Page 88 of Rowdy Hearts

As the next line headed over the boards and onto the ice, Rebel slid into the empty space on the bench next to me.

“Looks like someone got their mojo back.”

I glanced at Rebel but didn’t see the sarcasm I expected. Ishrugged, trying not to feel too impressed with myself. “It’s the second game. I got a goal. Give me a break.”

“You don’t need a break. Maybe you just needed a push.”

Rebel stuck his elbow in my side then jumped over the boards to take his shift.

Or maybe I just needed someone to see me in a different light.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Tressy

“Ms. Meyers,this is Dana Yeh from Viewpoint Media. I would love to talk to you about an article we’re doing on Denee Henning. As her closest friend, we’re reaching out to get your memories of her. With the resurgence of “Broad Street” on streaming services, there’s been increased interest in the cast and especially in the tragic death of Denee.” A pause. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but there have been some rumors circulating about…aspects of her passing. We would love to get the true story and clear up inconsistencies. I hope you’ll call?—”

I hung up before she finished, having listened to more than enough to know what she wanted. And to guess at what rumors she was talking about. Rumors I had no intention of ever discussing.

I’d just put Krista down in the room next to the bedroom I’d slept in last night. She’d tried hard to keep her eyes open but had lost the battle on the drive home. Before we left the arena, Rowdyhad asked if I wanted to join a few of the Angels and Devils at the bar for drinks or if I wanted to stay in and “take it easy.”

“I’d be more than happy to keep an eye on Krista for you,” Raffi had jumped in before I could say anything. “I think she’s going to sleep pretty well tonight. She’s had a busy day.”

According to Krista, it’d been the best dayever. She and her new best friend had played all day and her dad had cooked on a grill, “like a hibachi outside,” but he’d made hamburgers and hot dogs that tasted “delicious.” She’d arrived at the arena with Daisy and her family, grinning from ear to ear, the knees of her pants scuffed and a stain on her shirt that looked like ketchup.

Daisy had asked if Mandy could sit with Krista during the game because Derek was presenting the colors during the anthem, and I’d been more than happy to keep the girls with me in the suite.

I’d noticed the voice message on my phone sometime after dinner, but I didn’t recognize the number, so I hadn’t bothered to listen to it earlier. But I figured I should at least check to make sure it wasn’t anything I needed to deal with.

Now I wish I hadn’t bothered. My stomach knotted, and I broke out in a cold chill.

I knew the reporter was fishing for information. She didn’t know anything. Only a few people in the world knew what had happened the night Denee had died. And all of them were under an NDA.

So, no, I wouldn’t be calling Dana Yeh back to clear up anything about the night Denee had died. But there’d been another, even more troubling message waiting for me.

From my sister.

“Hey, um, I really don’t want to upset you anymore than you already are, but I wanted to give you a heads up. Lucas is being a total dick. He posted on Instagram that he was worried about you, and he hoped you were all right. I got him to take it down, but it was out there for a couple of hours. I just wanted you toknow so if anyone asked you about it, you knew what was going on. I’m really sorry.

“And I got a call from some reporter, Dana something. She’s poking around for info. You know she’ll never get anything out of me or Mom. I hope you know that. But…I just thought you should know. Love you, sissy.”

My heart clenched a little when she called me sissy. She hadn’t called me that in years. The cynical Bad Girl scoffed, but I knew Tiff meant the sentiment behind it. We were sisters. First and foremost. When it came to me and Krista, Tiff would have our backs. Mom, too, when push came to shove. We had our issues, but she would never hang Krista or me out for the buzzards.

But the reporter was going to be an issue.

Checking the clock, I wondered when Rowdy would get here. I really wanted to talk to him about the situation. At least, as much as I could say about it. Because as much as I wanted to tell him everything, I just couldn’t.

Walking into the living area, I made a pitstop in the kitchenette to grab a bottle of water then sank down onto the couch. Then I pulled up Instagram on my phone because I couldn’t stop myself. I had to be sure there wasn’t anything being said about me or Krista that I needed to get ahead of.

That was my first mistake. The second was actually scrolling through the posts. A few seemed genuinely concerned for my safety, prompted by Lucas’ post, which had been screenshot, of course. Nothing was ever truly gone on the internet.

And if you didn’t know Lucas like I did, you’d actually think he genuinely cared for me. I knew better. Everything he did benefited only one person. Lucas.

Many of the posts praised him for continuing to care about the woman who’d dumped him so carelessly so many years ago. Which was bullshit. Yeah, I’d dumped his ass more than seven years ago, after he’d cheated on me. Multiple times. But, of course, no one talked about what a sleaze Lucas was. And luckily,no one had questioned Krista’s paternity. I’d never revealed who her father was, and I never would. He hadn’t wanted her, but her mother certainly had.

I couldn’t help but compare Lucas to Rowdy. Lucas wasn’t even in the same league. Even in the few short days I’d known him, I knew Rowdy would never use me the way Lucas had. Continued to do.

And yet… I was going to leave. I had to leave. I couldn’t just stay here.

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