Chapter Nine: Like a delicate flower
DAWES
I lacked sleep. It was the only logical explanation for why I lay sprawled out on my back, staring at the rink's dome. I again found myself on the receiving end of Mikey's body check without bracing for it. It was a clean hit. Mikey had checked my torso with his slightly bent so our bodies collided at the perfect point to strike directly above my hip padding. I really fucking hope it wasn't broken. My padding did little to ease the steam roller known for making players see red. 'I was lucky that wasn't his full force, but as the cold bit through my jersey, I suddenly felt old.
Monday morning practices were brutal enough without getting so distracted you forget to brace for impact. I couldn't focus on anything but Letty Kerns. Her body, passion, and genuine humor swirled around my head in a never-ending wet dream, complete with a constant need to contact her. Now that I knew who she was, it would be effortless to get in contact, especially with some ruse about working together to see her again. Going into the interview sparked my nerves and left me near panic that something would go wrong; however, seeing Letty sitting in that chair was like a kick to the gut. My beautiful one-night stand turns out to be a reporter.
My body shutters every time I think the word, and anger flares. Journalists were sharks; if there was blood in the water, they would do anything for a taste of that story, even if it meant twisting my life into a never-ending web of half-truths. I'd spent most of the weekend with the bitter expectation of the articles. I could see titles like; 'Playboy Hockey Star Hits It and Quits It Again' or 'Difficult to Work with Hockey Player Ruins Another Interview,' which plagued my mind most of the weekend. Not even a 10-mile run chased them away. The once perfect night now felt tainted with mistrust and betrayal. Yet the slander and lies of gossip columns never came. Letty remained silent, and our night stayed between us for now.
The fact it hadn't happened yet didn't mean I was in the clear. Letty could write or sell her story at any time, and it wouldn't matter to the press—a lesson I'd learned numerous times. It's why my off-ice obligations now needed to be scripted and executed exactly as planned, or the fear would cause me to flee, which is exactly what happened on Friday.
I had practiced and memorized the questions, the order, and how to say them, so when she went off script, everything else went right out the window, and I couldn't continue. Stage fright was utterly debilitating for me. I hated talking on camera or to reporters because everything I said got twisted and turned in various ways. But I was trying to be a team player with this new contract. Leaving in the middle of an interview still hovered over my head, and I dreaded that fallout. My reputation as being unreasonable to work with wouldn't follow me here. I would make sure it didn't.
Mikey's face hovered above mine. Shit, how long had I been laid out for. Probably longer than I needed. I could barely see the worry in his stoic expression, but it was there. Yeah, I'd been on the ice for way too long. I forced a grin, "Solid and clean hit, Robins. Help me up?"
Silently, Mikey grabbed my forearm and I grabbed his as he helped me to my feet. Once I was steady, Mikey slowly back-skated to the starting point of the drill. An assistant coach gave me a questioning look. So I returned the hand sign for Okay. I skated in a quick circle, ignoring the pain I knew would need to be iced later. I sunk into practice, taking my spot as center for another play. The puck slid around the ice with control from my stick, maneuvering around the 2nd line winger to find McSween. He called, and I sent the puck directly to him. He was supposed to return it to the other winger while I got into position.
A woman with dark hair in the stands caught my attention, and I froze as the puck skidded right to my stick. That couldn't be her. She would have no reason to be here. The next moment, Tanner checked me into the sideboards again, and the oxygen leaving my lungs pulled my focus back to the rink.
"Wide open, Dawes!" Tanner taunted before skating off with the puck. A whistle blew, and we all looked to the head coach.
"Run it again!" The coach shouted. I skated back toward my starting position, glancing where I had seen the woman. She turned around, revealing one of the PTs. I should call her. Get her number from one of the Pure Romance team and call her. Apologize for walking out and seeing if she wants to get dinner or something. Fuck, my mind needed to focus on the ice and not on Letty Kerns. A feat I was starting to think I wasn't capable of. So, I tunnel-visioned my mind, following the drill precisely as the playbook showed.
