Page 24 of Your Biggest Downfall (Ravens Hockey #3)

nova

I gave myself a little pep talk before walking into the arena and heading upstairs to Iris’s office. Intrusive thoughts tried to creep into my brain, but I refused to let them in. I would compose myself and show Iris that I was as surprised as she was.

I looked down to make sure my tattoos weren’t visible. Some were peeking out from my sleeve, so I pulled my white shirt down, hoping it would stay.

When I reached her door, I closed my eyes and knocked twice before letting myself in. She was on the computer, glasses on, hair pulled back into a sleek bun. It felt awkward since she had called me yesterday, and I wasn’t sure if I should acknowledge that.

“Good, you’re here,” Iris said without looking up. “I need you to collect these pages from the printer for the meeting with Austin Hart when I finish.”

It was safe enough to assume then that she didn’t want to talk about what had transpired last night. It was straight to business, which was what I could do—which was what I needed to do.

“Of course.” Anything to help. I wanted to say more, but I couldn’t reveal that I knew him intimately. “I’ll go ahead and wait by the printer for the presentation, then staple them all for you.”

Iris nodded, and I turned to leave. My nose was sore, and I kept sniffling to stop from sneezing.

Iris’s fingers clacked on the keyboard. “Nova.”

I quickly turned back to face her. “Yes?”

“Do a better job of hiding your tattoos.”

Shit. Did she know? No, that couldn’t be possible.

My palms grew clammy. I must be paranoid.

She just disliked my tattoos; there was no way she had figured it out.

But what if she had? What if everything was unraveling?

My breath quickened, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead.

She couldn’t know about Austin and me. She couldn’t know that I was the girl in that photo because I would lose my internship and any opportunity I had to work in PR.

I’d be canceled before I even had a chance to start my career.

No, she just had to be commenting on my appearance for the meeting. There was no way she had put it together. It was impossible... right?

“And get some Vaseline on your nose.”

I wanted to melt. I wanted the floor underneath me to cleave open and swallow me. She knew. She had to know.

“I—I—uh—” I stammered, tears pricking my eyelashes.

I couldn’t break down now. I was a step ahead of her. I wouldn’t let her?—

She sighed and took off her glasses, placing them on top of her head. “I was, er, am involved with someone like Austin Hart. It’s why I know how to do my job so well, Nova. For a while, I thought you’d never be able to do PR because you had no crisis in your life to mitigate.”

Her words hit me hard, and anger flared up inside me.

How dare she assume I had no crises. Just because I didn’t flaunt my personal struggles didn’t mean they weren’t there.

Every day was a battle—juggling work, dealing with my mom’s illness, and keeping my personal life in check.

I fought through it all and still showed up, still did my job.

In fact, I was currently fighting harder than I ever had before.

Every single ounce of my body was demanding that I break down.

I had spent all last night in tears over the shame and embarrassment I felt.

I spent the entire morning knowing I was a part of the reason Austin was going to lose his job.

He was showing me a good time, he was helping me escape my life, and I had a role in all of it.

I did coke too, but he was going to take the blame for it all.

I looked at her, trying to keep my voice steady.

“I have crises, Iris. Every single day. My mother is dying, but I still come in and do my work. I manage PR disasters, I make viral videos for social media, I handle everything thrown at me. Just because I don’t wear my struggles on my sleeve doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”

She blinked, taken aback by my response.

For a moment, silence settled between us, the tension thick in the air.

I didn’t know what her reaction would be, but I couldn’t keep pretending everything was fine when it wasn’t.

It was time she saw me for who I really was—a fighter, someone who didn’t give up, no matter how hard things got.

She swallowed and nodded. “There is an opportunity.” She paused. “This might be the worst time to talk about it, but in the fall, I might have a friend who has an opportunity for a PR opening. I could send you the information.”

My eyes widened in surprise. This was the first time she mentioned anything that didn’t directly relate to my internship. She mostly barked out orders to get her coffee, laundry, and papers from the printer.

Maybe this was my silver lining in an otherwise shitty two days. Thank you, world .

“Yes. That would be great.”

“I also had the team extend your contract through August, so it’ll leave one month unpaid.”

I closed my eyes. Now this was absolutely the silver lining I needed. I sighed and let out a deep breath of relief. “Thank you.”

She pulled her glasses off her head, and I assumed the conversation was over, so I turned back to go.

“Thank you for last night,” she mumbled, and I glanced over my shoulder and gave her a small smile.

I closed the door and forced myself to walk down the hallway before stopping and resting my head against the wall.

I did it. I fucking did it.