Page 2 of Fake-Off with Fate
“I don’t know what else to do. Your father knows how I feel, but he refuses to make any concessions. I deserve better.”
“Why don’t you go away together?” I ask.
“He won’t leave his stupid job long enough to do that. He thinks he’s indispensable, like Maple Falls would fall to ruin if he isn’t on constant standby.” Her sarcasm makes it clear she doesn’t think that’s the case.
My brain spins with viable solutions but all I can think of is, “There must be a vice mayor who can take over.”
“Vice mayor? This is Maple Falls, not New York City.”
“Who’s next in line, then? You know, should Dad beunable to fulfill his duties.” I giggle inwardly at the image of my dad as the hopeful first runner up in the Miss America Pageant— where I first heard that line. I used to always envision the girl in second place turning rogue and hiring someone to run over thereigning queen with a semi-truck so she could inherit the crown.
My mom interrupts my reverie. “I suppose the comptroller, but she’s on maternity leave.”
“And then?”
She releases a low hum like she does when she’s deep in thought. “There’s Gerald, but he has gout. According to his wife, he could be out for weeks.” I don’t even bother asking what Gerald’s position is. For all I know, he might be the janitor.
In a final attempt to save my parents’ coupledom, I offer, “I could come home and help.” Not only am I enormously organized—as my profession would indicate—but my dad has been trying to sell me on the benefits of elected officialdom ever since he became mayor of Maple Falls. Of course, that’s primarily because he thinks my job is ridiculous and nobody, no matter how wealthy, needs a closet organizer. Little does he realize the entire ecosystem of Hollywood is based on such triviality.
“You would do that for me?” The relief in my mom’s voice is apparent.
“I would do anything for you,” I assure her. Also, I do not want to be the thirty-two-year-old daughter of divorced parents. Especially because I know that deep down my mom and dad really do love each other.
“How fast can you get here?”
All I have left in Callista’s closet are the shoes, so I tell her, “I could leave the day after tomorrow.”
“You’d better come tomorrow. I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.”
“I love you, Mom,” I tell her. “Don’t issue any ultimatums until I get there.”
“We’ll see.”
A crisis of this order is the only thing that keeps me from trying to convince my client that her concept of orderliness is total chaos. Leaving the bathroom, I make quick work of placing three hundred and twelve pairs of shoes in such a way, onemight think they were swept up by a tornado and dropped willy nilly from the sky. Okay, it’s not that bad, but it’s still horrendous.
At five o’clock, I walk out of my client’s Beverly Hills compound and drive home to pack. All the while, I say a silent prayer my mom keeps her cool long enough for me to figure out how to save her marriage.
CHAPTER 2
JAMIE
Tryingto relax into the lumpy cushions of the ancient sofa that came with my rental, I click the link on my phone sent to me by the editor of theMaple Falls Gazette. It’s the article about my recruitment to the Ice Breakers.
Coach Dale Hauser of Maple Falls’ very own Ice Breakers has just announced his choice for captain, Jamie Hayes. Hauser tapped Hayes for this coveted position on his newly minted NHL team, claiming, “There’s no one I trust more to lead my guys to victory. Jamie is a straight arrow who knows the importance of teamwork. I’m excited to be working with him again.”
Hayes comes to us from the New York Blades where he played center for the last six years. Before that, he was with the Chicago Flame. He started his career at the University of Illinois in Chicago where he first played under Coach Hauser.
I recently spoke with Jamie, who told me, “I’m looking forward to getting to know all the guys and can’t wait towork with Dale again. I owe my continued love of hockey to the dedication he showed to my college team. There are few role models like him left.”
I continue to skim the rest of the article, hoping it will help to soothe the potential ruffled feathers of my new teammates. I understand from Dale that more than one of them was vying for the position of captain. While it’s common practice that the captain is one of the players who has been with the team the longest, this team is new. As such, they need a leader who’s had the most experience.
With the exception of Cade Lennox, who also played for the Blades, I haven’t ever been on the same team with any of them. It will be novel to play with them instead of against them like in years past.
I’ve always admired Weston Smith, who was traded from the Tennessee Wolves. He’s a really determined guy, which is something you need to succeed in this sport.
Then there’s Carson Crane, who’s one of the few hockey players I’ve ever heard of that’s from the south, which is not at all common in our sport.
As for me, I most likely would have stayed with the Blades until retirement had my girlfriend not left me for the billionaire she met on a recent fashion shoot in Martinique. After her desertion, I seized the opportunity to get out of Dodge and nurse my wounds in a more secluded location.
