Page 112 of Cold Feet
"It's not your fault," I said automatically, though part of me wanted to blame him, to blame anyone but myself. "Someone violated the NDA, or there's a leak. We'll figure out who."
"That doesn't matter right now," he said, his blue eyes intense. "What matters is that you're bearing the brunt of this. The comments online, they're making it sound like you manipulated me, like you masterminded everything."
"Welcome to being a woman in sports management," I said, more bitterly than I'd intended. "No matter what happens, I'm either sleeping my way to the top or manipulating players for publicity. This time, it’s both."
"It's not right." His voice was tight with anger. "I'm going to make a statement."
"We'll coordinate messaging – "
"No," he interrupted. "I'm going to tell the truth. That I asked for your help, that this was mutual, that if anyone's to blame, it's me."
I shook my head. "Cam, you can't. Redline is already wavering on the deal. Montreal might pull their offer. You can't risk your career for –"
"For what? For you?" He stepped closer. "Lana, this isn't just about the deal anymore. This is about your reputation. Your career."
"I'm the PR director. It's my job to take hits for the team, for the players."
"Not like this." His voice dropped, suddenly vulnerable. "Not when it's my fault. I'm the one who asked for the fake engagement. I'm the one who insisted on staying at your parents' place. I'm the one who..." he paused, swallowing hard. "I'm the one who took it too far."
The pain in his voice matched the ache in my chest. Even now, even after everything, part of me wanted to reach for him, to find comfort in his arms. But I couldn't. Not anymore.
"We both made choices," I said quietly. "Now we both have to live with the consequences. But your career, your future – that matters too."
"So does yours," he insisted.
"Let me just..."
"No," Cam interrupted, pulling out his phone as he headed back into the conference room. "I'm doing this now. My way."
"Cam, no – " I said, trailing behind him, "not without a strategy..."
But before anyone could stop him, he was dialing.
"Josh? Cam Murphy. I want to go on record about this relationship story. Exclusive. Right now."
He was calling Josh Winters, the most respected hockey journalist in the country. The one reporter everyone in the NHL trusted to tell the story straight. The one whose nationally-syndicated hockey podcast was streaming live. Right now.Shit.
"Cam," Ryan warned, "Think about Redline. Think about Montreal."
“Cam!” I pleaded. “Don’t.”
Cam's expression didn't waver. "Some things are more important."
There was a pause, and Cam took a deep breath.
His eyes found mine across the room. "I want to make a statement about the reports regarding my relationship with Lana Decker," he began, his voice clear and steady. "First, the facts: Yes, ourpublicrelationship began as part of an image rehabilitation strategy ahead of my Redline deal. That's true. What's false is the narrative that Lana Decker orchestrated this or manipulated anyone."
He continued, each word measured but tinged with emotion. "If anyone is at fault here, it's me. I approached Lana for help after my reputation, which I willingly participated in building, threatened a deal I wanted. I asked her to attend the NHL awards with me and play it up for the press. I pushed for it to continue even when she had reservations. Any criticism should be directed at me, not her."
I stared at him, stunned by his willingness to fall on his sword, potentially sacrificing millions in endorsements and a career-making trade.
"Furthermore," he added, "I don't know whoHockeyInsider's source is, but they were not present for any discussions about this arrangement and have no firsthand knowledge of how it came about. The so-called source's statements are speculative at best and malicious at worst."
There was a pause as Josh asked a follow-up question.
"Let's put it this way, Josh," Cam said confidently, "I'm professional hockey player at the center of a major trade negotiation, the Slashers are a Stanley Cup-winning team, and Lana Decker is the best PR Director in the NHL – do you really think they'd agree to let me startanyrelationship, even one with her, without the protection of an NDA?" Cam continued, a hint ofprotective outrage in his voice. "We work together. You think management and the coaching staff didn't have to sign off on this before Lana and I appeared in public together?"
Another pause as Cam listened intently to Josh's follow-up question.
