Chapter 28 #3
“Oh, what a sweet thing to say,” Emery says, smiling at me.
“I’ve never seen him behave this way before. He’s fallen hard for you, girl,” Delaney says.
“He should,” Emery says. “She’s lovely.”
Cherry nods. “Speaking of lovely, how about if you join us and participate in the Whaler’s charity fashion show?”
I open my mouth to politely tell her no, but she doesn’t wait for an answer before rushing ahead.
“I know it’s last minute, but you’d be perfect, and it’s such fun. None of us are models, so we’re all winging it, and the more the merrier, I always say.”
“Geez, take a breath, Cher,” Delaney says, rolling her eyes. “Though it is a good idea.” She looks me over. “You should definitely join us.”
When I turn to Emery for escape and see her nodding enthusiastically, I know there’s no way to gracefully bow out. I’d already planned to attend, so I can’t pretend I have something else to do.
“How can I say no? What’s a little humiliation for a good cause, right?” They all laugh.
“You’ll be fine,” Marie says.
Cherry gives me a hug of encouragement, whispering, “I know how you feel. I dread this one, but we end up having fun and making a pile of money for the foundation.”
“What charities does the foundation support?” I ask.
“Children’s hospital, a local veterans homeless shelter, and brain injury research are the main ones,” she says.
I cringe at the mention of brain injuries. The cause is too real after worrying about Brody’s concussion. I’m still worried, though he seemed okay playing, and he managed to escape the game without any more bumps to his head.
“Mind if we join your party?” Kara says, interrupting my bubble of worry. She heads straight for Marie and Henry, giving them each big hugs like they’re related.
Nora follows behind and introduces herself. “I’m Nora Shade, longtime family friend of Kara and Brody.”
Marie’s eyes flare, but to her credit, she smiles and nods, poised as ever like a professional socialite. I could take lessons from that woman.
Kara greets the rest of our small circle, and Nora follows her friend’s lead like she belongs. Until they get to me.
“Did you enjoy watching the game from the luxury box?” Kara says, and I detect the coolness in her polite question.
My only response is a nod. I’m too worried about saying the wrong thing since I don’t know her very well, and I slapped her best friend across the face. I feel my face heat up under her gaze as she waits for me to say more.
But Nora fills the dead air before anyone else has a chance. “It’s nothing like sitting close to the ice. We had the best seats. I’m surprised you didn’t sit with us.”
My eyes widen. It’s as if she’s challenging me to admit I didn’t feel comfortable sitting with her. Or maybe she wants an apology.
Maybe I should apologize to her…. No. She owes me the apology first, doesn’t she? At least in theory, since she wasn’t really kissing and flirting with my husband—she was kissing and flirting with my pretend husband.
Cherry breaks the tension, looping her arm through mine. “I begged Sabien to have Bianca sit with us in the box. I’ve been dying for a chance to get to know her better.”
Kara nods and loops her arm through Nora’s, pulling her aside. She says to Marie, “I’m so sorry I won’t make it to the Whalers charity fashion show this year. It was so fun last year.”
“Fashion show?” Nora says. “What’s that all about?”
Emery explains how the wives and girlfriends of the players model fashions from local designers and boutiques, and the proceeds go to the Whalers Foundation.
“That sounds like enormous fun. Count me in. I have some experience modeling.”
“That’s a great idea, Nora,” Kara says. “You can take my place in the show this year and represent the Holden name.”
That comment silences everyone in our small group as everyone’s eyes go to me.
I manage to keep my smile intact, mostly out of shock, as the air goes still, like the absence of a response is creating a vacuum.
Kara meets my gaze and tilts her head with an awkward smile as if to say oops, but she doesn’t apologize.
Her slight may as well be a revenge-slap to my face on behalf of her friend as my face heats up and I take a step back. Or I would, but Cherry holds me in place.
I’m supposed to be representing the Holden name. I think the words when I should be saying them out loud. But I can’t because I can’t get past the fact that I’m not really a Holden. I wonder if Kara suspects that.
“You’re not a wife or girlfriend.” Delaney brings the dead air to life, stating the obvious directly to Nora.
