She tried a different question. “So how does it feel to be back home?”
“Feels good.” His expression softened. “There’s no place like home.”
She smiled. “I can’t wait to see more of it.”
He nodded. “I’ll take you sightseeing tomorrow after practice. I want to give you a tour of the community center, and I’ll show you some of my old stomping grounds and where I used to live.”
She grinned. “Sounds like a plan,” she said, excited at the prospect of getting visual glimpses into his past.
Her enthusiasm made him smile briefly before he fell silent, his lids at half mast as he stared unseeingly at the television. He looked like he was a million miles away. But when his picture suddenly appeared on the screen, he picked up the remote control and muted the television. He didn’t like hearing about himself, even though the commentary was overwhelmingly positive, littered with superlatives and glowing praise about his dominance and greatness on the ice. It was borderline sycophantic, really.
Still facing Reid, Nadia pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her cheek against the back of the sofa. The muted television had created a vacuum of silence between them. She didn’t mind silences, but this one felt weighted with sadness, and she didn’t know why.
“So…”
Reid glanced at her.
“Big game coming up, huh?”
He nodded.
She reached over, tunneling her fingers through the thick strands of his hair. “Will you be disappointed if you don’t score your three hundredth goal during Saturday’s game?”
He smiled a little. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
“On one hand, it would mean a lot to me to reach that milestone right here in my hometown, in front of my family and friends. But on the other hand, I think it would be pretty special to celebrate in my own arena with Rebels fans. So…I guess I’m kinda torn.”
Nadia nodded, smiling. “I can totally understand that.” She paused. “Well, not totally since I’ve never played hockey, but—”
Reid’s mouth twitched. “I know what you meant.”
She grinned, stroking his hair and massaging his scalp. She knew how much he loved her gentle caresses. She could already feel some of the tension dissipating from his body.
“So how did you get to be such an offensive scoring machine anyway?” she said teasingly. “You’re a defenseman, and you play with three other guys who are among the top scorers in the league.”
“True.” A small, lazy smile curved his lips. “When Viggo and I got drafted by the Rebels, the team was in pretty bad shape.”
“How bad?”
“We were lackluster on defense and downright abysmal offensively, and the team had never won a Stanley Cup. Frankly, it was embarrassing. Viggo and I were brought on board to help the Rebels become serious contenders, and we welcomed the challenge. It didn’t matter that we were rookies. We put the team on our backs and just did whatever we could, whatever was necessary, to win games. Being a defenseman wasn’t going to stop me from contributing offensively. I wanted to get the puck in the net at all costs, so I took just about every scoring opportunity I could get.”
Nadia smiled. “Hence the record-breaking rookie season you had, which got you selected to the All-Rookie Team. You and Viggo. You were a dynamic duo.”
Reid nodded, his eyes closed. “Once the Rebels traded for Hunter and then drafted Logan, those guys provided the missing pieces we needed. My style of play didn’t necessarily change. Coach still wanted me to put up big offensive numbers. But sharing the ice with three dominant forwards took a lot of pressure off me and allowed me to focus on improving other aspects of my game.”
Nadia nodded slowly. “That makes perfect sense.”
“Does it?” His voice was lazy. “I feel like I’m rambling.”
She laughed softly. “You’re not rambling. I understood everything you said. Knowing your playing history gives me an even greater appreciation and respect for everything you’ve accomplished.”
He nodded but made no comment.
Nadia watched him intently for a few moments. He was relaxed and pliant under her hand. It was the perfect moment to broach the subject he’d been evading almost from the day they met.
“Reid?”
“Hmm?”
She hesitated. “Are you ever going to tell me why you stopped talking to reporters?”
He stilled, instantly tensing under her touch. As his expression darkened, she slowly withdrew her hand from his hair.
He opened his eyes but didn’t look at her, staring at the muted television in brooding silence.
“If we’re going to be together,” she gently prodded, “we can’t have any secrets between us.”
