Page 20

CHAPTER 20

ANNA

F or the most part, except for the clickety-clack of my heels as I move from my room to my bathroom and back again while getting ready, the house is silent.

The girl in the mirror staring back at me isn’t the same one who stood here looking at herself a few weeks ago. She’s not even the same one who stood here yesterday. The person I see looking at me has changed more in the past few weeks than she has in months, and I’m really proud of her.

There’s a knock at the front door. I can hear my dad answer it, the shuffle of his feet as he makes his way back here to get me. I sneak in one last look in the mirror, smoothing my dress and double-checking my hair, before turning around to greet him as he appears in my doorway.

“Anna, there’s a man—” he begins, only to stop short as he comes into view. “Oh, sweetheart. You look gorgeous.”

Grinning, I sway from side to side. I’d picked out a dress to wear tonight that is a replica of a 1950s A-line tea dress. It’s knee length, black, and comes off the shoulders, the neck forming a V. I’d gone all out for the night, even buying a pair of long gloves to wear, but currently I’m holding them up in my hand and showing them to my dad.

“Thank you,” I say, waving them around. “But I need to know: to glove or not to glove?”

He steps inside and grabs the gloves from my hands, throwing them on the bed. “Nah, you don’t need any gloves. Your mom liked to always do this thing when we’d go out somewhere. She’d put on her whole outfit, then she’d always take one thing off. I think she learned it from Gloria Vanderbilt.”

He’s so cute. “It was Coco Chanel who said it—to take off one thing you’ve put on before you walk out the door, in that less is more way.”

“Yep, that’s her.” His smile is approving and there’s a lightness in his step that hasn’t been there in months. “Well, Cinderella, your chariot awaits. Only your chariot looks a lot like a town car.”

“Ollie said he’d send one,” I say with a chuckle as I grab my purse and throw a few things in it.

“You still haven’t seen him since he got back, have you?” he asks.

I shake my head. Somehow we’d never found a way to get on the phone last night nor today. I’d fallen asleep in front of the television only to wake up at midnight with drool on the side of my face, a half-eaten cookie still in my hand, and three missed calls from Ollie. Today we played the best game of phone tag ever, until he texted me saying he’d send a car and would explain everything I missed tonight.

“You two,” he says, eyeing me. “It really is the real thing, isn’t it?”

How do I answer that? Is it? I thought it was, but the last two days doubt has crept in. However, my trust in Ollie has accompanied it, so while I’ve been wanting to ask him about what Molly told me she saw, I’m also a big enough girl, and adult enough, to know I don’t need to ask him. Not everything is as it appears, like in the side-view mirror of a car.

“I’d like to think so,” I say softly, closing my purse and standing at attention. “Tell me. Do I look okay?”

“You look more than okay, sweetie. Like I said, you are gorgeous. He’s a lucky man, and don’t ever let him forget it.” He steps forward and wraps his arms around me, my giant father holding me close. “I’m so proud of you. Whatever this is with Ollie, it’s nice to see you so happy these days.” He sighs, holding me tighter still. “That kid has been around for so long. I always knew he had a crush on you, but never thought he’d get a chance.”

“Dad!” I giggle as I pull away only to find him smirking as he holds his hands out beside him.

“Hey, I may be a little worse for wear right now, but I’m still witty. And truthful, too,” he adds, wagging a finger in the air.

“You are very witty,” I acknowledge by patting his arm as we make our way down the hall and to the front door. I stop at the hallway table to grab my wrap and notice he’s got a bill from the hospital sitting there. “What’s that?”

“I finally got someone on the phone at River City General who was willing to be bribed.”

I tilt my head in surprise. “Bribed?”

“Well, that bill was paid by someone, but no one would tell me who. So, I was feeling cheeky and made a joke.”

“What kind of joke?”

“I offered the woman I was talking to a couple of VIP tickets to see the Renegades play, with a meet and greet after,” he announces, looking very pleased with himself as he eyes me.

“Did she go for it?”

