Page 13 of The Husband Game

He turned to face Charlie, giving him his best puppy-dog eyes. “What do you say, kitten? Will you stay married to me for a while to keep up appearances?”

* * *

Charlie rose to his feet. “No. Absolutely not. There is no way in hell we’re staying married!”

“Just listen, Charlie,” Dustin said in a tone probably meant to be soothing but that did little to reassure him. “Wade isn’t exaggerating about the league taking a beating lately.”

“Why should I care about a stupid sport filled with homophobes and wife beaters?”

Dustin and Wade both flinched.

And Charlie felt a stab of guilt.

Okay, that wasn’t fair.

He liked hockey. He liked the fast pace and the skill, and the league had done surprisingly well by the guys who’d come out.

According to Jamie, there were a few locker room rifts around the league, but for the most part, it had gone smoothly.

Just because one guy was horrific didn’t mean everyone was like that.

Jamie Walsh certainly wasn’t or Charlie would never have let him within a mile of his best friend.

Charlie opened his mouth to soften what he’d said but Dustin leaned forward, dark brows drawing together, his gaze earnest.

“I understand why you might not like the sport. There are problems. We both know that. But ice skating has its problems too, yeah?”

Charlie winced. That was putting it mildly.

“People are working to fix that in hockey. The biggest scumbag in the league is gone. He’s never setting foot on the ice again, and that’s thanks to players and coaches and, well, guys like Wade here.”

“I know that,” Charlie admitted.

“And you don’t have any reason to care about the league or what it represents, but I know you must care about the progress we’re making with LGBTQ causes, right?”

Charlie nodded grudgingly.

“Can you see how a scandal around a gay marriage could further set things back?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not trying to put this all on you,” Dustin said. “I know no one asked you to be a part of this—well, maybe I did when I proposed—but—”

“Who says you proposed?” Charlie countered with a toss of his head. “Maybe I proposed to you.”

“I remember it the other way around. But if you want to admit you’re so desperate to get in bed with me that you proposed marriage …”

“I …” Charlie sputtered, trying to come up with a retort. “I did no such—”

Wade cleared his throat again. “Okay, well, that’s a discussion you two can have at another time. Right now we need to focus on the plan moving forward.”

Dustin nodded and, grudgingly, Charlie did too.

Wade frowned. “I am not sure who represents you, Charlie, but before this goes any further, we should get your agent looped in. Who are you with?”

Charlie swallowed hard. “I have no agent. Not anymore. I cut ties when I retired.”

Wade’s lips parted and he stared at Charlie as if the words made no sense.

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