His lashes flickered downward and he clenched his jaw. “I know.”
She bit her lip, anxiously waiting for him to continue.
A full minute passed.
“Four years ago,” he began in a low voice, “my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.”
“Oh, no,” Nadia said quietly. “I’m so sorry, Reid. I had no idea.”
“Only our family and close friends knew. Mom’s always been a very private person. She didn’t want the public prying into our lives, and she was afraid of becoming an object of pity. So we kept the story out of the media.”
Nadia nodded, listening intently as he went on.
“It was a very difficult time for her. After years of running a busy household and tending to her family, she’d gotten used to neglecting her own health. By the time her doctor detected the cancer, it was pretty advanced. She needed a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. The treatments…they were brutal. Some days she would be so weak she could barely talk on the phone.”
He paused, closing his eyes against the painful memory. “It was so fucking hard to be away from home during that time. I felt guilty for not being here to drive her to her chemo appointments. I should have been here to sit with her and talk to her and hold her hand. Ryder felt the same way. He was stationed on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, so he only came home twice a month. It was hard for me to focus on playing hockey when my mother was suffering and my family needed me. I wanted to take a leave of absence and come home to help look after Mom, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She said she’d never forgive me if I stepped away from hockey after all the sacrifices she’d made to get me where I was. When we talked on the phone, she told me that watching my games was one of the few things that cheered her up and got her through her chemo treatments. She encouraged me to keep the end goal in sight and not lose focus. So that’s what I did. Every time I stepped out onto the ice, I played lights-out hockey because I knew Mom was watching, and I wanted to make her proud and give her something to smile about.”
His words tugged at Nadia’s heart, making her ache for him.
“My father was a wreck,” he continued grimly. “Sometimes he’d call me when I was on the road, and I could hear the tears in his voice. He was trying so hard to put on a brave face, but I knew he was terrified of losing her. We all were. She was our rock, the glue that held us all together. We couldn’t imagine…” He trailed off and shook his head, nostrils flaring with emotion.
Nadia reached over, gently laying her hand on his rigid forearm.
“After the mastectomy,” he went on quietly, “Mom didn’t feel beautiful anymore. Without her breasts, she felt like less of a woman. Avery was at the house one day when Mom had an emotional breakdown. She was getting dressed and caught a glimpse of her body in the mirror. She burst into tears, then started screaming and throwing things at the mirror. Avery said she’d never seen her so out of control before. She had to help her into bed, then hold her until she finally calmed down and fell asleep. Shortly after that episode, Dad told me that Mom wouldn’t let him touch her anymore. No kissing, no hugging, no intimacy whatsoever. He was devastated. The more he tried to reassure her that she was still beautiful, the more she pus
hed him away. This went on for months before he finally reached his breaking point.”
Nadia stared at Reid, a knot of dread forming in her stomach. “What happened?”
His jaw was clenched tight. “He’d met this woman through his consulting work. Over a business lunch one afternoon, she started flirting with him. He was feeling lonely, vulnerable, rejected by Mom. He looked across the table and saw this beautiful, vibrant woman who wanted him, who didn’t flinch away from his touch. And he found himself flirting back. One thing led to another and they wound up at the hotel next door.”
“Oh, Reid,” Nadia breathed, stricken. “I’m so sorry.”
His fingers tightened into a fist on his thigh. “Unbeknownst to Dad, there was a sports columnist having lunch at the same restaurant. Dad’s a local celebrity, beloved by the media and hockey fans who still remember his glory days at the University of Michigan. Every time he attends a Red Wings game, the sideline reporters approach him to ask questions, usually about me or the Wolverines. He enjoys the attention, but it came back to haunt him that day at the restaurant, because the reporter recognized him and was planning to stop by his table to chat him up and get a few quotes. Before he could get the chance, Dad and his lunch date settled the bill and left together. Of course, the super sleuth reporter decided to follow them to see what they were up to.”
