My father glared something fierce as I scurried after Flynn in what was my longest walk of shame to date. We headed for my father’s private office. The door shut and I remembered to breathe. Flynn tried to grab my ass, but I slapped his hand away. He’d had his alpha male display. I walked over to the bar and poured vodka into a crystal tumbler, downing it in a single go. The searing liquid burned all the way into my gut and warmed my insides. I needed the liquid courage to face the firing squad.
“A little early for liquor isn’t it, Zoe?”
His disapproving voice cut through the short respite of my intended buzz. Ki stood in the doorway with a stern look on his beautiful face. Even in my light-headed state, his sheer presence took my breath away.
“Back off, Connery,” Flynn said with a warning stare foul glare.
“Both of you stop acting like jackasses,” Joe grumbled. “This isn’t some locker room pissing contest.” He turned and looked at me, “Zoe, a word, please.”
Joe motioned me to follow him. I bit my lip. Joe rarely used profanity. He must be pissed. Hurried steps led me down the trail of my short, bespectacled boss as he marched into the outer office. The overhead lights illuminated his bald spot. I was secretly grateful Mollie, my father’s executive assistant, was at lunch. I didn’t need an audience witnessing my humiliation.
Joe turned to me with a concerned look on his face. His light-blue eyes swept over me with an almost parental concern. His expression held wisdom, intelligence, and compassion. Even though I was in trouble, I couldn’t ask for a better boss.
His thrusted his hands into his pockets. His trousers had seen better days, having the odd discoloration here and there. He wore them daily along with the Otters’ official polo shirt with a teal blue logo of an otter breaking a hockey stick in half.
“Zoe, have a seat.”
I sat down in Mollie’s chair and quietly admired the lavishly decorated office with its thick Aubusson carpets, dark, inlaid bookcases of rich mahogany, and a massive desk. The maroon, leather sofa and its two wing chairs to match separated a low coffee table topped with sports magazines.
A well-stocked coffee bar occupied the entirety of the opposite wall. Another perk of working for the Otters. The remaining walls were lined with inspirational posters—courtesy of my father who was a big Tony Robbins fan to the point where he had decided that everybody on the management team had to attend one of Tony’s motivational retreats annually. Even I wasn’t exempt.
Joe paced back and forth in front of me. He then stopped and faced me with a deep frown lining his brow. “We have a problem.”
That was an understatement. Joe took his responsibilities toward his staff seriously. My eyebrows knitted together, waiting for the bombshell to drop.
“Joe, just tell me.”
“I told your father this trade would be a big mistake.”
I huffed. “You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know. I feel like I am living someone else’s nightmare.”
“That’s not the half of it, Zoe. I came across some information that is very disturbing—of a personal nature.”
Joe’s pacing made me antsy. My nerves were shot from lack of sleep and the man in the next office. Sweat dotted his forehead. He dabbed his temples with a handkerchief.
“Zoe, you and Ki were played big time.”
“I don’t understand. What are you trying to say?”
“What I’m saying is Ki showed up to the church three years ago.”
I am speechless as my mind tried to grapple Joe’s words. “I don’t understand. What about the text he’d sent?”
Tears filled my eyes as a fresh pain swept through me. Why did the memories hurt so bad still?
“I had my suspicions for some time now. It involved Jesse Ward and Ki’s mother, Vivienne.”
“For god sakes, Joe, what did they do?” I wailed.
“Ki didn’t send the text cancelling the wedding, Jesse did.”
The truth bomb exploded dead in my face. I felt I was about to fall off my chair, numb and collateral damage.
“Get Ki in here right now!” I wailed.
Joe gave a curt nod and vanished out the door. I stared blankly out the window. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I had been betrayed but not by the person I’d been holding responsible. I sat stunned in silence, trying to wrap my brain around the fiasco that had destroyed my life.
A few moments later, Ki approached me. His face was filled with concern. I grabbed his hand for support, too thrown to form a coherent sentence. Instead, a sob escaped me. Then another. Ki knelt beside me. I fell into his arms and started weeping uncontrollably.
