Chapter 36 – Cooper
Chapter Thirty-Six
Cooper
“ A re you sure this is how you want to do this?” Beau asks, handing me the neatly wrapped present my mother brought from my place.
I couldn’t bear to leave Ramona in the hospital all alone. Pure terror fills my veins as my eyes flick around the room, searching for her. I take a deep breath, reminding myself that she’s just in the other room, getting changed. Two recently hired bodyguards stand at the entrance. “Yes, this is the only way to prove to Henry how dangerous Annamarie is to all of us.”
Remy and I tried to reason with Henry, but he wouldn’t budge. He couldn’t believe that his little girl could do something so sinister. He admitted to knowing about her crush on me, but he blew it off as a passing fling. Too bad he has no idea how dangerous she is, but our plan will show him.
“But a fake press conference? Isn’t that going a little far?”
“It’s not fake, per se. There is a trusted reporter in the room who will be given the scoop of a lifetime and a nice payout if she only reports what we tell her to.”
Henry was reluctant to agree to this one reporter being present, but I wasn’t budging on this. I pat the box in my pants pocket, knowing this is the right thing to do. After what happened yesterday, I need to make sure everyone knows how serious I am about spending the rest of my life with Ramona.
“If you’re sure. This is a big step to be making so soon after starting therapy.”
“I know, but I had my first meeting with my therapist this morning, and she assured me that this will be a good thing for both of us. A way for us to heal together and set us on a path for the future.”
With Beauty’s help and a few recommendations from her therapist, I connected with a wonderful woman in Connecticut that does telehealth appointments instead of in person, ensuring that I can continue therapy when I start playing again. We have a lot to work on, but I’m confident with Ramona’s and everyone’s support, I can do anything.
“I’m happy for you, Cooper. I think you're nuts, but I’m happy for you.” Beau slaps me hard on the back, taking one last look at himself in the mirror. He isn’t the one going on stage and speaking in front of a room of almost all fake reporters, but he can’t be seen without his persona in place.
“When are you going to drop the act and let everyone see the real you? I have a feeling someone else might respond much better to that than the lies she sees in the papers about you.”
“One day of therapy and you’re already trying to psychoanalyze me,” he chuckles, running his hand through his curly hair. He went without the backward baseball cap today, trading his jeans and hoodies for a nice pair of charcoal grey tailored pants and a light blue button-up shirt. When I asked him, he said he wanted to give off an air of confidence instead of his usual laid-back attire.
“Nah. Just speaking from experience. Letting someone in won’t send them running in the other direction. If she’s the person you were meant to be with, she’ll love every part of you, even the bad parts.”
“Enough, Dr. Phil. I get your point, but I’m not there yet. I honestly don’t know if I ever will be.” His phone rings softly in his pocket, and he pulls it out, his eyebrows pulled down in confusion. “It's a text from Cole. He wished me luck in the game today and asked me to tell you to stop calling. When he wants to talk, he’ll call you.”
“I only called him once.”
I run my hand along the back of my neck, adjusting the black blazer Ramona suggested I wear to cover the bandages. We don’t want the one real reporter in the audience asking too many questions. I don’t know if I'll ever be ready to share my struggles with the world, but whether I tell the world or not needs to be my choice.
“I wanted to tell him everything and try to explain myself. I’m hoping that if he understands, we might be able to start over. I miss my brother, too.”
“Cole has his own demons that he’s fighting. I’m sure he’ll come around when he’s ready to talk, now that he knows you're at least open to listening to what he has to say.”
I hate that Cole thought I was unwilling to listen to what he had to say. Sure, I said some horrible things to him that night, but I apologized and tried to talk to him almost immediately after. He was hurt and eighteen years old. We all think we know everything at that age. We both let our stubbornness get in the way, neither one wanting to make the first step to mend the hurt between us. This is me taking the first real step in mending my relationship with my brother. I just hope he’s willing to meet me in the middle.
“Are you two ladies done primping? The press conference starts in two minutes.” Remy barges into the office we commandeered to get dressed near the media room.
“You realize this isn’t a real press conference?”
“Yes, smartass, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to be on time.” Remy claps his hands before pulling the door open and motioning for us to leave.
I shake my head before shoving Beau out the door, and the three of us make the short walk to the media room. All the “reporters” are whispering to each other around the room. Melody is sitting front and center in the third row, pen poised and ready to take notes.
When Remy suggested a fresh-out-of-school reporter who interned at his agency over the summer, I thought he’d lost his mind, but after speaking to her for a few minutes on the phone this morning, I knew she was the perfect choice. Her passion for the truth outweighed everything else, a rare quality in journalists these days. Something that I definitely wanted to reward. Hopefully, this gives her the boost she needs to be writing sports news regularly.
I come to the edge of the stage and lean down, beckoning my beauty closer with my finger. “Are you ready?”
Ramona tried everything she could to get out of coming today, but she needed to be here for this or my entire plan would fall apart. She was discharged from the hospital late last night after getting a clean bill of health. The minute we stepped through my door, the mothers descended, fussing over both of us. Momma didn’t say anything about the bandages on my arm when she saw them, just cleaned and redressed them like the doctor instructed to do. I want to tell her everything, but I don’t know if I’m ready yet. It was hard enough telling Ramona. I’ll tell Momma, I know I need to, but not yet.
