Chapter 14
Lorelai
I wandered down the hall and poked my head into Aurora’s office. “Ready for lunch?” I questioned.
“Am I! I’m starving. Honestly, I feel as if I didn’t have breakfast this morning, the way my stomach has been grumbling.”
Aurora and I normally had lunch with Dylan and Knox when they were here, but they were once again travelling. Their schedule lately had been heavy with away games. They were nearing the end of the season, and in a few weeks, they’d be home for the summer. I was excited about that.
We headed out of the arena and climbed into Aurora’s car, then we drove over to Sip and Stir for lunch. We ordered our usual and then made our way over to the booth we’d claimed during school. It was almost like the restaurant had saved it for us.
“I’ll be right back, need to use the washroom,” