Chapter 38
HANNAH
H annah sat at her desk, scrolling through the headlines from a fundraising event at the St Regis Hotel the night before.
Another score for Ward McKenzie.
The athlete had been a big hit at the KidsCare Foundation benefit. He’d been part of a silent auction that had raised over fifteen thousand dollars after a wealthy donor bid on him for a series of private hockey lessons and one-on-one coaching for his son.
She sought out the accompanying media shots and swallowed hard at the sight of him. The tux she’d arranged was off-the-rack Dolce but looked tailored to perfection on his strong body, and while these days he didn’t rely on the cane so much, she’d also suggested it as an accessory to give an additional dapper touch.
And to remind his burgeoning legion of admirers that he was still on his recovery ‘journey’.
The man of the moment was due to arrive at the office soon for a debrief on everything else she had planned for him. And based on what she’d just learned from his agent, potentially a very nice surprise too.
Hannah smiled. It had been a busy time. There was no denying that things were seriously starting to turn around for Ward now and public perception had gone through a major shift. They had since fallen into an easy partnership and had established a good cadence working together. There had been no more public missteps or stupid outbursts, and to his credit, Ward had been following her directions and guidance, and their work was paying off.
He seemed way more comfortable with the social media side now too, provided that whatever he shared was in line with and on-brand with his sports image.
While he rarely posted anything personal, he’d even taken the initiative to tag Frank’s coffee place one time, resulting in a deluge of fresh custom, and Hannah knew that helping his friend’s business meant way more to him than any personal online clout he’d amassed.
She just hoped all Frank’s newbies thought to bring cash.
Once the bulk of the messaging revolved around sports, didn’t encroach on his privacy or paint him as someone he didn’t believe himself to be, Ward was cool. So Hannah did her best to colour within those lines – and despite those initial false starts, all seemed to be working out.
After that little slip outside the podcast place, she was also doubly careful not to lower her own guard or reveal anything more about her personal life to him.
This needed to remain a one-sided game. Life in general seemed to have settled down too, much to her relief.
Despite (or more likely because of) her cringeworthy iMessage confessional, Rob had since completely ghosted her and she’d heard nothing from him regardless of his being in the city for the golf tournament.
And while a part of her heart broke all over again, and her ego was well and truly crucified, she also figured it was for the best. There was no future for them now, never had been really, and those recent overtures from him were surely just blatant attempts at an easy booty call while he was in town.
You were always my lucky charm .
Maybe the cat did her a favour after all.
Following a few promising nights out on the town with a couple of office colleagues, whom Hannah was hopeful might in time become friends, she and Ed next door had since fallen into a friendship of sorts too, which meant her formerly pitiful social life was also looking up.
And while they still hadn’t come face to face, at least these days there was an easy neighbourly camaraderie. Sensing that Ed was far more comfortable with anonymity since he’d never once suggested any in-person encounters, Hannah was careful not to force the issue.
No more noise complaints or threatening notes, no more wayward deliveries – all of that had been sorted – and he, in turn, seemed considerably more reassured about having her next door. She was gratified that their interactions, which often now verged on banter, provided him with a bit of companionship and an outlet that he didn’t otherwise have, cooped up all day in his apartment.
At her very core, Hannah was a helper – and whether it was developing branding strategies for wannabee influencers, athletes with reputation problems or helping a homebound elderly man feel less lonely – finding ways to smooth things over had always given her the most joy.
Make it so.
Though now that she thought about it, she hadn’t heard from Ed for a while. She made a mental note to check in soon and bake him some more treats – if, for once, she got home from the office at a reasonable hour.
The line on her desk buzzed, announcing Ward McKenzie’s arrival, and when a few minutes later he appeared in her office, Hannah looked up.
He took a seat across from her, but seemed to have regressed to his older glummer self – and not at all like the dashing man-about-town beaming back at her from the PC screen after yet another successful public outing.
‘You OK?’ she asked by way of a hello.
He slumped down. ‘Too much standing around last night, I think. Leg’s bothering me,’ he mumbled. ‘And I got home later than I wanted to.’ He scowled, wincing a little. ‘I was supposed to join some guys from the team to practise some light training today; see how things are shaping up, but I called it off. I’m tired and then I had to trudge all the way down here too.’
Hannah swallowed guiltily, uneasy at the prospect of setting his recovery back because of something she had done. Again.
‘Ah, I’m sorry about that,’ she replied earnestly. ‘I didn’t know about the practice. And as for coming here, next time just tell me if you’re not feeling up to it, OK? I could just as easily have come to you.’
He met her gaze and after a beat, his green eyes softened. ‘Nah, it’s OK,’ he conceded. ‘I rescheduled the training thing for later in the week. Just felt a bit stiff, you know?’
‘Probably the dress shoes too,’ she commented, glancing at his trainers. ‘I know how I feel after a night in four-inch stilettos.’
He finally smiled. ‘Yeah, well, at least you’re something to look at.’
Hannah’s mouth went momentarily dry, and she felt a blush rising to her cheeks. Quickly, she reached for her laptop and turned it around to face him, hoping it would take his attention off of her face. Dangerous ground.
‘Seriously, though,’ she stammered, quickly moving on, ‘look at this coverage. The media shots are so good. You look great.’
He leaned in to get a closer look at the screen and two lines appeared in between his eyebrows.
