Page 14

CHAPTER 14

Charlie

Cami’s question hangs in the air. I’m well aware that I’ve been staring at her for far too long without actually answering, but she waits patiently and doesn’t push. After a few long seconds, she speaks again.

“Is everything okay?”

She says it softly, like she can tell I’m seconds away from running out the door and she doesn’t want to spook me. I’m worried that asking this question is going to change everything between us, and she’s a good friend. I don’t want that to change.

Regardless, I really need her to do this for me.

“Everything is okay, sort of.”

“Explain that to me.”

“So you know I’m up for a contract renewal this year.” She nods, her eyes going a bit dark. Neither Alana nor Cami like when contract renewal years come around, because it means I could be moving and no one wants that, least of all me.

“Well Sophie had some suggestions on what might help me stay with the Rangers.”

“Okay?” She looks confused, trying to place what her role is in this.

“She wants me to win over the fans. To let them in on the ‘loner life of Charlie Cade.’ She thinks boosting my image will make me valuable to the Rangers brand.”

“You’ve stayed with the Rangers for seven years and she hasn’t wanted you to do anything differently. Why does she want you to change now?”

“I think she’s been hearing more than she’s letting on in regards to a trade. Clearly my position is vulnerable this year.” I don’t realize I’ve started to bounce my knee nervously until she reaches over and stills it with the press of her hand. She rubs back and forth for a second in a gesture of comfort before pulling away.

“Okay, what does she want you to do?”

“That’s where it gets complicated,” I say, deciding to start with the easiest one first. “She wants me to make better relationships with the team. Start hanging out with them more and build friendships.”

“I think that’s a great idea. Is that why you went out after the game?”

“Yeah,” I say as I reach back and rub the back of my neck. “That one isn’t going to be too difficult, I don’t think, but there’s something else…”

“Spit it out already.”

“She wants me to date someone.” I look up now, and meet her eyes. She has a blank look on her face and I can’t read her at all.

“Is that something you want to do?”

“Well, I don’t really think that matters much. I don’t have a choice.”

“Why don’t you have a choice? I know you want to stay with this team because Alana and I are here, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if you had to move. We’d be sad, but we would figure it out.”

My pulse quickens at the thought of having to move teams. The palms of my hands get sweaty and I wipe them on my jeans. I think she can tell I’m getting antsy, because she speaks again.

“What makes you so nervous to leave? Is it what happened in high school?”

I shrug, because I can’t talk about this. I don’t want to share this part of me with her or anyone else. It’s embarrassing and no one needs to bear witness to my past humiliations. All we need to do now is find a solution.

“What happened back then?”

“I can’t, Cam.”

“You don’t have to, but you know I’m here for you. I won’t judge you, and I’ll listen.”

“I know.”

She nods and seems placated enough to not press me further, thankfully.

“Okay, so you need to date someone. Easy, you’re hot. We can find someone to date you no problem.” I’m stuck on the you’re hot comment, a bit taken aback that she thinks that of me. I mean, I know I’m not bad looking, but to hear your best friend say it is a bit strange.

“Oh don’t read into it you big idiot,” she says and shoves me. “Objectively, you’re nice-ish looking.”

“How’d I go from hot to nice-ish?”

“You were being mean. Staring at me like I was stupid for calling you hot.”

“I was not?—”

“Whatever, not the point. Give me your phone, I’ll set you up with a dating profile and start swiping. I can help you start conversations too. Don’t worry, I’m an expert.” She reaches out and takes my phone from my hand, punches in the password, and navigates to the app store.

“Woah there, tiger, not so fast.” I take it out of her hands.

“Well, how do you expect to get someone to date you if you aren’t on apps? People don’t just pick people up at bars anymore.”

I hesitate again, taking a sip of my coffee, and clearing my throat. I think she can tell I’m nervous because she gets quiet and doesn’t make a move to take my phone from me again. Finally I get enough courage to ask.

“Sophie suggested I find someone to fake date, and I was thinking that person might be you.”

She chokes on her coffee, and begins to violently cough. I reach out and pat her back, but she jerks away quickly and stands up.

“You”—she points at me dramatically—“Want me”—and then to herself—“To pretend to date you? So the fans like you more? I’m sorry there are so many issues with that.”

“Okay, let’s talk through them.”

“You’re serious?”

“I am.”

“Oh my gosh,” she groans and falls down onto the couch dramatically. “You’re my friend. How am I supposed to fake date you? That would be so weird.”

“Not really. Because we’re friends we’re comfortable around one another. It would probably be easier with you than with some stranger.”

“Well what about Alana? What are we going to tell her?”

“She doesn’t have to know right now. She’s in Paris and the tabloids there won’t be reporting on some American hockey team. We can wait and tell her before she comes back, when it isn’t such a big deal.”

She stands again and starts to pace the room back and forth, back and forth. I trace her movement with my eyes and wait for her to bring up another reason why this won’t work.

“Why would the public like me?” she asks eventually, a nervous look on her face. “I’m nothing special.”

I stand and cross the room to her, then place my hands on her face forcing her to look at me.

“Cam, you are extraordinary. You helped me gain my footing with the team last week and helped me start conversations. You’re charismatic and charming and win everyone over within seconds. They’ll love you, and in turn hopefully me.” She looks so deeply into my eyes it makes me want to squirm.

“And you’re just okay with this?” she asks.

“It might be a little weird, the PDA and stuff but—” Her groan cuts me off. “What? What’s wrong?”

“PDA? I didn’t even think about that.”

“Well, we’re going to have to make them believe it somehow.”

She nods her head in understanding, then breaks away from my hold and goes back to the couch. She pulls a blanket from behind her and hugs it to her small frame, then suddenly pulls it up over her head. I cock my head to the side as she disappears underneath it.

“Cami?” I ask.

“Mmhmm,” she hums under the blanket. It’s muffled, of course, because she’s speaking to me through the fabric.

“Why are you under a blanket?”

“I’m not sure I can look at you while we have this conversation.”

“Okay…” I trail off, trying to decide if I should wait for her to emerge or just keep going. Eventually, I decide to push forward. “Well, I was just going to say I feel a bit bad that you won’t be getting anything out of this.”

She doesn’t say anything for a moment, and I can tell she’s thinking. Eventually I see the blanket pull down just slightly, so all I can see are her eyes. I can tell she wants to say something, but she still isn’t talking. “What is it?” I ask.

“It’s probably stupid…”

“No, tell me. If there’s something I can do to repay you, I would be happy to.” She hesitates another moment, then pulls the blanket back up over her head. I sigh in disappointment, finding myself much preferring to look at her eyes than this blob of blanket.

“You know my sister is getting married in February,” she says.

“Yes, in Florida, right?”

“Yeah. Well the other weekend when I was with them, my mom would not get off my case. She kept going on and on about how I needed to settle down and be more responsible and maybe then a man will love me.”

“Cami, that’s not?—”

“No, I know, that’s not what I’m saying. I accidentally told them I was bringing a date.” She pauses then and I can’t take it any longer, I reach forward and pull the blanket down from her face gently. There’s vulnerability in her eyes. “I didn’t know what to say, but I just wanted them to stop pushing me and it felt like the only thing that would get them off my back.”

“So I’ll be your wedding date.”

She looks stunned. “Just like that?”

“Just like that.”