Remy and I had everyone else have their own private viewing of what was going on in here. They’re safely tucked away in another room. We wanted to make this press conference as believable as possible.
“I'd be more prepared if you told me what you were going to say.” She fidgets with the maroon wrap dress I insisted she wear. I knew there would be more than a few photographers in the room, and there was no way she’d have wanted to be caught in any photos wearing her usual jeans and an oversized sweatshirt.
“Everything will be fine. I promise.” I plant a kiss on her forehead, letting my lips linger there for a few moments before standing to my full height.
She takes her seat to the right of the stage, out of the way of everyone, flanked by her guards. This was another thing I insisted on. I needed to know she was safe with Annamarie in the same room. I’d never make it through this if I didn’t know she was safe. She reluctantly agreed, but not without making me promise they’ll be gone afterward. I made no such promise, much to her dismay, but hopefully, this will make it up to her.
Just as if I thought her into existence, Annamarie strolls into the room, draped over her father’s arm. Her hair is styled perfectly in some type of updo, and she’s dressed in a bright green fitted dress with nude-colored pumps. Now that I see her on the arm of the team owner, I’m noticing their similarities. Henry is about 5’8”, with broad shoulders and the same bright red hair as his daughter’s. Their eyes are the same, not only in color, but in the way they scan the room, analyzing every person they pass for weaknesses.
“How are you doing today, Cooper?” Henry holds his hand out to me, and I grasp it in mine, shaking it firmly.
“I’ve been better, sir. Thank you for putting all of this together on such short notice. I want to set the record straight about my relationship.”
“No thanks necessary, son. I just gave you the room. That agent of yours did all the heavy lifting.” Annamarie clears her throat loudly, tugging softly on her father’s arm. “Oh, I almost forgot. I wanted to introduce you to my daughter, Annamarie.”
“We’ve met, Daddy.” She giggles softly, looking at me from beneath her lashes. “Hey, Cooper. I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.”
“I’m sure you’ll love it.” I force a smile before moving around to the podium and tapping the mic with my finger. “Good afternoon, everyone. I don’t want to keep you long. I’m sure you’re all eager to get to the game.”
Beau stands behind me to my left, and Remy is on my right, both men offering me their silent support. “I’m sure you’ve all seen the news calling into question my relationship with Ramona King. I wanted to take a few moments to set the record straight. Ramona and I are very much in love with each other. She has never had any type of romantic relationship with my brother, Beau. They love each other like siblings. What you saw in the photos was Ramona giving my brother his birthday present after the game. The fight pictures were a squabble between Beau and another teammate. I just happened to be in the frame.”
Beau takes a step forward, throwing his arm around my shoulder and leaning down closer to the microphone. “My brother is the best man I know. There’s no way we’d fight on the ice, let alone over a woman. No offense, Ramona.”
“None taken!” she yells, causing everyone but Annamarie in the room to laugh.
Gone was the calm and collected owner's daughter that she usually presents to those around her. The facade is slowly cracking. I watch as her knee bounces up and down rapidly as she fidgets in the chair. Annamarie’s eyes are locked on Beauty sitting in the corner.
“There’s no relationship between my brother and Ramona. Never has been and never will be, but I understand your confusion.” I stroll toward the edge of the stage where my beauty is sitting. Her eyes widen in surprise as I come down the stairs toward her, pulling the small box free from my pocket.
“Cooper.” Her hands fly to her mouth as tears collect in her eyes, following my movements as I slowly lower myself to the floor. “Are you doing what I think you’re doing?”
“Kind of.” I wink at her, flipping the box open. The two-carat white gold solitaire diamond ring sits nestled in the box, the light reflecting off the stone. “This was the ring Dad proposed to Momma with. He eventually got her the new, more flashy one that she wears to this day, but this one was always meant to be mine.”
I pluck the ring from the box, the band pinched between my thumb and pointer finger as I hold it out to her. “He told me to give this to the woman I planned on spending the rest of my life with. The person I know will stick by me through thick and thin, no matter what. That woman is you, Ramona King.”
A tear trails down her cheek as I grab her other hand, the ring hovering over the finger that I’m hoping will be its final resting place. “I have a long way to go before I’m a man worthy to call you my wife, but I want to give you this ring as a promise to be better. To work every day of the rest of my life to be a man you’d be proud to call yours.”
Beauty slides out of her seat, dropping to her knees in front of me. Her hands frame my face as she smiles. “You already are, Cooper Hendrix. You already are.” Her lips come crashing down on me as waves of happiness and hope spread through my veins. My lips part, allowing her to deepen the kiss. I can feel her love pouring into me, lighting up the darkest corners of my soul and giving me hope for the future. And I give it back to her tenfold, wanting her to know how much I love her and need her in my life. Wanting her to know she’s the piece I was missing, the last piece that will allow me to finally heal.
