Page 50 of The Pucking Grump

Relief washes over me. I was terrified people would not believe me, but it seems I had nothing to worry about. This interview did its job.

“Our segment is almost up,” Kate says after she reads a few more posts, all of them expressing support for me. “But I’d like to ask one last question about the lyrics of the song you sang back in that bar. I’ve got to say, we know very little of Blake White except that he’s managed to keep his nose clean during almost eight years playing hockey.”

I think of Blake’s little cabin, about the coziest place I know. “Yeah, he likes to keep things private.”

And I ruined that for him.

I push away the guilt to listen to her next words.

“Your lyrics speak of someone waiting for you at the end of strife and sorrow. Are you singing of him?”

I swallow. There’s no going back now.

“Yes,” I say, my PR smile back in place. “Meeting him was random, but I like to think it was kismet.”

“How so?” Zach asks.

I try to think of what I felt in the moment I met him. It’s not hard to recall—all of the fear and angst comes flooding back to me within a second. “It was the lowest point in my life. My world was collapsing around me. I always knew to an extent that I was living a lie, but I never let myself face it. When I wanted to run away, I literally had nowhere else to go. I was sure I’d be hunted down by my father, and he’d make me walk down the aisle.”

“So, there I was, in this huge dress I didn’t want and at this gigantic venue I didn’t care for. All I knew was that I had to run. And then, I fell right into his arms.”

“You’re kidding,” Zach swoons. He’s lost his dramatic flair, and he looks genuinely stunned.

“Not even a little bit. I ran into him, and we fell to the ground.”

Kate chuckles. “And your relationship evolved since then?”

“Naturally. It’s pretty cool being with someone who gets you to feel all those things you’ve dreamed about but never really thought would happen. It’s honestly the best thing ever.”

“Yeah, we can see that,” Zach says. “You’re positively glowing.”

I flash my first genuine smile at them as Kate gives her closing remarks, and we freeze until the camera shuts off. Instantly, two producers come running up to us, huge smiles on their faces.

“You were amazing!” one of them cries. “We broke the internet . . . They’re going to be talking about this for years.”

I sag against the couch. It’s finally over. Relief rolls through me, leaving me weaker with every passing second. Still, there’s a niggling feeling at the pit of my stomach, like there’s something wrong, and I can’t place my finger on it.

Kevin comes onto the set, flanked by a couple of his assistants.

“He’s right,” he squeals. “The internet loves you once more. I’ve been on your IG page. Your fans are going crazy in the comments, telling your dad to release your social media accounts. I’ve asked Heather to compose an email to him, informing him you’ve switched managers. We’re hoping to get him to release your passwords within the hour . . ..”

I nod, feigning excitement even as I tune out Kevin’s words. I am happy that one interview has turned my reputation around, and I’m glad that I’ll be independent from my father soon.

But I also just realized what the niggling feeling is.

It’s the fact that I haven’t had to lie once about how Blake makes me feel.

And that is the most terrifying thing of all.

17

PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN

“Now, here’s a man worth singing for!”

Laughter rings around the dressing room, buzzing in my ears. I spent the last two days preparing for it, and yet, I still feel annoyance well up in me as I look into the faces of my teammates.

“Stop it,” I warn through gritted teeth. I cast a deadly gaze around, because all of the bastards are grinning at me in that same mocking way.

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