Page 109 of Cold Feet
"You don't believe that," Cam said softly, his eyes never leaving mine. "I know you don't."
I turned away, unable to maintain my composure under his intense gaze. My fingers gripped the window sill, knuckles turning white. "It doesn't matter what I believe. What matters is what happens next. And history suggests that what happens next is you disappear.Poof."
"I want to stay." Hisvoice was barely above a whisper, raw with emotion. "For you. With you."
"But you won't." I faced him again, forcing myself to speak the words that would end this once and for all. "You'll go to Montreal because it's the smart career move. And I'll stay here because this is where I belong. And in another ten years, maybe we'll finally stop wondering what might have been."
The finality in my voice seemed to hit him physically. He stepped back, his expression shifting from pleading to resignation.
"Is that really what you want?" he asked quietly. "To end this before we even give it a chance?"
"What I want," I said, struggling to keep my voice steady, "is to not be someone's consolation prize. I want to be someone's first choice. Their only choice."
"You are," he insisted, moving toward me once more. "Lana, you have been for ten years. Since that first night."
"Then prove it." The words escaped before I could stop them, a challenge I hadn't intended to issue.
Cam stared at me for a long moment, the weight of everything – our past, our present, our uncertain future – hanging between us. The morning sun had risen higher now, streaming through the window and illuminating the dust motes between us, a physical manifestation of all that remained unsaid.
"I need to go," I said finally, gathering my things with shaking hands. "I have a crisis management plan to finish. For your big move."
Pain flashed across his face. "Lana, don't – "
"Goodbye, Cam." I walked past him toward the door, every step an effort. "Take the Montreal offer. It's what you've worked for your whole career. You'd be stupid not to."
I paused at the door, not looking back. "Just don't expect me to wait around this time."
I walked out before he could respond, before I could change my mind. My vision blurred with tears as I made my way down the corridor, past curious glances from early-arriving coworkers.
I had survived losing Cam Murphy once before. Surely I could do it again.
Chapter 20
I'd had bad mornings before. The time my car was towed on the day of a major press conference. Waking up with the flu during the playoffs. Reading Zayne's name in trade rumors for three straight weeks during a slump a few years ago.
But this? This was catastrophic.
I was still reeling from my conversation with Cam and had just returned with a coffee when Katie's face appeared in my doorway, her expression grim. "Lana," she said, holding her tablet like it might burst into flames. "You need to see this. Now."
The headline fromHockeyInsider.comglared up at me:
EXCLUSIVE: SLASHERS' STAR AND PR DIRECTOR CAUGHT IN FAKE ENGAGEMENT SCANDAL
My stomach dropped through the floor. The coffee slipped from my hand, splashing across my heels and onto the carpet. I barely noticed the burning liquid as it seeped into my Maison Margiela stilettos.
Katie closed the door as I scrolled through the article, each paragraph more devastating than the last.
A source inside the St. Petersburg Slashers confirm that the much-publicized engagement between left winger Cameron "The Hitman" Murphy and team publicity director Lana Decker was fabricated as part of an elaborate scheme to secure Murphy a lucrative endorsement deal with Redline Athletics.
According to documents obtained exclusively by HockeyInsider, both Murphy and Decker signed non-disclosure agreements regarding their arrangement, which was designed to rehabilitate Murphy's well-known playboy image ahead of final negotiations with the sportswear giant.
They had a copy of the NDA. Someone had leaked our actual NDA. I felt sick.
The source confirms the relationship was entirely professional until recently, the insider noting, "It was Lana's idea from the beginning. She created the playboy image for Cam, and then had to fix it when it backfired. The whole thing was a PR stunt."
I kept reading, unable to look away from the devastation unfolding on the screen.
The revelation comes as Murphy is reportedly considering a trade offer from Montreal, raising questions about the timing of the engagement and its potential dissolution. Redline Athletics has not yet commented on how this development may affect their pending contract with Murphy, estimated to be worth over $5 million.
