Page 108 of Power Play

“I mean, I was a witness. There was an officiant. Papers were signed. It seemed pretty real to me.”

“Why would you let us go through with something so stupid? You know I don’t date. You know I’m not interested in having a relationship,especiallyduring the season. And,Jesus Christ. You know Piper went through hell and back with her dickbag of an ex-husband.”

“You’re an adult. You can make your own choices. I asked you multiple times if this is what you wanted to do and you said yes. Repeatedly. When I changed the wording of the question so you couldn’t just bob your drunk head to show signs of agreement, you still answered yes. This isnotmy fault.”

“You could’ve stepped in and done something,” I challenge. “Taken me back here. Walked us away from the wedding chapel.Anything.”

“It’s not my responsibility to keep you in line, Liam.”

“Okay.” I blow out a breath and press the heels of my palms in my eyes. “How many people know about this?”

“From the team? Only me. Everyone else was plastered. There’s no way they remember.”

“Okay, okay. How do I fix it?”

“That’s a loaded question.” I lift my chin and find Hudson eyeing me hesitantly. “You sure you want the answer?”

“Obviously.”

“You either stay married, or you get a lawyer and start the process for an annulment.”

That makes me burst out laughing. “Why the fuck would I stay married?”

“I don’t know. Maybe deep down you wanted to get married? What’s the saying? Drunk actions are sober thoughts?”

I lift my chin and glare at him. “I’m playing the best season of my career. I don’t have time to play house with someone.”

“Piper,” he says. “Not someone.”

“Hi, Hudson,” she says softly, right on cue.

I tell myself not to look at her, but I have to see her. I have to know she doesn’t hate me for what I said, because I really fucking hate myself.

I glance over my shoulder and she’s standing there with wet hair. Wearing jeans and a Stars T-shirt that doesn’t look nearly as good on her as my jersey did.

She offers Hudson a small smile and ignores me completely.

That hurts more than the hangover.

“Hey, Little P.” He stands and hugs her, and it pisses me off when she wraps her arms around him. When she takes a deep breath and rests her cheek on his chest. “How ya feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a truck. My head is pounding, and I don’t know if it’s a migraine or the alcohol.”

“Both, probably.” He laughs and squeezes her, releasing her after a beat. “I didn’t know you don’t drink coffee. I could’ve brought you something else.”

“How do you know I don’t drink coffee?”

“Liam just told me.”

“Oh. He’s right. No coffee for me.” She takes a seat on the couch. “Last night was a shitshow, wasn’t it?”

“Shitshow is putting it mildly. Corralling hockey players around Vegas without anyone getting lost, robbed or in a fight is a blast.” He sits next to her and grins. “Speaking of last night, I was talking to Liam about your situation.”

Her spine stiffens and she rests her hands on her thighs. “I know Liam is eager to get out of this predicament, and so am I. I’m going to call my lawyer when we land in DC and get the ball rolling on paperwork. Instead of being thirty-two and divorced, I’ll be thirty-two and divorced twice. That’ll be fun to put on the Christmas cards this year.”

Piper is trying to act like she’s tough and brave with her sarcasm, but there’s sadness in her eyes. Defeat in her self-deprecating smile. That fear she told me about—of being alone—radiates off of her, and now another person is trying to leave her.

“Hayes suggested an alternative,” I blurt out, and her eyes finally snap over to me. “He said we could stay married.”

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