Reid shook his head, anger and bitterness hardening his features. “I had been in the league almost two years, long enough to establish a reputation as a playboy. So I was used to reporters and gossip bloggers tracking my every damn move. But I never thought they’d start stalking my family members. I guess it was a slow news day in Detroit, or that sports columnist just felt like tapping into his inner paparazzo. The next day, his paper ran a sleazy hit piece on my father, complete with pictures of him and that woman checking into the hotel together. I’ll never forget the fucking headline: ‘The Rocket Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree.’”
“Oh my God,” Nadia whispered, aghast.
“Yeah.” Reid’s mouth twisted into a parody of a smile. “But here’s the kicker. Had that crack reporter stuck around another five minutes, he would have seen my father rushing out of the hotel practically in tears.”
Nadia’s eyes widened as she stared at Reid. “You mean he didn’t…?”
“Cheat on my mother?” He shook his head tightly. “Once he and the woman got to the room, Dad came to his senses. He realized that having an affair wasn’t the solution to his problems. It wouldn’t cure Mom’s cancer or make her feel whole again. It would only destroy her and their marriage. So he apologized to the woman, told her he’d made a big mistake by coming up to the room. And then he got the hell out of there as fast as he could.” Reid’s lips twisted bitterly. “Little did he know it was too late.”
Nadia shook her head slowly. “Your mom saw the article.”
Reid nodded, his eyes blazing with grief and fury. “One of her friends told her about it, asked her if she knew Dad was having an affair. Mom was totally blindsided. She couldn’t believe Dad would cheat on her, especially at a time like that. I’ll never forget answering my phone that day and hearing her hysterical sobs. I was scared out of my mind. I thought she’d received more bad news about her prognosis. Avery had to take the phone away from her and tell me what the hell was going on.
“I was so furious I could have killed Dad with my bare hands. I hung up on Avery, called Dad and ripped him a new one. He broke down in tears and explained what had really happened. As livid as I was, I believed him. I knew how much he loved Mom, so I knew he was telling the truth about not sleeping with that woman. But Mom refused to hear him out. He’d hurt her and betrayed her trust at the lowest point in her life, and she couldn’t forgive him for that. So she threw him out of the house. Two weeks later, she shocked the hell out of everyone by filing for divorce.”
Nadia’s lips parted on a soft explosion of breath. “Divorce? On top of everything else she was dealing with?”
The nerve along Reid’s jaw tightened. “We all tried to talk her out of it. We begged her to give it some more time before she made such a drastic decision. We suggested that she and Dad go to counseling. But she’d made up her mind, and no one could get through to her.” He blew out a ragged breath and shoved both hands through his hair, scraping it back from his face.
Nadia instinctively tensed, bracing herself for the story to take an even sadder turn.
“Dad fought the divorce for a while,” Reid continued grimly. “He wasn’t ready to give up on Mom or their marriage. But the more he pushed for reconciliation, the further Mom retreated until one day she snapped and called him over to the house. When he got there, she was sitting in the living room. On the table next to her were a bottle of pills and a glass of water. He could tell she’d been crying, but her demeanor was icy and composed. Before he could say a word, she looked him calmly in the eye and told him she would kill herself if he didn’t sign the divorce papers.”
Nadia gasped. “Oh my God...”
Reid pressed his lips into a grim line. “Dad was stunned and devastated. Then he got mad and started shouting at her. He told her he wouldn’t have been tempted by another woman in the first place if she hadn’t shut him out. He called her a coward and a selfish bitch and told her to go to hell before he slammed out of the house. Later that day, the signed divorce papers were delivered to her doorstep.” Reid paused. “Their divorce was finalized three years ago today.”
Nadia’s heart constricted with sorrow. “No wonder you seemed so sad tonight.”
