Blake
My stomach drops to my feet.
“What the fuck,” I mutter.
“Is that you?” Leo asks.
I don’t answer him. I can’t. I’m frozen as my nerves go haywire. Panic washes over me like a tidal wave.
No way. This can’t be happening…
I walk past him and run down the stairs. I flip on our TV and switch to the main sports network that we always watch.
There it is.
My secret social media account has just been exposed on TV. And online too, probably.
“I…I don’t…” I start to feel dizzy. I see my username @ThatShirtlessGuy plastered all over the screen.
There’s a soft, warm touch on my arm. I glance to the side and see Briar next to me.
She turns to the TV. “Oh my god…” Her voice is soft with shock.
Behind me, I hear footsteps. Leo walks up to us and looks at the TV screen.
“One of the guys on the team texted me the link to the news story,” Leo says. “When I clicked it, I thought it was a joke at first. I didn’t think it was real.”
Acid churns in my stomach as my brain processes everything that’s happening in this moment.
Someone found out my secret Instagram account, figured out it was me, and somehow it ended up on the news.
I grip the back of the couch, feeling sick all of a sudden.
“So that’s really you?” Leo asks, glancing between me, his phone screen, and the TV screen.
I look at him, anxiety slicing through me. He’s my teammate, my roommate, my friend. What’s he going to think when he finds out what I’ve been secretly doing all these months?
Part of me wants to hide this, like I have been…but I can’t. I can’t look at Leo and lie to his face.
“Yeah. It’s me.”
I brace myself for his reaction. For him to laugh or act grossed out or pissed off. But he just looks at me. His brow lifts slightly, like he’s surprised. But that’s it. There’s no judgment in his expression.
“It’s a secret account I’ve had for a while. Almost a year,” I say. “No one knew about it. Except Briar.”
Leo shrugs. “Okay.”
“Okay? That’s it? That’s all you’re gonna say?” My voice hitches with how surprised I am.
“Yeah. I don’t care what you do in your spare time. As long as you’re not hurting anybody.” He looks at the TV again. “You’re clearly not hurting anyone. You’re just posting pictures and videos of yourself. Nothing wrong with that.”
Relief washes through me. But then I feel a little guilty. Because of course he wouldn’t care that I have a secret account where I post sexy photos and videos of myself. Of course he wouldn’t judge me for it. He’s not like that. He’s never been like that.
“I’m guessing you didn’t want this to go public though?” he asks me.
I huff out a heavy breath and shake my head. “Nope. I don’t know how this got out there.” I tug a hand through my hair. “Fuck.”
Just then, the front door opens. Travis and Nick walk inside.
Nick is laughing while Travis is rolling his eyes.
“I’m just saying, you could totally get away with it. You just…” Nick trails off when he sees the three of us standing in the living room. He chuckles. “We having a party in the living room?” he jokes. His smile fades when he sees the TV screen.
Travis’ brow furrows when he sees the images of me on the TV screen. I hold my breath, waiting for them to put it together.
“Dude, is that you?” Travis asks.
“Yeah.”
“You have a sexy Instagram account?” Nick asks.
I nod. “It’s a secret. No one knows about it.”
“Then why is it on the news?” he asks.
I huff out a breath. “I have no idea. I think someone must have figured out it was my account after images of that tunnel brawl went viral. But I have no idea how. I never show my face on my secret account.”
“I think I know how they figured it out,” Briar says.
We all turn to her. She’s sitting on the couch, staring at her phone. She looks up at me. “That scar on your chest.”
“What?” I walk over to her, and she shows me her phone.
“Your jersey got pulled down in the middle of the tunnel fight, which showed that scar over your clavicle,” she says. “Some online sleuths pointed out That Shirtless Guy has the same scar in the same spot. That’s how they figured out it’s you.”
I skim the comments on the posts she shows me. My head spins. They figured all this out just from a random scar?
I think about everything that’s at stake now that my secret account has been exposed. It’s only a matter of time before Coach Sawyer finds out about this. I’m sure it’s already spreading like wildfire across the Hollis U campus.
And when he finds out, he’s gonna kick me off the team, no question.
He hates it when his players get into trouble or do something to bring negative attention to the hockey team.
He’s an old-fashioned guy, so he’s gonna be pissed when he finds out one of his top players gets half-naked on social media for money and followers.
And if that happens, I could lose my spot on the Nashville Wolves. They’re not gonna want me on their team, dirtying their reputation with the way I get half-naked and make suggestive content on social media.
That sick feeling claws deeper through my gut.
Everything I’ve worked so hard for…everything I’ve wanted my whole life is about to be gone…all because I was stupid.
“It’s not a big deal, dude,” Nick says.
His casual tone snaps me out of my thoughts. I look at him.
“We don’t care that you have a secret account where you post sexy pictures and videos,” Nick says.
“Yeah. Do whatever you want,” Travis says.
A small fraction of my anxiety and dread dials back. It feels good that my teammates have my back…but their support isn’t going to keep me from losing everything I’ve worked for.
“Thanks, guys. That means a lot. I just…I don’t think this is gonna end well for me.” I exhale sharply. “I’m sure Coach Sawyer is gonna be pissed about this. I bet anything he’ll kick me off the team.”
Nick shakes his head. “No way. It’s not like you’re posting stuff about Hollis or the hockey team in your videos. He can’t punish you for stuff you do in your personal life.”
“He can if he thinks it reflects poorly on the team. And come on, we all know what Coach is like. He’s old-fashioned. Strait-laced. By the book. He’s not gonna be open-minded about something like this.”
No one says anything, like they’re silently admitting I’m right.
“I might lose my shot to play pro too because of this.”
Briar grabs my hand in both of hers. “Don’t say that.”
“It’s true though. You think a professional hockey team is gonna want a thirst trap playing for them? It’s only a matter of time before I get a call from them and from Coach Sawyer telling me I’m done with hockey forever.” My throat goes tight. “And it’s no one’s fault but mine.”
Briar squeezes my hand. “Blake, no. There’s nothing wrong with you having that account. And you’re making content for a wonderful reason. To earn money to pay off your parents’ house.”
The guys all look at me.
“That’s what you’re doing with the money you’re making?” Leo asks.
I rub the back of my neck. “Yeah. I wanted to pay off their mortgage. For all the money they spent on hockey for me.”
“That’s really awesome, man,” Travis says.
“I just assumed that you made that account so you could sext with hot chicks.” Nick looks at Briar, and his cheeks redden. “Until you guys became a couple. Sorry.”
She just smiles. “It’s okay.”
“But yeah, it’s cool that you’re using it to help your parents,” Nick says to me.
Just then, my phone rings. Coach Sawyer is calling me.
“Shit,” I mutter as I stare at my screen. “It’s Coach.” I tug a hand through my hair and contemplate letting it go to voicemail. But that’ll just delay the inevitable. I should just get it over with now.
I answer the call.
“Just saw the news break about your secret life outside of hockey.” His tone is hard and pissed off. I instantly tense.
“Coach, I’m sorry, but—”
“What the hell were you thinking, Morrissey? Do you have any idea how bad this looks?” He’s on the verge of yelling.
I wince as I hold the phone away from my ear.
“Do you know what a joke you’ve made the Hollis U men’s hockey team look like?
Like we’re a bunch of smut peddlers in our spare time.
Fucking hell, I didn’t sign up to coach a male stripper. ”
It feels like I’ve been punched in the gut hearing the cruel, dismissive things he’s saying.
“Coach, that’s not what I’m doing. This account has nothing to do with me as a hockey player. It’s totally separate.”
He lets out a bitter laugh. “Well, you did a shit job of separating your smut life from your hockey life. And now I’m fielding calls and messages from reporters asking about you.
You think this is how I want to spend my time, Morrissey?
Being a publicist for my player who moonlights as a nude model? ” he barks.
“I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. That’s not—”
“I want you in my office tomorrow afternoon,” he says, cutting me off. “We’re gonna have a serious talk about your future on this team. If you even have a future on this team.”
He ends the call before I can say anything. That sick feeling in my stomach intensifies.
I glance up at my teammates, who are all looking at me with shocked expressions.
“I’m guessing you heard what he said,” I say, embarrassed.
“He didn’t need to be such a dick,” Leo says.
“Yeah, what the hell?” Nick says. “Fine if he doesn’t agree with it, but that doesn’t give him the right to threaten to get rid of you.”
“Yeah, that’s fucked up,” Travis says.
I shake my head, feeling defeated despite the support from my teammates.
“There’s nothing I can do. If Coach wants to get rid of me because of this, he can. He’s the one in charge.”
That sinking feeling slams through my chest. When I think about everything I’m about to lose, it’s hard to breathe.
“I need a minute,” I say before walking up the stairs and into my bedroom.