‘I look like a bozo. And now I’m giving hockey lessons to some rich jackass’s kid. I dunno, Hannah, I felt like a pet monkey or something.’
‘It’s three lessons, and the kid’s just seven years old. And you don’t have to do it until you are fully fit and back on the ice again. Plus, you raised so much money for a very good cause, remember? You might have to give lessons to a rich kid, but the money you raised will help a lot of sick kids.’
While he had never truly opened up about it, Hannah had done enough research on Ward to find out that he hadn’t had the easiest time growing up. She supposed there might be a bit of a projection as to why anything that helped less fortunate kids was always something he could be more easily persuaded into, but she would never dream of asking him about it.
‘Yeah, I know, I know. I guess you’re right,’ he admitted.
Hannah also knew that conceding someone else could be right about something was equally hard on him, so she didn’t labour that either.
‘So,’ she continued, smiling. ‘A great success all round.’ She saw him shift in his seat and he averted his eyes, this time looking at the wall. ‘What’s up?’ she asked, realizing he had something else to say.
He shrugged again. ‘I don’t know. I mean, yeah, great that some money was raised and kids will be helped. But rubbing elbows with some of those people … it feels so phoney. The fancy tux, crazy money being thrown around, that’s just not my scene.’
‘But it was all for a good cause …’
‘I’m just afraid people are going to think I’m a sell-out now. I’ve never hung with that crowd. Feels like I’m doing it for the wrong reasons like it’s all about me getting papped.’
‘No one is going to think that. You’re Ward McKenzie. Tireless grinder who’s just as capable of scoring as making an assist allowing a teammate to take the spotlight. You did a good deed last night. Others in your position do that stuff too … Gretzky, Iginla, Phaneuf,’ Hannah listed on her fingers. Working with him, she had little choice but to become well-versed in ice hockey – but she also knew that he liked being reminded that some of his sports heroes and counterparts put themselves out there too. ‘Those guys are all genuine community-minded success stories who give back. No one suggests they do it just for publicity, just like no one would suggest the same about you.’
He sat up a bit straighter then and Hannah knew she had scored a point in her favour.
‘You’re right. All in all, it’s the outcome that counts, right?’
She offered him a thumbs up. ‘Exactly. And speaking of outcomes … ’ She beamed, ready to raise the real reason she’d wanted this debrief in person. ‘I spoke to Bernie and he’s thrilled with how everything’s going. To the point that he got a call from Craig Sumners, asking if you’d attend his wife’s charity benefit happening soon.’
Ward groaned. ‘What? How is my having to kiss-ass at yet another fundraiser a good thing? I thought you said this was going well. I’ve been breaking my butt with all this PR stuff to get the top brass back onside. And now Sumners wants me to jump through even more hoops?’
‘That’s the thing though, it’s not just you. The whole Panthers squad is invited and lots of media too, it seems. Very big affair, at the Plaza Hotel. Bernie gets the sense that there’s more to it than meets the eye and that the event is merely a platform for something bigger. Something public. And if that something gets even more eyeballs on his wife’s favourite charity then all the better.’
‘Aw, you know I hate that stuff, Hannah. I don’t belong there.’
She laughed. ‘No one belongs there, Ward. Everyone’s just pretending they do.’
‘Wait—’ he narrowed his eyes as if only now registering what else she’d said ‘—the whole team will be there?’
‘Yes. Now, I don’t want to pre-empt but, according to Bernie, the board is happy, very happy with how well your rehabilitation, both personal and physical has been going. And he’s wondering if this might well be the perfect opportunity for a big announcement. Return of the prodigal son, maybe?’
‘Seriously?’ Ward’s face lit up and it was amazing to see. Being welcomed back into the fold was all he wanted, the only reason he’d allowed Hannah to let him in, and the perfect culmination of all the work they’d been doing this last while.
She knew that the Panthers’ owner Craig Sumners was a wealthy philanthropist but he was also a very savvy businessman, known for his theatrical flourishes with anything team-related. If he wanted the whole team to be there and Ward too, it was a pretty good bet that something major was planned. She just hoped that Bernie’s instincts were right and that it was a grand public welcome back for the rehabilitated player. But not knowing the intricacies of sports boardroom shenanigans, Hannah couldn’t conceive of what else it could be.
‘OK, OK, yes …’ Ward’s gaze raced excitedly around the room as he seemed to be coming around. ‘Maybe that is good. I mean, I’m not thrilled about having to wear the monkey suit again but needs must, I guess.’ He shrugged but his face now glowed with excitement and expectation.
‘Well, that’s another thing … ’ Hannah began steeling herself, certain he wasn’t going to like this part. ‘Like I said, it’s a pretty grand affair at the Plaza. All the other players were told to bring a plus-one, and Bernie wants you to do the same. All part of the responsible, mature, fully rehabilitated new you. And before you say it, I know, I know … your personal life is off-limits, but if there happens to be someone who’s at ease with all this, or maybe used to rubbing shoulders with such people or … ’
But far from rejecting the idea outright, Ward seemed to be thinking it over. ‘Actually, there is,’ he said, grinning, and Hannah wondered why she felt so deflated at this, his admission that there was indeed a significant other in his life after all. ‘Someone who knows exactly how to handle it.’
Obviously someone used to the public eye too. That woman in the fitness video?
Then Ward flashed his heart-melting smile directly at Hannah.
‘I get that it might be beyond the call of duty, but when you think about it, who better?’