Coop was the last one to approach her. “I wasn’t on-board when they hired you, but I am now. You are one of the best things that’s ever happened to this team. We’re going to miss you.”
She smiled, attempting to see through her tear-filled eyes. “Thank you.”
Oh God, she had to get out of here.
Marina ran to the parking area and drove away, pulling over blocks later because she couldn’t see through her tears well enough to drive. Where had Drew been? Since she’d led him to believe she didn’t love him, he was most likely turning her rejection right back on her, along with doing damage control for his own career. Whatever it was, he was avoiding her, and she couldn’t blame him.
She’d never felt so lost or empty in her life. She went home, pulled all the blinds, and sat in the dark, staring at the walls. Her future had blown up on her in a way she’d been dreading. She’d played out this scenario in her mind countless times, and the worst had come to fruition. She’d lost her job and Drew in twenty-four hours. For the hundredth time, she glanced at her phone hoping for a text message from Drew…but nothing. Unable to stand the silence any longer, she texted him.
I suppose you heard the news?
He never texted back. She called him. The phone went straight to voicemail.
He was done with her. She’d listened to him profess his love and had done nothing in return.
A few hours later, Kaley pounded on the door until Marina had to let her in before the building superintendent called the police. Marina was still in her PJs and inconsolable.
Kaley gave her a once-over and sighed. “I see I have a lot of work to do today.”
“Don’t waste the effort. I’m a hot mess, and I’d like to stay that way for a while. I’m wallowing in my misery.”
“You earned it, but once you’re done, call Drew. I’m sure he’s tried reaching you.”
“I tried texting him. He didn’t respond. He’s through with me, and it’s all my fault.” Marina sniffled.
“Oh, Marina, what did you do?”
“He told me he loved me.”
Kaley cocked a brow and studied her as if she were daft. “And that’s a problem?”
“I didn’t say it back. He wanted to find a way to make this work between us, and I didn’t say it back.” Her voice had risen to a hysterical pitch, and she hated it. “I. Didn’t. Say. It. Back.”
“You don’t love him?”
“I do, but if I tell him he might sacrifice too much for us to be together.”
“I guess that’s noble, but within twenty-four hours, you’re fired.”
“That’s the irony of it all.”
“Call him. Tell him you do love him. Tell him the truth. The silver lining in all this is you’re free to be together now.”
“Why should he believe me now? I go running to him when I have nowhere else to run? No. He won’t appreciate that. I rejected him, and he’s a proud man. He’s done with me. The timing sucks. Now I know how Juliet felt.”
“At least you haven’t killed yourselves yet.”
“And don’t plan to.”
“Good thing.”
“I need to shower. I look like road kill.”
Kaley didn’t dispute her remark, so she must look as bad as she felt. With a sigh, Marina heaved herself off the couch and shuffled down the hall to the bathroom.
She was drying her hair after a shower when she heard voices in the living room. One was Kaley, the other was a male voice. Her heart skipped a beat then raced ahead, hoping the voice belonged to Drew.
It did not.
She hurried into the living room with partially dry hair and no makeup. A middle-aged man desperately trying to look ten to twenty years younger was chatting comfortably on the couch with Kaley. He had an iPad in his lap and was showing her something. She nodded and listened intently, then glanced up when she saw Marina standing in the hallway.
“Uh, Marina, Phil here is from Real People Productions. He has an idea for a reality show centered around your struggles upon returning to the States.”
Chapter 22—Drop Pass
The team plane left Seattle for Pittsburgh around noon on Sunday.
The guys avoided Drew on the long flight. Most pensively watched him from afar. He heard the murmurs. They were talking about Marina’s firing and how all the accompanying chaos would affect his game. The few who attempted to speak to him were driven back by a fierce glare even Coop and Smooth didn’t ignore.
Drew was grateful when they finally arrived at the hotel that evening. He went straight to his room, but hunger won out over solitude. He hadn’t felt like eating all day, and now his stomach protested loudly.
With a sigh, he rode the elevator to the deserted restaurant and found a private table. None of the guys were present; they’d eaten their meals together in a banquet room earlier in the evening.
He was miserable. Inconsolable. Broken-hearted. She didn’t believe in him enough to fight for him. Sad as it was, they were now free to see each other, but he’d wanted her to be all-in when things were difficult, not now that things were easy and nothing stood in their way. The next time things got tough, would she bail on him then, too?
Only there wouldn’t be a next time. He’d been close to giving up hockey for her, and she hadn’t felt the same way.
He looked up as a shadow darkened his menu. His mother smiled down at him. “Mind if I join you?”
“Does it matter if I do mind?”
“Not at all.” Cassandra slid into the booth seat across the table.
“I’m surprised to see you here.”
“You didn’t really think we’d miss watching you in the Finals, did you?”
He shrugged. “Dad’s here?”
“Of course. This is his shining moment, too.”
Drew frowned. “I’m playing for me, the team, and Seattle, and maybe a little bit for you, Dave, and Dad.”
“I understand. You’ve been hot these past several games.”
