mumbled and Ruby laughed knowingly, sitting up a little bit straighter. “I still don’t understand what this is, though. What does community relations even mean?” “Don’t forget fan experiences and events.”