Page 84 of Playing to Win

“Then the team looks bad.”

I knew, but I wanted it out there. Spoken. That this was a shitty thing management was doing and they were covering their backs even more than they were Braydon’s.

Kira pulled her laptop toward her. “Let’s see what the wisdom of the internet gives us.” A couple of taps and she started to read a list. “Moving is out. Money problems—I can’t see that applying, and we can’t use it.” The team wouldn’t want to discuss salaries, especially how small mine was. “Different interests.”

We were both hockey focused, so no one would believe that.

“Not sharing housework doesn’t factor in when you’re not living together. And how can you grow apart in a month?”

It must be possible, because Braydon and I had grown close in that amount of time.

“Unfaithfulness…” Her voice trailed off.

“That would make him look bad.” When Kira didn’t answer for a moment, I thought through that comment. “What, me cheating?”

She didn’t rush to assure me that she wouldn’t consider that.

“No fucking way. For the team, this is an academic exercise, but for me, this is my life. This gets spread around, and every relationship I have in future I go into with the label of cheater.” I wanted her to be on my side—to protect me as well.

Stupid me.

I was just a temp here, until Penny returned. I’d thought Kira and I were a team, but we weren’t. “Besides, it won’t look good for Braydon if his girlfriend cheats on him.” I reached for a reason that would fit in with the brief Radner had given us.

“Not always.”

Right. JJ.After his wife’s very public affair with a basketball player, she’d left JJ and support had rallied around him. It must have been horrible for him, but it had been good for the team.

Fuck. Would they really pull that out again? I could deny it, or would they consider that part of my NDA? How the hell could I keep this job, even temporarily, if they sent out rumors about my cheating? Fans would flip that I still worked with the organization.

But maybe the job was never mine to keep, not once Radner had seen those photos. “Are we discussing this, or is this already decided?”

“Of course we’re discussing this.” But she didn’t meet my eyes.

I was collateral damage. I didn’t have any value because I wasn’t a fucking male hockey player. I was a chess piece they could move as necessary, protecting the king—in this case, the Blaze team players.

Fuck that.Double fuck Kira, and Radner, and whoever else was on board with this.

I stood up, trembling with the fury racing through me. “You know, I have an even easier way to deal with this.”

Kira looked at me then, eyes wide. Pretty sure that was relief on her face. She didn’t want to make me the sacrificial lamb, but she would.

“I quit. No conflict. Braydon still looks good.”

“Jayna!” she called after me as I pulled the door open and limped out.

I kept walking. I needed to find some way to vent this fury before I took it out on a person.

Chapter25

I was their asset

Braydon

Back in Toronto,Blaze flags were flying on homes and cars, and there was a group of fans waiting at the airport to cheer us as we came through. We were guaranteed at least one round in the playoffs and the city was thrilled. Toronto loved hockey.

There was of course the other local team. It was a Blaze tradition not to mention their name aloud. They’d been here longer, one of the original six, but they hadn’t won the Cup in almost sixty years. Not sure how mentioning their name was supposed to jinx us, but I sure as hell wasn’t messing with tradition.

With the rest of the day off, I was looking forward to a long nap and some time with Jayna. I’d offered to pick her up from work to bring her to my place. She didn’t answer, so I hoped she wasn’t dwelling on her retirement alone. I wanted her to dwell on it with me so I could help.

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