“Yeah, I owe a lot of that to Marina.” He waited for her to discount Marina’s part in his success. She didn’t.
“How’s that?” She studied him closely, her expression serious.
“She helped me find what was missing, made me feel again, gave me my love of life back. She’s opened my eyes to enjoying the simple things.”
“I’m happy for you, but I’m concerned about where she’s been coming from. She was your coach, and she was sleeping with you. Are you certain she wasn’t using you to her own ends?”
“We didn’t plan on falling in love. It just happened.”
“In love? Drew, being physical with someone and being in love are often confused.”
He shook his head. “I’m not a teenager. Don’t put words in my mouth. I was in love with her. I was happy to be with her. Just be, not talk or anything else, but be in each other’s presence. When I wasn’t with her, life felt—feels—so empty and meaningless.”
“Drew.” She reached out a hand to touch his arm, but he jerked back.
“Someone followed us. Took those pictures. Did you do that? Did Dad?”
“I would never do something like that. Your father wouldn’t, either.” His mother had a good poker face, but Drew knew her better than most. She was lying. She hadn’t done it, but his father had.
“I fucking can’t believe Dad set us up.”
“If he did, and I’m not saying he did anything of the sort, it would be to prevent you from making a life-changing mistake.”
“You messed with my private life. You and Dad messing with my career is one thing, but to mess with the people in my life is entirely another and not acceptable.”
His mother’s eyes narrowed, giving him that “Mom” look which always set him back on his heels. “Drew, I’m going to guess you’re the only person in America who hasn’t heard the latest gossip surrounding Marina?”
“What gossip? There’s more? I’ve been on a plane for hours. My phone’s been turned off.” He put dow
n his fork and pushed his plate to the middle of the table, no longer hungry even though he’d only eaten a few bites.
“It appears everything was just a ploy to get her own reality show. Skating through Life or something ridiculous like that.”
“No,” he said with way more despair than he planned on revealing to his mother. “That can’t be true.”
“It is. She signed a contract with some broadcasting company, and they announced it this morning. Obviously, her time with you and the Sockeyes was carefully thought out to maximize her exposure. She sucked us all in. Even I believed she’d changed.” Cassandra had gone into mother bear mode, and not even the roughest, toughest hockey player Drew knew would mess with her when she got like this.
“I don’t believe it. I need to talk with her.”
“Call her then. I bet you’ve already tried, and she doesn’t return your calls.”
“Actually, somewhat the opposite. I’m not returning her calls.” Not that there were many. In typical Marina fashion, she gave up after a few calls. Just like she’d given up and gone to Europe. But she hadn’t always been like this, a small voice inside him pointed out. She skated in the Olympics after losing her parents. Everyone knew that story.
The Marina he’d fallen in love with wouldn’t capitalize on their relationship and her notoriety by selling out to a reality show. She just wouldn’t.
What if he was wrong? Because if he was, the Marina he thought he knew didn’t exist.
* * * *
Drew was a glutton for punishment. As soon as he got back to his room, he Googled Marina and reality show, and the hits started rolling. A brief perusal had him pacing the floor. It was true. The production company had issued a statement a few hours ago regarding their new reality show to air in the fall. The first episode would include private footage of Marina and him skating their routine together and frank discussions about her time with the Sockeyes and their beleaguered star—their words not his.
She’d sold them all out. Not just him, but the team, the staff, everyone.
He was sick about it. He’d been certain he’d known the real her. Fuck, he’d fallen in love with Marina, and he didn’t fall easily. He’d been played, duped, and destroyed by a woman out for fame and fortune, and to hell with his feelings. All the awful things that’d circulated about her since the Games appeared to be true.
Drew debated late into the night about calling Marina and finding out why she’d done it, but he never called her. He was afraid he wouldn’t like her answer. Or wouldn’t believe her. If she called him again, he’d answer, but she didn’t, which solidified her guilt as far as he was concerned.
He finally fell asleep at dawn with no resolution to his dilemma. He was jerked awake by the ringing of both the hotel phone and his cell, along with pounding on the door.
He opened the door to a furious Cooper. The captain loomed in the doorway, hands fisted, eyes blazing, and every inch of his body rigid with fury.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? We’re all waiting on the bus to go to the arena, and you’re still in bed?” Coop was in a rage like Drew had never seen except against an opposing team member who’d wronged one of his guys.
“Shit.” Drew glanced at the clock. Ten fifteen in the morning. The bus left at ten. Breakfast had been at eight thirty. “I’ll be right there.”
“You’d better.” Coop turned and stomped off. Drew ran around the room getting dressed and ignoring the jangling phone, knowing whoever was on the other end would be delivering their own brand of ass-chewing. He sprinted down the hall to an elevator, which took a couple lifetimes to arrive on his floor. When he boarded the bus, instead of ribbing by the guys, the group grew silent and stared accusingly at him. He slid into an empty seat next to Gibs, who turned his back and studied his tablet.
Drew heard the grumbled comments, certain many were meant for his ears.
“No dedication.”
“Doesn’t care about hockey.”