He nodded slowly. “I saw my parents today, and I could tell they both remembered the significance of today’s date.” He stared blindly at the television for a long moment. “In hindsight, I realized that Mom’s decision to file for divorce had very little to do with Dad’s infidelity. I think she knew, deep down inside, that he didn’t sleep with that woman. His actions that day hurt and humiliated her and severely tested her faith in him. But that wasn’t the main reason she pushed for the divorce. I think ending their marriage was her way of letting him go before he was forced to say goodbye to her. Because her cancer was so advanced, she honestly didn’t think she’d make it through the year. But she did,” Reid said with a small smile. “She beat the odds and survived like the badass I’ve always known her to be.”
Nadia smiled, gently stroking his arm. “How’s she doing now?”
“She’s doing much better. Her cancer’s in remission and she had breast reconstruction surgery, which really helped restore her confidence. She has a lot of friends and keeps herself busy with charity work.”
“That’s good,” Nadia murmured.
“It is. But I know she’s not happy. Neither is Dad. They still love each other. But they’re both too stubborn to admit it. And, honestly, too much damage has been done to go back. All we can do as a family is move forward and continue being there for one another.”
Nadia shook her head sadly. “I’m so sorry, Reid. So sorry you and your family went through such a devastating ordeal.”
He nodded slowly, acknowledging her sympathy. “So now you know why I stopped talking to the media.”
“Yes. And I don’t blame you at all. I probably would have reacted the same way.”
His expression was grim. “Was my reaction fair? Probably not. That sports reporter wasn’t responsible for my parents’ divorce. But that piece of trash he wrote…” Reid’s jaw hardened with renewed anger. “It was vicious, exploitative and pretty fucking reprehensible. I had a game the day after the article was published. We won that night, but after the game, all the reporters wanted to talk about was my father’s extramarital exploits. I was so disgusted by their questions that I got up in the middle of the press conference and walked out on them. And that was the last time I spoke to the media.”
Nadia gave him a soft smile. “Until Nelson came along.”
“You,” Reid countered, meeting her gaze. “Until you came along.”
They stared at each
other in the flickering glow from the television.
“I love you,” Nadia whispered feelingly.
“I know,” he said quietly, “and I probably don’t deserve it. But I’m so thankful you do.”
Holding his gaze, Nadia sat up on the sofa and straddled his lap. As he stared up at her, she took his face between her hands, her thumbs resting on his cheeks. Then she leaned down and kissed him tenderly—his forehead, his eyebrows, his eyelids, his nose, his cheekbones, his jaw. When she reached his mouth she paused, her eyes flicking from his lips to his glittering eyes.
He was watching her intently, barely breathing.
She dipped her head lower, letting him feel her warm breath on his lips. She felt him shiver before his arms encircled her waist, pulling her closer. Then she pressed her lips to his, kissing him so sweetly and thoroughly he trembled and melted beneath her.
“I love you so much,” he told her in a husky whisper.
“I know.” She kissed the words onto his mouth, smiling into his eyes. “I wouldn’t be here if you didn’t.”
27
After returning from practice the next morning, Reid took Nadia sightseeing.
Because she loved music so much, their first stop was the Motown Historical Museum. Upon arriving, they joined a small group of visitors on a guided tour that began in Berry Gordy’s humble apartment and progressed through the business office, the control room and the studio. Their tour guide was a spirited black man with the soaring alto of a songbird and a head full of knowledge about all things Motown. During the tour he frequently burst into song, much to the delight of the group.
For Nadia, it was a surreal experience to retrace the steps of all the Motown legends whose music she’d grown up listening to. Her skin erupted in goose bumps when she saw the desk, phones and typewriter that Diana Ross had used when she’d worked there as a receptionist before landing her big break. Reid, who’d visited the museum a few times before, took pleasure in Nadia’s girlish excitement as they viewed memorabilia from the Temptations, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, the Jackson Five, the Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, the Pips and many others who came through the doors of Hitsville U.S.A.
Wicked Games (Denver Rebels) Page 40