“Jesus, Joe what happened?” Ki asked as he held me tightly.
“I don’t know how to tell you this, Ki. But your mother and Jesse sent a text message to Zoe saying you couldn’t go through with the wedding. Zoe didn’t leave you at the altar. You both were duped so the wedding wouldn’t take place. I’m sorry. I thought you both needed to know the truth.”
Ki’s voice descended to a mere whisper. “Who told you this?”
“Let’s just say your girlfriend doesn’t know how to keep secrets when she’s had one too many. She got wasted at the local club and spilled the whole thing to some paparazzo. A friend of mine at TMZ got wind of the story. He told me it’s going to break tomorrow.”
“Does Jed know?” Ki asked as he heaved a sigh.
“Not yet, I thought you two should know first.”
“Jed despises the tabloids. I can only imagine what seeing his daughter’s name dragged through the mud is going to do to him. At any rate, the media’s going to have a field day with this. I’ll survive this since I’m used to the tabloids, but Zoe doesn’t deserve this shit.”
“Ki, what is going to happened?” I asked.
Joe handed me a tissue.
Ki’s jaw clenched, and his eyes flared with anger. His tan hand sought my face as if he was seeking answers neither of us had. Why would his own mother and my best friend betray us like that?
My stomach started to churn. I sprinted to the lady’s bathroom and barely made it in time. Knees on the cold floor, I wretched until I had nothing left.
I didn’t know Ki had followed me until I turned to move out of the stall. His face was etched with worry. He moved back to allow me to pass. I rinsed my mouth while he handed me a towel.
“Thanks.”
As I wiped my lips clean, I caught him watching me intently in the mirror. Our reflection depicted all the torment, longing, and sadness of the past three years. A glimmer of love shone through, too.
“Penny for your thoughts?” I asked, a careful smile on my lips.
“Today would have been our third wedding anniversary.”
I closed my eyes and gripped the basin for support. When I opened them again, Ki was nowhere to be seen.
Ki
I couldn’t bear to see Zoe staring at me with such sadness in her eyes. It nauseated me to my core. I couldn’t believe Jesse and my mother would pull such a cruel stunt. I had no words nor had I any idea where to go from here. In the short span of time, the one person I thought betrayed me was a victim along with Flynn. Jesus, the whole thing was beyond reasoning.
I walked past a surprised Mollie Emerson straight into Jed Simmons’ office. I entered the glass and steel office with its panoramic view of downtown San Jose. Jed had his back to me. He was staring out the window lost in thought.
Jed Simmons was old school and one tough son of a bitch. Growing up in Erie, PA, in the middle of the rust belt, he’d played hockey in the minor leagues but never got called up to the NHL. After an injury sidelined him, he did a natural progression and became assistant coach to the Erie Miners. In his fourth year with them, he got promoted to head coach and brought the Stanley Cup back to his hometown. After that, he was able to write his own ticket anywhere in the NHL. Thanks to an exorbitant inheritance and recruitment by the San Jose Otters, he served as their GM for two years then Jed purchased
a majority ownership in the club. Since he didn’t have a son, Zoe was being groomed to take his place. Or least she was when we were together. Who knew now?
I cleared my throat. “Did Joe bring you up to speed?”
Some players were easily intimidated by Jed, but not me. We had roughly the same height and build. We could never look down on one another. I learned long ago Jed preferred straight talk and no bullshit. That was his mantra.
“He did.”
Jed turned to face me. He ran his hand through his hair now peppered with silver. His green-eyed scowl did nothing to alleviate the situation. He wore the same attire as Joe Wharton—khakis and a teal blue Otters polo—though unlike our GM, Jed was remarkably fit for his age. He exuded the aura of an ex-athlete. I’d seen him work out twice as hard as some of the rookies who grumbled about training off the ice. Jed led by example in all areas of his life.
“It’s going to get ugly,” I told him.
“Not if I have anything to say about it. I’m not going allow those parasites to drag my daughter through the muck and mud because of your girlfriend and mother.”
“With all due respect, Jed, Zoe and I were both cheated.”