“Sang like a canary. Meowed like a cat. Neighed like a?—”

I hold up a hand. “Dad. Give me the headline, not the descriptors that lead up to it.”

“She told me that Oliver Decker had come in and paid my bills so I’m up to date.” He narrows his eyes. “Did you ask him to do that?”

I can’t believe we’d made it this far. We’re at the end of our unofficial contracted time together and managed to hide our status from a lot of people. Including my dad. When we started, I chose to keep it from him so Dad wouldn’t flip out. So I could give him breathing room. Now, with ten grand in the bank helping with some of the bills and Ollie giving him, and me, some relief, we’re not in the best space—but my dad is in a better one.

So I make an executive decision. Opening the front door, I get the driver’s attention and let him know I’ll be out in a minute. Then I turn back to my sweet pops, taking his hands in mine, and tell him everything. All of it. The good, the bad, the why.

I watch as his face goes through a range of emotions, making sure to quickly gloss over some of the parts, but only so I can get to the good ones.

When I’m done, I stay still in place and wait for him to respond. He lets out a long breath of air as he crosses his arms and closes his eyes before speaking.

“You did all of this for me?” His eyes flick open. “You and Ollie both?”

“Like I said, it helped him and it helped you.”

“But you’re not supposed to do this kind of thing for me. I do it for you, you’re the kid here.”

“Well, sometimes it’s about helping out your family, and you’re the family here that needed help.” I kiss his cheek. “Look, we’ve got miles to go before we get you back into a good spot, but we’ve lessened the load.”

“That’s good enough for right now,” he says. “Ollie Decker paid my hospital bill. I taught him how to skate, you know.”

“I know.” I giggle, inclining my head toward the door. “Look, I have to go. Can we talk about this later?”

“Oh, you bet we will.” He chuckles, holding the door open for me. “But for now, have a great time tonight and do not come home early, okay? Go and have fun with Ollie. It’ll make this old man’s heart proud.”

I turn away and glide to the car, not wanting to leave him but also now buoyed by the fact that everyone around me who needs to know what was going on does. And it’s almost over. Finally.

The only thing left to do is figure out with Ollie what happens with us.

“M’lady.” The driver closes the door behind me as I settle into the back of the car. In a few seconds, he has the car pointed in the direction of Ollie’s house when my phone rings. I’m surprised to see Ben’s name pop up, so I grab it immediately.

“Everything good?”

A dramatic sigh slams against my ear. “No. I’m at the event, with Molly, and realized I never handed out the passes to everyone.”

“For the ball?”

“Yep.” He’s quiet but only for a moment. “They’re in the Ivory Tower. Sutton said she’d left them for me on her desk. I hate asking you this…”

“It’s fine, I’ll go by and get them. Just text me where you are and I’ll find you when Ollie and I arrive.”

“Seriously, you are a lifesaver, Anna.”

I smile as I disconnect the call and quickly dial Ollie’s number, shocked when he answers on the first ring.

“You’re not bailing, are you?”

“Not yet,” I tease. “But look, Ben needs me to go to the offices and get everyone’s tickets or no one is getting into the ball. It’s easier if I get the driver to detour now, but it means I’ll be a little late getting to you.”

“Totally fine. I’m having a hair crisis anyway so it’ll give me more time to get it figured out.”

“Oh, please,” I say with a laugh. Laughing with him is so easy. “See you soon, okay?”

The hallway of the executive suites is dark, save the random overhead light being on for security purposes. I’ve got a small window of time here to get the tickets, get back down to the car to go to Ollie’s and pick him up, then head to the event. Plus, I still need to sneak in a quick question.

What about us?

On one hand, I should be able to ask him anything. We’re friends. I ask my friends anything I want to. But if that’s the case, then why do I second-guess asking him about an “us” whenever it pops into my head?

The strap on my heel feels funny, so I stop to quickly adjust it while I consider the other option of not saying anything and simply trusting him. Which is honestly my preferred option because I do—I trust him. Ollie has never given me any reason to not trust him in all of the years we’ve known each other. Not like other people I’ve dated. Why would he suddenly pull the wool over my eyes and choose now to do it?

