Page 45 of The Worst Pucking Deal

Speaking of Coach, he enters the locker room just as we’re finishing our preparations. “Alright, boys, listen up,” he says, his voice commanding attention. “We’ve got a big game tonight, and I expect nothing but your best effort out there. Stick to the game plan, play smart, and leave it all on the ice.”

We nod in agreement, already feeling the adrenaline pumping through our veins. It’s moments like these—standing shoulder to shoulder with my teammates, ready to battle it out on the ice—that remind me why I love this game so much.

Heading out onto the ice for warm-ups, I glance in the direction of the offices. I know Jo’s and Tom’s overlook the rink, and I wonder if Lucia is in one of them now. Fuck, I shouldn’t be worrying about her. She’s not my fucking concern. So why the hell can’t I stop thinking about her? Wondering if she’s okay? Nope, this has to stop. She’s a grown woman, I’m sure she’ll be fine.

Lucia

I sprint down the corridor to Jo’s office, my heart pounding in my chest. Without pausing to catch my breath, I burst through the door, panting slightly. “Sorry I’m late,” I gasp out, but Jo barely acknowledges my apology, her expression tight with irritation.

“Sit down, Lucia,” she says curtly, gesturing to the chair opposite her desk. I comply, feeling a knot of anxiety forming in the pit of my stomach as I meet Jo’s steely gaze. “Who the hell was that guy at the interview?” she demands, her tone sharp. “And don’t you dare lie to me.”

I swallow hard, feeling a surge of panic rising within me. I can’t tell her the truth about Fabian, not when it could jeopardize everything. So instead, I try to play it off. “Oh, uh... he was just... someone who showed up,” I stammer, my voice faltering.

Jo’s eyes narrow, her frustration palpable. “Don’t play dumb with me, Lucia. I want answers, and I want them now.”

My heart sinks as I realize Jo will not let this go easily. Obviously, I can’t tell her the truth, but I also can’t afford to raise any more suspicions. Maybe I should have taken Sawyer up on his offer to join me. I bite my lip, struggling to find the right words. “I honestly don’t know who he was, Jo.” Fuck, I need to lie better. “We weren’t really introduced. So I assume he was just a random person in the audience.”

Jo nods, like she expected me to say all of this. She opens her laptop and shoves it toward me. “Why do you look scared?” she asks, her tone less accusatory now. “Has this man harassed you in the past or something?”

Balling my hands into fists, I dig my nails into the soft flesh on my palms. “He just reminds me of someone I used to know. But when he talked, I realized it wasn’t him.”

“And you’re sure that’s all there is to it?” Jo asks, cocking an eyebrow. “Now is the time to come clean, Lucia.”

I swallow audibly. “As far as I know, there’s nothing more to it. But as I said, I don’t know him, and the likeness to someone from… err, back home just took me by surprise.” I’m relieved when Jo’s expression softens, and I hope that means she believes me.

Jo leans back in her chair, studying me intently for a moment before sighing heavily. “And what about the engagement news? You do realize it’s everywhere, right? Thanks to the live interview, there’s no way to contain it.”

“I didn’t know,” I say, mentally cursing myself for not checking mine and the team’s socials before coming here. “But there’s nothing to it.”

“Why did you wear the ring?”

Shrugging, I explain, “You guys wanted Sawyer to look more… stable, I guess. So I thought it was a good way to hint at how serious we want them to think the relationship is. Give them something to guess and gossip about.”

I try my best to act like it was all done in service of the greater good. Which I suppose it was… my greater good that is. I’m the one who needs the rumors flowing. It’s not like I can walk right up to Sawyer and ask him to marry me. But maybe public opinion and, yeah, gossip can help nudge him in the direction I need.

The more I think about it, the smaller I feel. I know I’m manipulating Sawyer, playing him big time in a way I have no right to do. But… I’m not willing to stop. My freedom hinges on me getting us to the altar, and that’s something I’ve wanted for too long to give it up all because of my pesky conscience.

“Fine,” she says. “But for your sake, I hope you’re telling me the truth. I don’t have to tell you what will happen if this comes back to cause problems later.”

“Maybe you should,” I volley, unable to keep my temper locked down. “What have I done to deserve you treating me this way, Jo?”

She gapes. “Excuse me?”

I shake my head. “No, not anymore. First, you deliberately make me late for the meeting with Tom. Then you make me sound incompetent, and now, after making the world see Sawyer as a doting boyfriend who’s about to move in with the love of his life, you threaten my job because of a random person in the audience. So I ask you again, what have I ever done to you?” I’m shouting at the end of my tirade, but I don’t care. She owes me some answers.

Jo is quiet for a few moments, her expression unreadable as she considers her response. When she finally speaks, her tone is softer, but there’s a hint of sadness in her voice. “Lucia, you have to understand,” she begins, her words measured. “Before the meeting with Tom, I knew he wanted the PR team to find a fake girlfriend for Sawyer. And I also knew that you were already his top choice.”

I blink in surprise, taken aback by Jo’s revelation. “Wait, what? Tom wanted me to be Sawyer’s fake girlfriend?”

Jo nods, her gaze steady. “Yes. And when I found out, I... I was trying to protect you, Lucia. I knew it wasn’t fair to put you in that position, so I tried to shield you from it as much as I could.”

I feel a mix of emotions swirling inside me—shock, anger, confusion. How could Tom do this to me? And why didn’t Jo tell me sooner?

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” I demand, my voice tinged with frustration.

Jo sighs, her shoulders slumping slightly. “I wanted to, Lucia, I really did. But I didn’t know how you would react. And I was hoping that maybe... maybe I could find a way to fix things before you had to find out.”

I shake my head, feeling a sense of betrayal creeping in. “So you kept this from me, just to protect me?”

---