Page 22 of The Pucking Fake Marriage (The Ice Kings #4)

TWENTY-ONE

ON THIN ICE (KEN)

Anger, more than anything, keeps me laser-focused.

In ten minutes, I’ve broken through the Blades’ defense twice and scored two goals—one of them unassisted. The boos from the crowd die off faster than I expected. Now the spectators are losing their minds, our opponents are getting more desperate with every play, and Coach Tanner is losing it on the bench, screaming his lungs out.

“Nice to have you back, Edwards!” Blake shouts as he skates by, nearly colliding with me in his excitement.

“Really, really fucking great,” Luke says from my other side.

Time is running down fast in the second period, but the Blades aren’t letting up. Their center drives hard toward our goal again, and we all tighten up on defense. Luke gains control of the puck and sends it my way with a solid pass. I manage to slip past their center and start charging toward their goal, but the buzzer sounds before I can take the shot.

“And that’s the buzzer for the end of the second period, folks! The Titans are showing why they’re the defending champions with that stunning comeback. ”

“Not sure how the Blades are going to turn this around now. With Edwards back on the ice, they might as well pack up.”

“So, you go from being told to hang it up to being the best player out there,” Luke laughs, skating up beside me. “Figures.”

Blake flashes a quick middle finger up toward the broadcast booth. “Assholes.” He then turns to me and says, “Let’s head in for the intermission huddle.”

We skate off the ice together as the period ends. As soon as we hit the tunnel, a few cameras flash, and reporters start shouting questions. It’s not the full post-game chaos, but they’re already looking for soundbites.

“I know this happens every time,” Blake says. “But it still stuns me how you can go from being the most hated player to the most loved one in ten minutes. Alex went through this bullshit too. That’s what I dislike most about playing hockey.”

I shrug. Adrenaline is pulsing through me, and I feel more alive, more me, than I have in a very long time. Months even, since Charlie came back into my life. This is what I spent my life working toward, perfecting a sport and excelling at it. Being celebrated for it, even.

Still, there’s a niggling on the back of my neck. Like I can feel Charlie’s eyes digging into my back. I hate myself for it, but I’m still sort of wondering what she thought of that. Takes me back to high school, all our high school games that I always asked Charlie to attend, how much better I played knowing she was watching.

I just performed wonderfully now too. Only it was because I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of knowing how horrible the past few weeks have been for me.

Still works, anyway .

The huddle passes by quickly. For once, Tanner and the other coaches seem more predisposed toward compliments than criticism. In no time at all, we’re cruising back to the ice and facing off against the defeated-looking Blades.

“You might as well quit now,” Nelson screams over the ice at them. Trash-talking opponents is a routine aspect of hockey.

“Not a chance in hell,” their left winger spits back.

“You alright, man?” Blake mutters. “Just saw her.”

My jaw tightens. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Against my better judgment, I look over at where Alex was sitting. Charlie’s still in her seat, staring at me. Like before, she appears to be terrified, but the look in her eyes also seems to say, “ I'm not leaving here until I get to talk to you. ”

I’m almost certain I’m not interpreting that correctly. Charlie has spent the last few months leading me on a wild goose chase. She’s not about to start pursuing me now. Unless, of course, she’s waiting for me to get stuck on her hook again, so she can reel me in once more.

Don’t know if I’m cut out for that. The memory of confronting my family at Christmas is still too fresh. Plus, the fact that Charlie actually believed that I would do something that awful to her. Deliberate or not.

“You don’t have to speak to her after the game, you know.” Blake is still darting cautious looks at the trio. “Don’t know what Alex and my sister were thinking. I’m going to have a talk with him when this is done.”

“Forget it.” Even if I’m pissed at Alex right now, I know that he’s doing what he thinks is best. There have been low moments, including a night where I told Faye and Blake the truth about Charlie’s broken ankle. Faye suggested therapy, which I turned down. Britney was the first to suggest reaching out to Charlie. I’d told her she could do that, but only because I suspected Charlie wouldn’t be willing to have a conversation anyway.

And now, bringing her here. Don’t know how this is supposed to help me heal, but I’m not going to stick around and find out.

The next twenty minutes pass by in a haze. I score one more goal and assist Luke and Blake for a goal apiece. The Blades pull back by one goal at the dying minute, but it makes next to no difference. The buzzer sounds with the scoreboard showing 5-2, in favor of the Titans. My teammates crash into me in jubilation as the crowd goes wild.

“Fucking did it!” Tanner’s distinctive scream seems to echo around the stadium. “I knew it. I knew you hadn’t lost your mojo, Edwards!”

I plaster a smile on my face, hugging and jumping along with everyone else. The commentators are now rattling off our stats, comparing them to the other teams in the playoffs. We still have a chance. That, more than anything, fills me with genuine happiness.

“An interview, Mr. Edwards?” The reporters are now fighting their way through the horde of Titans and fans alike. About twelve cameras are flashing in my direction, twice as many questions being shouted at me by people shoving mics in my face. Beside me, Luke and Nelson are being treated similarly.

