Chapter 17
The day had been a blur. From brunch to walking Sarah down the aisle and the exchange of I dos, Henry hadn’t a clue as to how he’d made it through. When he’d arrived back at his hotel suite after leaving Elle—no, Jane—that morning, his mates had been waiting for him as always, ready to help with damage control.
It hadn’t taken long for gossip to race through the wedding party, and it had been the topic on everyone’s lips as the guests entered the venue. Thank god there was a strict “no camera or phone” policy enforced for the ceremony and reception—a suggestion of Jane’s, he’d come to learn.
When he’d shown up at the brunch without Jane in tow, Sarah hadn’t blinked an eye. She took one look at his face and figured out all she needed to know. He’d deal with her after she came back from her honeymoon. Now wasn’t the time.
Although, as the orchestra started to play the second dance of the evening and Sarah called Henry to the floor for the traditional father-daughter dance, he shoved down all the anger and betrayal and he became present in the fact that his baby sister was now married. She was already upset that she had uninvited her dad—which was a huge step forward for his sister in speaking her mind— and then with the whole Elle fiasco becoming public, he needed to make today as perfect as possible.
He swept her into his arms and began spinning her around the dance floor in a routine they’d practiced since he’d been a teen and promised he’d dance with her at her wedding.
They swayed in silence for a while, slowly back and forth, Sarah’s cheek on his shoulder. Then she said, “Elle was the one who told the rags that you were thinking of signing with another team.”
It was so out of context, he leaned back so she was forced to meet his gaze. “What?”
“It was Elle who told the press. The real Elle. I told her in confidence, and she sold me out. That’s why I hired Jane, because I was too scared to tell you that I was the reason that your secret got out.”
Henry’s heart went heavy, as if a concrete cylinder was attached to the bottom. “I didn’t switch teams though. So it all worked out. Why were you scared?”
“You’ve worked so hard to get to where you are. Gave up so much for the family to take care of us. And the fact that I jeopardized that with my big mouth? I was horrified, Henry, just horrified. You’re always cleaning up my messes. I didn’t want you to have to clean up this one too. So I did what you’d do and I hired a fixer.”
She wasn’t wrong. There had been a time or two, namely in the earlier part of his career, when he’d been more reckless and had needed a fixer with the press. In fact, after the news that he was considering switching teams leaked, he hired a fixer himself. How could he fault his sister for doing the same?
“You could have just come to me.”
“You were on top of the world. You’d won the World Championship, just had the best year of your career. How could I ruin that? After the engagement disaster with Oliver, I didn’t want to get you involved again. I didn’t want you to think I couldn’t handle myself and then have you freak out about my choice to marry Wayne.”
“I wouldn’t freak out.” She arched a disbelieving brow. “Fine. Maybe I think you rushed it a bit with Wayne. But it’s your life.”
“I’m glad you think so because after the honeymoon we decided to settle in Missouri to be near Wayne’s family.”
Henry came to a full stop. “You what?”
“Keep moving or people will stare.”
“We’re the only ones on the dance floor, everyone is already staring.” He glared at her. “You had all week to tell me, and you chose now?” What was up with all the secrets? He was getting tired of being left in the dark. Then again, there had to be a reason since he was the common denominator.
“I’m sorry if I made you feel as if you couldn’t come to me with these kinds of things, Sarah. I’ll do better.”
She cupped his jaw. “I just never want to let you down.”
“You could never let me down,” he said, cupping her cheek. “Never. Understood?” She nodded. “Now, what’s wrong with your downtown flat? You love that flat.”
“You bought it for me,” she explained.
“Because you loved it.” He was more confused than ever. Sarah hadn’t just loved that flat, she’d said she’d made it her home. And he’d been a part of that. Was proud to have been a part of that. And now she was giving it up? Henry wasn’t sure how that made him feel.
“Now I love Wayne, and he loves me and wants to take care of me. I know that has been your role for so long, but now it’s time for me to start a new chapter, where my husband and I take care of each other. It doesn’t mean that I won’t still need you from time to time or that my love for you will change.”
Then why did he feel as if he were losing her? As if his family was once again being torn apart? His heart went heavy at the idea.
“What about Mum and Camilla?”
“They’re happy for me. And I need you to be happy for me too,” she whispered.
Henry had spent his whole life making sure his family was happy. How could he deny his sister now?
“If this is what you want, then I’m happy for you,” he said, and promised himself that even if was hard to say it, he’d work on meaning it. Starting today.
“Wayne is an amazing guy. He doesn’t care about the money or your fame. In the States I can just be me—no press, no one wanting to use me to get to you. I can do my job from anywhere. Wayne already owns a home and I love Missouri. This is what I want, Henry.” She studied him for a long painful moment. “Now, what do you want?”
“To get back to a world where the only surprise is who is trying to pass me.”
His sister’s eyes went sad. “So you aren’t going to call Jane?” At the mention of her name, he stumbled. “If it makes you feel better, she tried a number of times to get me to tell you the truth,” she said quietly.
“She did?”
“She said you deserved to know the truth. But I was so mad that there was clearly something going on between you two and I was afraid she’d tell you, so I made her swear to stay away from you and I didn’t listen to her. I was wrong to do that. I can tell you care for her.”
“She didn’t tell me about Elle. Even when she could have taken the easy way out, she said it was your story to tell.”
Sarah nudged his shoulder. “Sounds like a pretty stand-up woman to me.”
He hadn’t thought about it like that. He’d felt so foolish, his pride so dented that he hadn’t thought about it from her side at all. Hadn’t taken into consideration that she was just doing her job. He and Jake were mates, but when they hit the track, they were fierce competitors in a race where anything was fair and all bets were off. They didn’t share strategies or secrets, they did what they were paid to do—win. And they didn’t hold it against each other when the checkered flag came down.
Jane had tried to warn him, tried to tell him that things would get complicated if they became involved, but he’d kept pushing, tempting her until he’d won the prize—her.
So who was the bad guy in this whole mess?
“Do you love her?” Sarah asked.
“How can I love someone I don’t know?” But he did know her. Maybe not her name or what she did for a living. But he knew her. And what he knew, he loved. “Yes, I do.”
“Then what are you still doing here?”
“It’s your wedding. Where else would I be?”
“At the airport, on your knees groveling. Her flight leaves at eleven. If you leave now, you might just make it.”