Page 32 of Inside the Penalty Box

Eyes turned our way as I followed Knox and Clay into the reception area. Tonight, we had to appear at a charity event after the game, which meant all eyes would be on us and the rest of the team.

Women eyed us as we made our way over to a table in the corner while Harris grabbed the four of us water. We all knew interviews were coming tonight, so we had to be on our best behaviour, at least until the end of the evening.

“So, you were pretty quiet about it, and I didn’t want to ask, but I have to now. How did things go with Aurora the other night?” Knox questioned.

“Good.” I nodded, not sure how much I should divulge with thousands of prying ears around us.

“I’m glad, you seem less on edge, and you’re cleared for interviews again. Things finally settle down with all the Carlie crap?”

I shrugged. “Since we last spoke about her, I haven’t heard from her, if that is what you mean.”

“Good, perhaps she has finally learned her place,” Clay said, shoving a small appetizer into his mouth.

“Well, what can I say? Some girls don’t take a hint,” Lucas added, raiding a tray of appetizers as they passed.

“She had a lot of horrible things to say online that could have destroyed your career, man,” Clay added.

I nodded. “Yep, and that is why public relations and my lawyer have been watching for the next bomb to drop. When they suggested sending the cease and desist, I doubted it would work. I was wrong. I just am afraid she is waiting and calculating when to make a move.”

“She’d be stupid to do that. Wouldn’t she?” Knox questioned.

“She would be, considering. I’ve stayed out of the news just like asked. Tonight will be my first appearance since it all went down. To say I’m a little nervous is an understatement.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have broken things off with her?” Clay said, swiping more appetizers from the bar.

“You know why he did,” Knox added, looking my direction.

I knew what he was hinting at, but the truth was Carlie and I were over long before we’d actually broken up. He knew it, as did the rest of the guys. She didn’t need to take our breakup public, especially when the entire breakup was her fault. However, she tried to make me look like I was the bad guy. She took our already public breakup far more public and made claims about me online, but the images she’d attached to the article were a lie. It was from a game three weeks prior to the date she’d claimed. I’d come out of a bar with a bunch of fans, and I had my arm wrapped around some girl. She claimed I cheated. It was humiliating and brought a ton of terrible publicity my way.

“Does she know about the trip to Cozumel and Aurora?”

I shrugged. “Do I care?”

“You might if she catches wind of it.”

“Look, Cozumel, has nothing to do with her. It was over eight months after we called it quits. If she is jealous, let her be jealous. She made her bed. Now, can we drop this topic? It’s like asking for bad karma.”

“Yeah, you are right. Especially right before your first interview in over a year,” Knox said, smacking me on the shoulder.

It was then I felt my cell phone vibrate in my pocket, and I reached in to see a message from Aurora. I stepped away from the table and quickly sent a text back. It had been three weeks since the night Aurora finally admitted to herself and to me she wanted me. We’d spent a wonderful night together before I’d had to leave for a series of games in Florida. She’d gone back to Victoria for classes, and since then, our schedules had been near impossible to sync, so not only had we not seen one another, we’d barely spoken. I’d been trying to fix that. I’d texted her prior to the game and again after, and finally just now she was responding.

Dylan: What are you doing tonight?

Aurora: Lorelai and I are studying for finals.

Dylan: So does that mean you didn’t see the game?

Aurora: Sadly not. We have to pass this exam or we can kiss our meeting with the head of the Therapy Department with the Dominators good-bye.

Dylan: Do I need to remind you that not only do you have Lorelai’s brother rooting for you, but you have me? If he can’t make it happen, then I’ll make sure the pair of you still get the interview.

Aurora: How are you going to do that?

Dylan: I have my ways. I’m a very persuasive individual. ;)

Aurora: Don’t need to remind me of that. However, you promised not to get involved.

Dylan: I did?

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