Emma's phone buzzed at 6 AM with a text from Lisa: "Emergency sponsor meeting today at 2 PM. They're making final decisions about Toronto support."
Emma groaned, reaching for her coffee before remembering she was trying to cut back on caffeine while her body healed from the miscarriage. Herbal tea just wasn't the same.
"Bad news?" Alek asked, appearing in the kitchen already dressed for an early NHL meeting.
"Sponsor drama. They want a final answer about whether they'll support the Toronto expansion."
"What's your pitch?"
Emma pulled up the presentation she'd been working on for weeks. "That Toronto isn't abandoning New York - it's creating a sister league that strengthens both markets."
"Sounds convincing to me."
"Let's hope they agree." Emma closed her laptop. "What time will you