“Dragging us all down with him.”
“Lazy, unmotivated asshole.”
“Fucking selfish sap too worried about his love life.”
He wasn’t going to win any Teammate of the Year awards. They hated him right now. They were playing in one of the biggest games of their lives tonight, and he’d blown them off as if they didn’t matter. He hadn’t meant to, but even he admitted his head wasn’t in the right place. The way they saw it, he was a traitor.
You were only as good as your next game, and he had a bad feeling about Game 1 against the Penguins.
Chapter 23—Final Seconds
Marina sat at home on her couch to watch the first game of the Finals with Kaley. She preferred to be alone, but Kaley had showed up with pizza. She couldn’t very well kick her out. And, well, she had pizza. How could a girl say no to pizza?
By the beginning of the third period, she felt sick to her stomach. Things weren’t going well for the Sockeyes.
Drew’s play on the first line was crap. He messed up so many opportunities neither Coop nor Smooth could cover for him. The team disintegrated, and the Penguins moved in for the kill. Even Brick couldn’t get his act together, resulting in three goals in the third. Pittsburgh won five to one.
Kaley didn’t say anything, but Marina knew what she was thinking. She was partially responsible for Drew’s poor play.
“Well,” Kaley said after the game ended. “That was brutal.”
Marina sighed and watched the guys skate off the ice, heads down, shoulders slumped, and dejection on every face. Drew turned his head away from the camera, but his stance indicated he was just as devastated as his teammates.
“I’m drowning my sorrows in a soak and a bottle of wine. I’ll check in tomorrow.”
“OK,” Marina said glumly. She let Kaley out and waited until she drove off before shutting the door and turning the deadbolt.
The Sockeyes were only one game into the Finals. They had plenty of time. One bad game didn’t lose the Cup, but each bad game made it that much harder when the Penguins didn’t screw up.
Minutes later, Kaley called her. “Are you sitting down?”
“What now?” Marina groaned and braced herself for more bad news.
“Google Skating through Life and your name.”
“Oh, no.” As if things couldn’t get worse, the hits started rolling, hundreds of them. “But I told him I’d think about it just to get rid of him. I never said yes. Why would he do this?”
“But you never said no, either. Hollywood types are pushy like that. A non-answer is a yes to them.”
“He was so insistent. I only said I’d think about it to get him to go away. Do you think Drew has heard this news? And the team?”
“I’m certain of it.”
Marina rubbed her throbbing temple. “I need to contact them and explain after I rip this guy a new one.”
“Marina, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fixable. I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Let me know how it goes.”
Marina said goodbye and disconnected the call.
She’d contact Drew first and explain everything because no doubt he’d heard the rumors by now, but her call wouldn’t be welcome and might make things worse. Not to mention it was after midnight.
She’d messed up big-time, and she felt like crap about it. She’d betrayed everyone who’d meant anything to her, and most of all, she’d betrayed herself.
Getting involved with him had been a bad idea from the beginning. She should’ve been stronger. Yet, part of her wouldn’t trade those moments for anything. She had to explain. All of it. Even if he didn’t believe her, she had to try.
Against her better judgment, she texted him.
Tough game. You’ll get them next time.
She waited five minutes. Ten. Twenty.
Nothing.
Can we talk when you get home? I’d like to explain everything.
Again nothing.
She dressed for bed and crawle
d under her sheets, staring at the ceiling until the tears came. Once again, she’d sabotaged her career by making bad choices. Only this time she’d dragged Drew and the entire team down with her. What she did to the Sockeyes was worse than what she did during the Winter Games four years ago.
Memories of her screw-up rose to the surface. She’d been in first place after the short program. The gold was within her reach. Some of the guys had wanted to go clubbing, and Stacy had been the ringleader. Marina agreed, overly confident and ready for a premature celebration. They’d gone into a club, where they’d proceeded to get wasted drunk. To make matters worse, they’d ran into a network reporter and made fools of themselves. The reporter did an entire exposé on them. Attempting to do damage control, everyone pointed fingers—mostly at Marina.
She suffered from a major hangover the next day and was throwing up in the bathroom just before her long program. Marina had the worst performance of her life, missed every jump, and forgot her routine multiple times. By the time she’d skated to center ice for her final bow, she was a hot mess and sprinted off the ice. Her score was her worst ever. Stacy also had a bad performance, and she’d been accused of purposely sabotaging her former coach’s star skater.
The next day, the headlines accused Marina of disgracing the entire country with her antics. Social media blew up, and she became a pariah overnight. She was suspended indefinitely from figure skating competitions.
A short time later, she fled the country after accepting a job from a European skater who’d seen his share of scandal over the years and embraced the drama. Marina didn’t want to embrace it. She’d wanted to wipe it from her memory banks, but Dimitri used her to further his own infamy.
Eventually, things died down, Dimitri found another diva to exploit, and Marina was relegated to teaching basics to figure-skating hopefuls. She had a knack with kids, but every time they progressed to a certain point, Dimitri took over. She’d spent four years unable to get ahead in coaching.
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