I wanted to add more, but the weight of guilt lay heavily on my shoulders. What had I missed back then? Were there clues I’d turned a blind eye to? My mother had always been involved in my life and my career. When my early coaches announced I had a future in hockey, she jumped on board and managed me every step of the way until I made it to the big leagues. I couldn’t blame her. She struggled like most single parents, but she had higher aspirations and I was her golden parachute. Her role as mother turned into full-time manager. That was how I had come to call her by her first name. My mother ceased to exist while Vivienne played the role of manager to perfection. No one would have guessed we were mother and son beyond our last name. Apparently, when I met and fell in love with Zoe, I must have derailed her plans somehow and now here I was taking the blame for her misdeeds not to mention Jesse’s. Being blinded-sided by the two people I trusted most in the world left me hollow and devoid of reason. The worst part was the realization Zoe hadn’t betrayed me. I blinked back tears. I knew Vivienne never approved of Zoe, but I brushed it off as simple maternal jealousy. Now I wasn’t so certain my mother and Jesse didn’t have ulterior motives.
“I know,” Jed said.
He cursed softly under his breath and stalked over to the wet bar where he splashed some amber liquid into two crystal tumblers, handing me one. I normally didn’t drink during training or the season, but I made an exception today. I sniffed the 25-year-old Macallan whiskey, which was meant to be sipped but I poured it down my throat in one shot. The searing whiskey left a burning trail down to my gut. It fortified me to deal with the aftermath of the nightmare about to be unleashed in the press and put the entire Otters Organization under the microscope.
“Knowing you, Jed, I reckon you have a plan.”
“You would be correct. We are going to put up a united front. You and Zoe are going to be seen together and you and Austin will bury the hatchet. We’ve had enough bad blood between the two of you. You will be reinstated as team captain and Austin will fall in line. If not, I have my lawyers standing by to re-evaluate personnel assets and their viability.”
Jed’s meaning was clear. Do his bidding or our contracts would be terminated. Cut and dry just like Jed. He pressed the intercom.
“Mollie, send in Miss Simmons and Mr. Austin.”
The door opened and a visibly upset Zoe came in followed by a recalcitrant Flynn. They both ignored me.
“Zoe, Flynn, have a seat.” Jed waved his hand to the seating area near the wet bar with its wing chairs and large sofa. Jed took a seat at the edge of his desk while I stood by helplessly. My focus kept shifting to Zoe despite my best intentions to block her from my thoughts. Her shoulders were hunched, and her beautiful auburn hair hung in listless strands around her face. Streaks of mascara left a black trail down her pale cheeks. The truth had knocked the life out of her.
She and Flynn sat down on opposite ends of the couch, not offering the other as much as a glance.
“Austin, I take it you’ve been informed of the situation?”
“Yeah, boss. I heard.”
Flynn cut Zoe a look then back to Jed. His blue eyes darted nervously between Jed and me. Flynn cracked his knuckles absentmindedly—a nervous habit he’d acquired before a big game or when he when was nervous. He certainly dressed better than he did when we hung out. Expensive slacks and a matching cashmere sweater, his dress shoes all high-gloss and quality leather—a far cry from the sweats and trainers he used to prefer. Dating the owner’s daughter certainly put some polish on small-town guy from the Midwest.
“Here is the deal, Austin. You’re going to stop dating Zoe. I’m more than fed up with your nightly indiscretions with those puck bunnies at the club.”
Zoe glared at Flynn.
“Now wait just one damn minute, I…” Flynn sputtered. His face flushed knowing he’d been caught.
“No, you wait just one damn minute, Austin. This is not up for discussion. As I told Ki, we are all going to put on a united front until this mess blows over. Understood? You will play by my rules. As I recall, there is a non-fraternization and morality clause in your contract that my lawyers are just itching to enforce if you don’t get in line and cooperate. I’ve turned a blind eye up to this point but no more free rides. I’m sure your sponsors and all those lucrative endorsements you receive would drop you like a hot potato if they became aware of your less than stellar behavior off the ice.”
“We’re through, Flynn. Enjoy your puck bunnies,” Zoe snarled, slapping him across the face.