The room erupts into thunderous applause as we break apart. “Yes,” Ramon whispers against my lips before leaning back. Her eyes focus on the ring as I slide it onto her finger.
But the sound of Annamarie’s screeching immediately ruins the moment. “No. No. No. That fucking dirty bitch is ruining everything!” Annamarie picks up the chair she was sitting in and throws it onto the stage, barely missing Beau’s legs. “Why won’t you just fucking die already?”
Her face drains of any type of emotion as she pulls something out of her purse and charges toward us. Everything happens so fast. I grab Beauty, covering her body with my own, as Ramona’s two bodyguards spring into action. Everyone is screaming around us, but I don’t move a muscle. The need to protect Beauty from Annamarie overrides everything else in my mind. I knew Annamarie was going to lash out when she heard my declaration of love for Ramona, but I didn’t count on her being so overtly antagonistic toward us. Maybe Henry will finally believe the things we told him his precious daughter had done.
“You can’t have him you, you fucking monkey. You think because you look more like me than your own kind and can speak proper English, you can have him?”
I turn to respond to her vile words but snap my mouth shut. This isn’t my fight. This is between Ramona and her tormentor, something that has been bubbling under the surface since we were in high school.
My eyes scan the room, searching for Beau and Remy, but they’re both gone, probably on their way to check on everyone in the other room. The two bodyguards I hired are holding Annamarie back, her arms pulled behind her back as she struggles to get free. The more she struggles, the wilder she looks. Her perfectly groomed hair is now sticking out in different directions, making her look as wild and out of control as she is on the inside.
“He’s too good for you, and you know it.”
Beauty pushes out of my arms and moves at lightning speed toward Annamarie. She stands a few inches out of her grasp, her eyes focused on Annamarie as she struggles to get free. “He may be too good for me, but he is mine.”
Pride swells in my chest that she publicly claims me as her own. Things could change at any minute. There is a tough road ahead for both of us, but we can do anything if we stick with each other. Not wanting to leave her alone in this fight, I slide up beside her, lacing my fingers through hers.
“Fucking disgusting.” Annamarie makes a sound deep in her throat before spitting in Ramona’s face. “You're just a distraction. A whore to warm his bed, which he’ll kick to the curb when he’s finished with you. He’ll come find me when he comes to his senses. We’re meant to be.”
Beauty reaches up and wipes the spit from her face. “Is that why you hate me so much? Because I have a meaningful life? Surrounded by people who love and care for me?”
“You don’t deserve any of this. I did everything to get him to notice me, but you came in with your tricks and that damn bastard of yours. Cooper has a big heart. Of course, he’d want to be a good role model for that fucking bastard kid of yours. You can find a daddy for him down at the corner. Surely that makes more sense for you.”
“Don’t you ever talk about Darius like that again,” Ramona growls, pulling back her arm and hitting Annamarie right below the cheekbone.
“Fuck, that hurt!” Ramona bellows as Annamarie sinks like a dead weight into the guards’ arms, effectively ending the conversation.
“Take her to my office. I’ll call a doctor to look at her before driving her to the hospital myself. I just hope she’ll go willingly,” Henry commands as he watches his daughter’s limp body being carried out of the room.
I should probably say something to him so we can figure out where we go from here. His daughter messed with my career and my life, manipulating him for her own sick desires. The trust I’ve always had in the team and our owner is broken. Maybe it’s time for me to find a new home to finish out my NHL career.
I lift her hand gingerly in mine, turning it from left to right, looking for any wounds. “I really should teach you how to throw a proper punch.”
“It looked a lot less painful on television.” She hisses as I touch a tender spot with my thumb.
“Everything is less painful when it’s on television,” Melody says as she appears beside us, holding out a bag of ice to my beauty. “You’re going to want to ice that and take some painkillers for the swelling.”
“You know a lot about bruised knuckles?”
“More than I’d like to admit.” Something akin to horror crosses her face, but it disappears quickly, a forced smile in its place. “I’m guessing I can report all of that in tomorrow's edition.”
“Everything but the part about the owner's daughter trying to kill the two of us. Everything else is fair game,” I respond, laying the ice gently across Ramona’s knuckles.
“Great. Congratulations again, you two. Do you have a date in mind for the wedding?”
Ramona and I look at each other and smile. I didn’t plan on asking her to marry me today, but I made a promise to spend the rest of my life with her. I would love nothing more than to hop on a plane to Las Vegas and be married before midnight, forgetting all our problems and shoving down all the pain deeper before slamming the box shut again. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about all of this is that those negative emotions fester the longer we wait to deal with them, leaching into our system slowly before it’s infecting every part of our lives.
“No. We have all the time in the world.” Beauty lays her head on my shoulder, bringing my hand to her lips and kissing it.
When I stopped at the crossing leading into Redwood Falls, I believed my life as I knew it was over. Everything was slipping through my fingers or just out of reach. But the minute I laid eyes on Ramona on the back of Bluebell, the sun silhouetting her perfectly, my life was irrevocably changed. That wasn’t the end. It was the beginning.
“That’s right, Beauty. All the time in the world.”
God damn it. I really owe BlueBell a lot more than just some apples.