38. Ian
Ever since Oliver told me what Liza said as he was leaving her office, I’ve been on edge. I’m jumping at shadows just waiting for something to emerge from them. Extending my morning yoga routine has been helping quiet my mind. Talking with Emily usually helps too, but lately, she’s been just as twitchy as me. Every time she has a moment alone, she’s sending off rapid-fire messages to someone, but anytime someone gets close, she immediately locks her phone. There’s a secretive air about her, and her eyes are often twinkling like she’s in on some private joke we’re not privy to.
Nothing we’ve tried has gotten us any closer to figuring out what she’s up to. We’ve tried to tease, please, punish, and bribe it out of her, but she’s unflappable. Clearly, it’s something big.
My phone chimes, notifying me that Gossip Gretchen has just updated her blog. I’d turned off all media and news notifications after falling into that black hole after my shoulder injury, but I made an exception recently for this blog. I know in my bones that if Liza is going to try to wreak havoc with our lives, it’s going to start there.
It’s been over a week since that showdown, so I’m half expecting not to see anything important when I tap on the notification. Maybe it was an empty threat and she’s moved on with her life.
Puck Bunny Baby Daddy Exclusive
Or not.
Oh, shit, it’s a video.
The last time Gossip Gretchen did a video interview, six people were fired from their organizations and a lawsuit was filed that was so salacious, even international news was covering it.
“What is it?” Emily asks.
“I think Liza might have made her move.” I cringe as I turn my phone toward her.
Her reaction surprises me. Instead of curling into herself or starting to pick at her cuticles, she just shrugs and shakes her head.
“Well, let’s see what we’re dealing with,” she says.
“You sure?”
“No sense in waiting. It won’t change anything.”
I call Alexei and Oliver over so we can all watch together just in case she ends up needing some additional moral support.
The interview is over video chat, and as usual, Gretchen, or whoever she really is, has her camera turned off. All we can see is her logo. What’s unusual is that her interviewee has done nothing to obscure her identity. There’s Liza, looking polished and poisonous, preening for the viewers.
“That’s bold,” Emily mutters.
“You are in for a treat today, gossip fans,” Gretchen says with her distorted voice. “I have here one of the top insiders in the pro hockey world, the agent of one of the most notorious men in media, Oliver McKenna.”
“Former agent,” Liza corrects, smoothing her hair.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Gretchen responds.
“Honestly, I’m glad we parted ways. Things were getting far too dramatic.” She laughs.
“What sort of drama?” Gretchen coaxes. “Don’t leave us hanging.”
“This girl they’re all seeing—” Liza starts.
“All of them?” Gretchen interrupts.
“All three, yes. I’ve seen them out at my favorite club many times, and they were all over each other.” Liza shakes her head.
“How selfish.” Gretchen laughs. “Why do you think she’s not content with just one man like the rest of us?”
“No idea,” Liza answers, “But I’m not sure how she does it. She was constantly calling my office trying to see where Oliver was and what he was doing whenever they weren’t together. She’s even shown up to my office a few times trying to track him down. I’d be exhausted doing all that snooping with one man. I don’t know how she’s managing with three. Poor thing must be exhausted.”
“For more reasons than one,” Gretchen quips.
They both laugh, and I feel my hands curl into fists so tightly my fingernails are digging into my palms. Emily takes my hand, then starts uncurling my fingers and massaging the tension out of it.
“She’s just jealous,” Emily soothes.
“How are you so calm?” Oliver demands.
“There’s nothing she can do to hurt me anymore. Why should I care? You already know my big secret. She’s got nothing on me,” She answers.
“And how did that impact you?” Gretchen asks.
“I tried to be friendly with her and convince her I was on her side, but she was cold and very possessive over Ollie—excuse me, Oliver.” Liza grins. “She hated when I called him that.”
“You know, I have to wonder how this whole four people in a relationship works. I know this isn’t their first rodeo with a single heifer, if you’ll pardon the pun, and since you’re an insider, I was wondering if you could shed any light on the matter. Do they rotate who spends time with her over the week or…?” Gretchen trails off insinuatingly.
“Now, I’m a proper lady and I don’t have any experience being passed around like that, but from things I happened to overhear when Oliver was on his phone, it seems like these men aren’t too good at waiting their turn.” Liza grins.
“Are you saying everyone participates at one time?” Gretchen asks.
“The only thing I’ll say is this. Some relationships are like solitaire, just the player and the cards. Other relationships are like a gaming console. Multiple ports to plug into.”
“Are there even enough ports?” Gretchen laughs.
“Oh, who knows with people like that?” Liza shrugs. “I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them play offense and defense, if you know what I mean.”
“What do you think they’re all getting out of this?” Gretchen asks.
“Who knows. Alexei is so frigid, I wouldn’t be surprised if nothing could warm him up to” —she pauses poignantly— “play the game. Ian is emotional enough that I don’t think he has the sense to make intelligent decisions, and Oliver is so codependent that he couldn’t bear to be left out of anything.”
“And her?” Gretchen prompts.
“Oh, she’s probably trying to decide which of the other two she wants to father her next child. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was trying for a hat trick. That girl would be set for life thrice over if she could pull that off.”
