Page 82 of Face Off
I push to my feet, dropping my used gloves by my side, ready to dart out of the room. to chase after him. To explain what I should have explained all those months ago, but my father steps in front of me.
“Let him go, Hayley. The damage is done.”
“I didn’t get to tell him,” I say, trying to move around my father. “He needs to know because if he gets suspended after what happened tonight. And we lose the game, and he can’t play in Game 7, it will be because of me. It will gut me.”
I collapse to my knees as the tears that once burned my eyes spill down my cheeks. Rubbing the center of my chestwhere a dull ache erupts. He has to let me go. I have to see Brooks. Explain myself.
“He won’t be suspended. It was a minor infraction; he’ll make it out with only a fine,” my father says in a reassuring voice as he crouches down in front of me. “Give him space. He’s pissed; he just needs time to cool off.”
Cool off.
Yeah, that’s code word for realize what a huge mistake he made and end things. I’m just as bad as Tiffany. I lied. I kept a secret when I should have been honest with him. But now I won’t even get the chance to explain why I did it. Brooks made me promise, no more secrets, yet I kept one.
My father grips under my arms, lifting me from the floor, pulling me into a deep hug. The tears continue to fall as my heart breaks.
Brooks
All I see is red as I clomp down the hallway leading to the team garage in my full uniform. She promised no more lies, yet she left out one major fact about her life. The fact that I’m in love with my boss’ daughter.
Hayley is a Richards. Boyce was right, she wasn’t who I thought she was. Now I know why she was so nervous of taking the risk to date me. I’m her father’s employee. She’s the heir to the Skipjack legacy. If things go south, it won’t just be bad PR for the team, but it could blacklist me altogether in the league. Destroyed my entire career I worked for. My legacy.
Yet, I still love her despite the fact she lied to me.
You never really take the time to evaluate your life until something bad happens. That’s what I did when Tiffany lied to me and broke me. I chose after that moment to focus on nothing but my career, the legacy I would leave behind. But it wasn’t until I met Hayley that I wondered when it was all said and done, who would I leave my legacy to. Who would I share that legacy with?
Hayley and Camden, that’s who.
I fucked up.
I know it. I was so pissed off about being ejected from the game, I didn’t give her a chance to explain. I pace the hall a few more moments, tugging at the ends of my hair. Turning, I clomp back to the locker room, hoping she’s still there. I’ll give her the chance right now to explain like she asked, like I should have done from the start instead of overreacting.
Pulling open the locker room door, I’m hit with silence. I walk into the open space, nearing my locker, and shrink in disappointment. I walked out on her. What did I expect? To be sitting here waiting to talk to me with open arms?
A flat screen hanging in the corner shows the time winding down on the second period, the Skipjacks now trailing the Heat by two. Yeah, we’re suffering because of me and my dumbass mistakes. The buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the second period. I take a seat on the bench, resting my arms on my knees before dropping my head to my chest. I can’t look my team in the face right now.
Muffled voices echo through the closed locker room door before it’s thrown open, and the team filters in. I rub my hand along my stubbled jaw as Halloway takes a seat next to me. Patting me on the back, he asks if I’m okay. All I can do is release a grunt before being put on blast by Coach.
“Miller, fine example you made of yourself out there. Get showered and meet me in my office,” he says before turning to address the rest of the locker room.
I don’t argue. There’s no point. I’m the captain, and what I did was something a rookie would have done. I pull my sweater over my head and remove my pads. Forgoing the shower completely, I throw on a pair of basketball shorts and a Skipjacks tee before making my way to Coach’s office. I raise my hand to knock but don’t even get the chance.
“Get your ass in here, Miller.” His tone firm, angry. No, not angry—he’s pissed. And I deserve every bit of his wrath he’s about to unleash on me.
I hang my head and open the door, walking to take a seat in front of Coach’s desk. I expected Mr. Richards to be here, or the GM, yet it’s just Coach and me. Coach’s scowl will most likely hurt tomorrow, but it’s warranted. I’m probably getting suspended and demoted from captain.
God, I fucked up worse than I did when Tiffany broke me.
“I know I fucked up,” I start to grovel, but Coach raises his hand to stop me.
“You’re not getting suspended. However, you are being fined for that little stunt you and Cameron pulled out on the ice. Don’t worry, he’ll be facing his own set of fines,” he says, but I know there’s more to this little meeting. Usually, it’s here’s your penalties, now get the fuck out of my office. But not this time. No, this time, I can tell he has more to say.
You’re getting traded.
You’re being stripped of the captain title.
You’re being demoted to farm team.
All those possibilities run through my head, but nothing could prepare me for what he says next. “So, I suppose you found out who Dr. Hayley Marshall really is.” The fuck? He holds up his hand, silencing me again so he can continue. “I bet you’re wondering how I knew that, weren’t ya? Well, I’ve worked for the Skipjacks and Wade Richards for a long time. In fact, Wade happens to be one of my best friends, which makes a whole lot of sense being that I’m also Hayley’s godfather.”