Standing up, I test my shoe, making sure the strap will hold, and start back on my mission. I’m weighing up the best way to casually ask about this “other woman” Molly saw him with—if that is what I choose to do—when the low murmur of voices talking nearby makes me stop.

“You’re brilliant, you know that?” a woman’s voice says, giggling to punctuate her happiness. “I’m impressed that your plan is coming together.”

Ice cubes clink against glass. “Would never have happened without your help.”

That sounds like Jimmy. When I realize it is him, I make a little face in response to the fact that he’s gross, then sneak into Sutton’s office and grab the tickets Ben forgot off her desk. I have no desire to be seen by him or whomever he’s speaking with, which sounds like Lara the PR rep. Shouldn’t they be at the ball by now themselves?

I sneak back out of Sutton’s office and start to make my way back down the hall when their conversation gets a little louder.

“Making the team more marketable and pushing them to do it with”—Lara laughs out loud—“very strong suggestions was great. Talk about leverage at its finest.”

Jimmy chuckles as well. “It’s all about making things look so much better than they’re perceived, isn’t it?”

I can’t help it, but I am NBN: nosy by nature. I’m curious enough that I’m gonna hang out in this hallway right here and eavesdrop for a minute. I clutch my phone tightly, checking it to make sure it’s on silent…cause a girl does not want to get busted.

“Jimmy, in less than six months we managed to do what a lot of other businesses before us have but it took them a lot longer to do.”

I hear a clink, like glasses being toasted together. “The Renegades will be sold off after we sign these papers this week.” Jimmy lets out a giant sigh and, even though my jaw has slammed on the floor, I fight the urge to run inside and stuff a pillow in his mouth. Glancing at the phone in my hand, I get an idea. I tap a few buttons to find the Voice Memo app and then hit record. “Inflating them to look as good as they do now was the greatest strategy.”

Sold off? Sutton never told me they were selling the team.

“Do you think the arena will survive?” Lara asks.

“I don’t care,” Jimmy mutters as my hackles rise.

“Well, you may not care about that, but what about Gavin and Sutton?”

Jimmy snorts. “Gavin is inconsequential. It’s a three-way ownership that my father ridiculously bestowed on us. He’s off volunteering in a jungle, so let him. He’ll do whatever.”

“But Sutton?” Lara presses. “She’s not going to listen to you, is she?”

“When I tell her how much we’re making, she will.”

There’s a sputtering sound, like Lara may have coughed while taking a drink. Good. Choke.

“Wait. Did you tell her about the kickbacks?”

I feel like I’ve died and gone to a reality TV show paradise, only this reality is mine and I’m standing in it. Kickbacks?

“No way,” Jimmy answers. “She has no idea we’ve been receiving kickbacks for all of the contracts these guys have been signing. You did well hiding it in the fine print, Lara. Once we’re clear and I know the sale papers are signed, you and I can figure out a way to split those profits, too. It should buy you a nice vacation home—anywhere you want, really.”

As Lara’s laugh floats through the air, my stomach is sick. I’m not sure which is more upsetting. The fact that these two are playing the players to make the team look really good so that Jimmy can sell it, and out from under his siblings. Or maybe it’s that these two have intentionally stressed out their players by making them all work harder off the ice than they need to.

Liars. These two are liars. I don’t like liars…okay, I’ve been playing the role of one, but it was for a good reason. This? Is horrific. A team torn apart. Jobs potentially lost. The arena could close? No.

As the villainous pair chat away, discussing if Miami or San Diego is better for a winter house, I make sure the recording is saved on my phone and sneak back down the hallway to leave.

The elevator doors have barely closed when I text Sutton that I need to speak with her as soon as possible. When I hit send, I press the button for Ollie’s number, my heart skipping when he answers the phone.

“You here?”

“On my way. But there’s something we need to do.”