After the team executed the play successfully a handful of times, the coach blew his whistle to signal the end of practice. In the locker room, I slowly peeled off my padding and gear. Tanner, whose locker sat next to mine, grinned ear to ear.
"What's got you so chipper?" I asked as I gently pulled off my hockey pants. I stared down at my hip bone, seeing the early signs of a bruise. Yep, an Ice bath and painkillers were in my near future.
"I got a hot date tomorrow!" He singsonged, texting away with a huge grin.
"Didn't you just go out on a hot date?" I replied through clenched teeth as I rotated my body to see how bad my hip was.
"No. That date was a bust. Superfan crazy level." Tanner's face fell, and I felt for the guy. I patted his bare shoulder in sympathy.
"Dawes." A deep mumble sounded. Tanner and I both jumped at Mikey's sudden appearance. For a man his size, Mikey moved like a silent assassin. It's part of his talent on the ice. I looked directly at him, blinking a few times. The colossal guy roughed a massive hand through his hair. He shifted his eyes between me, the floor, Tanner, and the locker.
Shit, the kid was nervous. With his massive build and natural talent, I forgot he was only twenty. He was still green, with only one season under his belt in the NHL. I gave him a reassuring smile, "Hey, Robins. Great hit today. As I said, clean and solid."
Mikey nodded a slight uptake at the corners of his eyes, "Ah. Here."
He shoved a small metal tin toward me. I took it and stared down in confusion. It had a flower logo but no other indication of its content. "Um... Than--"
"It's an arnica ointment from my family's apothecary. It will help with the bruise." He grumbled as his ears grew beet red. I instantly felt this brotherly protective urge to take this kid under my wing. Yeah, I was really feeling old.
"What bruise?" Tanner asked.
"The one on my hip from the hit earlier." I shrugged, "Thanks, man. This stuff is great."
"Wait, Robins! Why don't I get any of that?"Tanner whined while leaning against his locker. He looked wounded. "Like a delicate flower, I bruise so easily."
Mikey just shrugged and walked away. I smiled at the ointment. Mikey and I were now homies. I waved the tin before Tanner and teased, "I think he likes me more than you."
Tanner grinned, "That's cool. Keep your burly bear. I've got me a date with none other than Vi--"
"Excuse me, Mr. Dawes?" The PR coordinator's male assistant called from the locker room doorway, interrupting Tanner.
"Yeah?"
"I've been sent to fetch you to discuss the interview."
I sighed; it was time to face the music.
The PR coordinator, whose name I'd already forgotten if I even learned it in the first place, sat across from me with a nervous frown. "I... uh... I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Mr. Dawes, but it seems there was an issue with your interview."
"Yeah, they went off script, so I left. I do apologize, but it was unprofessional." I tried to smooth this mess up. I knew I was in the wrong for leaving, but there was no way I'd have been able to continue with the panic attack hanging in the wings of that interview. It was difficult enough to concentrate with Letty mere feet from me, but as soon as she asked the wrong question, my mind went blank, and I answered honestly. That added to the panic gripping my throat, so I fled.
"Oh! I didn't even realize that you left early." The woman paused, opened her mouth to say something, and then changed directions with a soothing smile. "I actually received a call from Violet Kerns. It turns out that the crew messed up the recording, and it will have to be done again. They thought they could just use the still photos for the piece, but the photographer's equipment had water spilled on it as well."
"Those are a lot of accidents," I suspiciously point out. I also mentally note that Letty is short for Violet. Both names suit her.
"Yes, quite the series of unfortunate events." The woman's laugh was tight. "However, Ms. Kerns has reassured me that she won't waste your time again. For the re-do interview, she will stick to the exact same set of questions in the exact same order. She wanted me to let you know that specifically."
I thought it out for a while—the silence causing tension in the room. Doing the interview again sent chills down my spine, but the excuse to see her again was almost enough to say yes. I had my suspicions but couldn't see what the end goal was. Why would she lie to get another interview with me when she could've told the Hot Shots media team it was my fault for walking out? I didn't understand her angle by making it her fault. The PR Rep watched me in a fearful expectancy, so I shrugged.
"Um, I'll think about it and get back to you."