“Wha—? Zoe…” Flynn looked positively bewildered. His fingers slid along his now red cheek. He had gotten off lightly as far as I was concerned. My knuckles were itching to connect to his smug face. If it were up to me, I would have throttled the bastard.
“Oh, there is another thing, Austin. I’m designating Ki as team captain and you will be required to repair your friendship with him, not that anyone deserves your brand of friendship. Real or fake, I don’t really care how you two do it, but you’ll make up in front of the camera. And remember, one misstep and you’re gone,” Jed ordered.
“Asshole,” I murmured under my breath.
Zoe threw me an obstinate glare as she lifted her pert chin in the air.
“Ki, you and Zoe are going to the Silicon Valley Ball tonight in my stead. See Mollie for the details. That’s all.”
“We’ll be there.”
As Jed waved us off, Flynn stormed out of the office, almost bulldozing Zoe and me aside without a word.
Chapter 2
Ki
I pressed the button to the elevator that led up to Zoe’s building located in a gated community in Saratoga. To say I was shocked to learn she now resided in the unit we had purchased prior to our wedding was an understatement. We had both fallen in love with the three-story townhouse nestled at the foot of Santa Cruz Mountains. The quiet suburb boasted an astonishing view of Santa Clara Valley, Silicon Valley, and the South Bay Area. But the best part of it all was that the gated community offered a respite from the outside world. No tourists, no busy city life. Here, we were supposed to escape it all. Heh, so much for best laid plans. After our split, I hadn’t set foot back in the place—until tonight. As the elevator whisked me up to the second level, the past began to creep up on me. Old memories I thought I had tucked away long ago were back with vengeance.
The last couple of hours could only be classified as a clusterfuck of epic proportion. As soon as I had left Jed’s office, I made a call to my mother, then to Jesse. Neither of them responded. Maybe for the time being it was a good thing. I wouldn’t know what to say to either of them aside from the fact they were responsible for ruining two lives. A life I couldn’t get back. A life I had built on solid foundation until the truth ripped it out from under my feet, leaving me to flounder in unc
harted territory.
I rang the bell. Hopefully, Zoe would welcome me. I tried to swallow down the lump in my throat. It was the same feeling I got before each game, when nerves engulfed me hook, line, and sinker. Right before I stepped onto the ice, I’d put on my game face and pop one of my antidepressants to help with the anxiety. I’d hide that under the persona of Killian ‘Ki The Sly’ Connery.
My hands trembled as I straightened my tie for the hundredth time since putting on my tux. I heard the clicking of heels across the marble hall—a hall I so knew well I could picture her walking towards me with her usual sway of the hips. The door swung open. Zoe appeared in the doorway. I inhaled sharply, and somewhere along the line I was certain my jaw had dropped. Her graceful figure was framed in a strapless, full-length, black dress, its velvet shine shimmering in the subtle lighting. Crystal beading along the bodice sparkled in time with the diamond pendant that rested between her breasts—breasts that my eyes lingered on for a moment too long. Her dark auburn hair was swept up in a fancy twist achieved by a matching diamond clip, baring her graceful neck. My loins ached with need as I remembered kissing her there.
Her lavender eyes looked at me with apprehension and sadness. She motioned for me to come in, but no greeting passed her delectable mouth. Damn, tonight was going to be harder than I’d feared.
“You look gorgeous, angel.”
Zoe stiffened at the mention of her old nickname. I pecked on her cheek and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. It was all I could think of doing since I had no words to offer with this mess, we both found ourselves in. I looked around to distract myself. Everything had remained the same. The crystal chandelier still lit up the foyer and its high gloss marble flooring. Even the bronze dog statue still stood proudly in its corner. I remembered how long it had taken us to agree on the décor. We opted on a pale cream for the walls and black wainscoting paneling throughout the entire house. Everything was how I remembered yet it all felt foreign. I’d become intruder in the home, even though I was still a co-owner. Zoe had never bothered to take me off the title. The thought of Flynn stepping across the threshold of ‘our place’ sickened me.
On Ice, A Hockey Romance Page 2