Nora laughs. “You never know.” She waves a hand.
“Nice meeting you all. Marie, send me the details about the event.” She turns to Kara.
“Let’s get to that party I told you about.
” She glances at me over her shoulder as she walks away with a gloaty smile that makes me want to slap her all over again.
Kara follows and gives me one last look.
It’s an unreadable look, but I swear I can see a kernel of skepticism in the squint of her eyes.
Or, I could be paranoid about living a lie.
Henry returns to Marie’s side, rejoining our small group. “They’re interviewing Sabien. Come over here to watch.” He takes her away as a collective laugh rises from the crowd of reporters, catching the interest of the others.
“Don’t worry,” Emery says. “Marie will handle Nora diplomatically.” I give her a grateful smile, wishing I knew her well enough to give her a hug. Instead, my phone buzzes, and I slip it from my bag to see that it’s my brother.
“I have to take this.”
She nods, and I back away, putting some distance between me and the bulk of the noise before I answer, unease strangling me from the inside. “Hello, Billy. What a surprise—”
“That’s what I’m saying. Imagine my surprise when I see your name in the sporting news as the new wife of the hockey phenom Brody Holden. What the hell’s going on? I thought you were his agent—”
“Don’t worry. It was a Vegas wedding…” I try to keep my commitment vague to prepare for the upcoming divorce.
“Did the bastard womanizer get you drunk and take advantage—”
“No! No, nothing like that.”
“Well, what was it like? Even Mom doesn’t know what happened.”
My mind spins, trying to come up with an answer to that. I hear some scuffling in the background, and another voice comes on the line.
“Never mind, B,” Bob says, taking over for Billy. I’m relieved he’s using my familiar childhood nickname. “We’re coming down to talk to Brody man-to-man. As much as it might be cool to have fucking Brody Holden for a brother-in-law, something doesn’t seem right about this quickie wedding.”
“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I be perfectly capable of making the decision to marry Brody Holden?”
“It’s not… well, you know what I mean. The kid’s a notorious bachelor, and he’s … a kid.”
“He’s my husband. And believe me, he’s a full-grown man.”
“Aww, why’d you have to say that? TMI, B.”
“You asked for it.”
“Whatever. Me and Billy are coming down to have a talk with Holden. We’ll be there next weekend. Mom’s coming too. Something about a fashion show.”
“You can’t—”
“I’ll see you next Saturday. Don’t worry, we’ll get a hotel room.” He ends the call before I can say another word. Before I can ask him, what about Dad?
My phone pings, signaling a text, and I smile.
Bob: Dad’s staying home to take care of the diner. Says he’s not worried about you.
I reply with a heart emoji because Dad has my back, and that’s all I need.
For now.
Sliding my phone into my jacket pocket, I look up and try to find my new friends, but they’re lost somewhere in the crowd.
My phone vibrates again, and I groan out loud. I pull it out again and see it’s a text from Jett. I’m almost relieved. Swiping the text screen to life, I read it.
Jett: great game. Spin the fallout over the stunt he pulled at the end. Play up the hat trick. I’ll be there for the charity fashion show next week.
Before I can let myself dwell on the fashion show and the idea of being a model, I click on the photo he attached, taking a closer look. It’s him holding his new baby girl. She’s wearing a pink knit hat and he’s wearing a broad grin, and damn if I don’t see the mist in his eyes.
My chest squeezes and a smile forces my mouth wide in spite of everything. The happy photo is a welcome lift. Maybe Jett isn’t as clueless as he seems about how daunting the task ahead of us is.
Keeping Brody out of trouble and keeping our secret a secret is a challenge I need to accept fully, to embrace. I can’t do that until I make peace with the decisions I’ve made, and maybe I haven’t done that yet.
Until now.
The crowd of media and others gets loud and the clamor of questions and mayhem rises to alarming levels as I turn.
I find Cherry and ask her, “What’s going on?”
“A reporter just asked Coach Logan what he was going to do about Brody not coming off the ice.”
My body tenses up like I just touched a live wire and dread dries up my mouth, but I ask, “What did he say?”