“Wait a minute,” Gretchen exclaims. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“A good agent doesn’t tell secrets.” Liza smiles secretively. “However, I will say that she turned up at my office around five years ago, ready to pop, demanding to speak to Oliver. I didn’t believe her at the time, but the dimples don’t lie.”
“There you have it, gossip straight from the horse’s mouth. Let us know your theories in the comments!”
I set the phone down, shocked and horrified at what we all just witnessed. I can feel my hands shaking with repressed fury. I haven’t felt this out of control of myself since my shoulder injury. Alexei isn’t faring much better. His knuckles are white, the muscles in his neck are pulsing, and his eye is starting to twitch. Oliver is a pale shade of green and looks like a kicked puppy. I can’t imagine how much this betrayal has hurt him. I wish I knew how to help.
Before I look at Emily, I brace myself and try to be ready for any reaction she’s having. She got the worst of the abuse in the interview, and I know she went in with a brave face, but if it were me, I’d be devastated right now.
She’s bent almost completely in half with her head in her hands. Her whole body is shaking.
You never should have let her watch this. You should have protected her.
I reach out to rub her back, but my hand stops in midair when she snorts.
She’s laughing.
Why the fuck is she laughing?
Her laughter gets louder to the point where she’s started wheezing. Emily’s body rocks back and forth as she cackles.
The guys and I exchange confused looks.
“You planning on letting us in on what’s so funny?” Alexei asks dryly.
Emily sits up, takes a few deep breaths, and then wipes the tears from her cheeks before she answers.
“This,” she says, pointing at my phone. “This is the funniest thing I’ve seen all week.”
“Seriously?” I ask. “Did you not hear a thing they said about you?”
“No, I did,” she replies. “It was shitty, but don’t you get it?”
“Get what?” I demand.
“She’s never going to work in this industry again. She showed her face while spilling all sorts of gossip. Not only that, but she also actually admitted that she eavesdropped on your private conversations. Liza destroyed herself and we didn’t have to lift a finger. No one is ever going to trust her again. How is she going to get new business after this? It’s perfect.” Emily beams.
“I never thought about it that way,” I admit. “I was more worried about how you’d take what they said.”
“It’s definitely hurtful. I won’t pretend it isn’t, but it’s not too different from when Audrey tells me I’m ‘the worst Mama in the world’ and that she ‘don’t love me no more’. It stings, but at the end of the day, she’s just an overstimulated child having a tantrum. That’s exactly what Liza is doing right now. She’s got no power and she’s acting out. Who cares what anyone else thinks about us?”
I do, but I shouldn’t.
“You are really something else,” I say, shaking my head. “Only you would find something good from all of this.”
We spend around an hour picking the interview apart and discussing what our next steps are going to be regarding the media and any other potential fallout.
Alexei’s phone buzzes angrily.
“Speaking of fallout.” He gestures to the phone. “It’s management.”
“Gee, what could they possibly want to talk about?” Oliver says sarcastically.
“Should you even answer it? Wouldn’t it be better to do some more planning?” I ask.
“Well, we won’t be able to set plans in place for exactly how to deal with them if we don’t know what they want. We’ve speculated, but that’s only going to get us so far,” He counters, then disappears into the kitchen to take the call.
“I should have known that.” I shake my head, embarrassed.
Liza’s words in the interview about my emotional state start playing on a loop in my brain. There was no reason for me not to make that connection. Maybe she is right.
Emily turns my face to hers. “It’s been an emotional few days, Ian. It makes complete sense that you’re a little scrambled. No one is going to blame you for it. You’re only human.”
“So you think it’s true, then,” I say, dejected.
“What’s true?” Emily asks.
“That I’m too emotional to make rational decisions.”
Her eyes soften and she presses a gentle kiss to my lips.
“You have strong feelings. That’s not a flaw. Emotions and logic can exist in the same body. It doesn’t make you less than because you express them. It’s only a problem if you bottle them up until you explode or you’re hurting someone.”
“What about fighting on the Ice? Does that count as hurting someone?” Oliver teases.
She rolls her eyes. “Ignore him, he’s being a smartass. You make plenty of rational decisions. Missing out on making one connection after watching something stressful does not mean you’re ruled by your emotions or whatever bullshit they were trying to sell everyone.”
“I love you,” I say, pulling her in for a kiss.
“All right,” Alexei says once we pull apart. “They want to meet with us to discuss how this interview impacts our PR as a team.”
“Why do I feel like that’s code for a dressing down?” I ask.
“Because it is.” Oliver rolls his eyes. “Don’t they have anything better to do?”
“What time is the meeting, Love?” she asks sweetly.
“Emily, you’re not going. This is our problem with management. You don’t have to sit through this shit show,” Alexei says.
She marches over until they’re standing toe to toe. “Your problem? I don’t think so. When one of us has a problem, we all have a problem. That’s what a committed relationship means. I’m going. Now, what time is the meeting, Alexei?”
Oliver and I exchange smirks as Alexei quails under her gaze.
“Nine a.m.”
“Excellent. That gives me plenty of time.” She grins.
“To do what?” Alexei demands.
The wicked gleam in her eyes terrifies me.
“You’ll see tomorrow at noon. I’m sure you big, strong men can handle waiting that long,” she teases.
Then before any of us can stop her, Emily is on a mad dash for the door, slowing only to call over her shoulder, “I’ll be back soon. You’re on Audrey duty!”