I open my mouth to say something scathing, only I think better of it. If Charlie’s really trying to get my attention, nothing will dissuade her better than a pointedly long, drawn-out interview with these goons.

“Yeah, whatever.”

The questions are all over the place, from our chances in the playoffs to speculations about my surprising turnaround. I pick the least offensive query and start to rattle off some facts. The moment I’m done, more cameras flash and even more questions are asked. It goes on like that for a while.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Blake extricating himself from his own group with difficulty. I’m starting to consider doing just that when I hear Blake’s slightly raised voice. “No, not now.”

I turn around. He’s holding out his arm, and from the looks of it, he’s trying to stop someone from getting across to me.

Charlie.

Well, fuck it all to hell and back.

My core erupts in fiery madness. I knew Charlie was a daring woman. Only a certifiable lunatic would do everything she’s done so far, including traveling to Las Vegas and marrying me. But this , trying to talk to me in front of three dozen cameras, has broken my already-high expectations. Hell, even Alex and Britney, who are flanking her, look a little surprised by this turn of events.

Charlie doesn’t seem to notice the fact that Blake just spoke. She keeps her brown eyes glued to me.

“I’ve been trying to reach you for weeks now. I’m not going to let you keep avoiding me.”

The cameras all spin in her direction, heads turning her way. In seconds, about a hundred people—reporters and fans alike—are staring at her. But she doesn’t budge.

I’m almost impressed.

Almost.

“I have nothing to say to you.” My words ring clearly in the quietening crowd. Somewhere inside me, I feel a hint of regret. I haven’t had a single scandal since I started playing in the league, but that record’s going to be broken by the end of night .

Another reason to be grateful for Charlie’s re-entrance into my life.

She doesn’t seem put off by my rudeness. Taking two steps closer to me, she keeps staring me down. Blake’s arm falls limply, letting her pass. “Well, I have a lot to say to you. And as much as I would have liked this to be a private moment…” Her lower lip quivers for a second “…if you’re not going to give me that, then I’ll take this.”

“I’m not willing to give you even this.” A gasp runs through the crowd, and I see a slice of pain in Charlie’s eyes. Great, I think, mollified. Charlie always scurries away at the slightest hurt. This time, I’m going to use that to my advantage. “Leave, Charlie. Now.”

“No.”

A stronger gasp runs through the people standing by. I barely hear it. I’m too surprised.

She looks determined. Reminds me of the first day I walked into her restaurant, when she fired her chef. That’s the version of Charlie I’m dealing with now, the one that will either do something or die trying.

“I’m not going to take a lot of your time. But I’ve just got to tell you that…I’m sorry.” She swallows hard, and I catch a glint of tears in her eyes. “I’m really, really sorry.”

My own throat tightens with anger. An apology. Of course. I told her exactly how her ankle got broken, and then watched her freeze. My family disbelieving me was expected, if not welcome. But it was the silence from Charlie that shattered me almost beyond repair. Knowing she still thought I was capable of doing that to her. And siding with Kali over me again.

After everything, I’d done the one thing I said I wouldn’t do. Let myself fall for Charlie even with her horrible record. And once more, I’m stuck picking up the pieces. I’d be foolish to let her hurt me a third time.

“That all?” I ask. “Well, thanks. See you around.” I’ll send her a text later to pick up her stuff from my house, so we can get started on an annulment. The faster I get her out of my life, the better.

“No.”

Tension seems to ripple through the crowd as it does through me. What the hell is she playing at now? “What?”

“That’s not all.” She steps even closer. Tears spill down her cheeks, and I feel my heart burn in spite of myself. “I also want to tell you that I love you.”

More cameras clicking. Gasps around the arena. My teammates are still pressing against me, but we could as well be the only two people in the world right now. Hell, time just stopped and blended into nothing.

There’s no way I heard that right.

“I’ve always loved you.” She wipes away her tears, but more rivulets come flowing down her face. “I think I loved you from the first moment I met you. How could I not? You’re the most amazing man. But I was too damn scared. I never wanted to deal with the possibility of losing you, so I kept it in check and locked away. But I know better now. Life without you has lost its color. I don’t want to spend even one second away from you.”

The two halves of my brain collide and combust all at once. It is happening right in front of me, probably being streamed live on a dozen social media platforms, but I still can’t believe it.

Ten long years after confessing my love for her, Charlie’s finally saying everything I’ve wanted to hear. Finally admitting that she loves me.

I don’t even know what to think. Or what to say .

“You’re kidding.”

She shakes her head slowly, closing the gap between us. Taking my hand in hers, she grips it tightly.

“I love you, Kenneth Edwards. Always have, always will.”

I stare down at her beautiful eyes streaming with tears. The sincerity in them is as clear as day, the love sparkling bright in those orbs.

I’m still in disbelief, but the truth is starting to break through those layers, like weak sun rays splitting through ice.

Charlie Chapman is in love with me.