Page 135 of Just One Season
I need her to know she’s more than good enough. She’s better than I deserve.
The door is open to the last conference room—the big space is used for formal team meetings and press briefings.
It’s quiet as I approach, but then I see that there are a few rows of journalists already seated, notebooks in their hands, press badges clipped to their shirts. I step into the room and remain in the back.
Lina is talking at the podium. Next to her is Paul, a few corporate leaders like Claire Morgansten, the HR woman who interviewed Lucy and I back in October about our relationship, and a handful of people I don’t know.
And Lucy.
She’s wearing a long, dark blue cotton dress with short sleeves and a scooped neckline. Her curls are off her neck in a messy bun, and two tendrils lay along the side of her face.
I watch her. She doesn’t see me yet. I can’t believe I did so wrong by this woman. That I used her to protect myself from Paul and Savannah and then went along with the breakup like shedidn’t mean everything to me. I hid behind all the excuses in the world: my trust issues, Ava, hockey, anything to avoid my feelings.
Especiallyafter I fell in love with her.
I’d like to spend forever making it up to Lucy.
“We have an exciting new sponsorship to announce today,” Lina says. “We’ve been hammering out the details for a few months now.” She glances at the people I didn’t recognize and smiles. “I’ll let Paul say a few words.”
Paul steps to the podium, and I completely tune him out. The sponsorship representative joins him up front.Christ, the press must be bored to tears.
I’m about to make it a lot more interesting for them.
My gaze is drawn back to Lucy, and I find her staring at me, eyes wide. Her gaze is like a beam of sweet summer sunshine.
I smile at her, but she looks even more confused.
“Anyone have questions?” Paul asks.
One reporter asks about the previous headline sponsor. Paul answers that one. Another reporter asks if the players have any new individual sponsors. Lina steps forward and speaks.
Then the room falls quiet. It’s time for me to prove to Lucy that she’s good enough.
Starting with one date.
Heart pounding, I shoot my hand in the air. Lucy mouthswhat are you doingand shakes her head.
“Oh, hi Kellen,” Lina says, an easy smile on her face. “Did you have a question?” Her expression saysof course you don’t, anddid you get lost?andwhat are you doing?
“Yes, I do.” I push away from the back wall and take three steps up the center aisle. The reporters turn and look at me expectantly, most of them smiling.
“Go on.”
“I wanted to ask Lucy Knox if she’d go to dinner with me.”
There are smiles and chuckles from the audience, who’slooking between me and Lucy. Lina looks over at Lucy with wide eyes.
“Don’t worry, everyone,” I say. “I cleared it with HR.” The HR woman raises her eyebrows and looks less than amused, but the journalists chuckle.
Lucy is staring at me, her mouth dropped open, and her pink cheeks are the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
“A little off the agenda—” Lina sneaks a look at Paul, who shrugs and half rolls his eyes. He’s the most chilled out I’ve ever seen him.
“—but I guess I’ll allow it.” Lina throws her hands in the air and waits for me to speak.
“Lucy?” I take a deep, filling breath. What I’m about to do might be career-limiting, and this time it’s mine, not Lucy’s. Despite his nonchalant look at the moment, Paul might be disgusted with my display. The press might destroy me. Lina might cease recommending me for sponsorships. I’ll certainly get called into HR.
“I am so sorry that I let things end between us. It was a huge mistake, and I’ll never forgive myself for losing the past month with you.”
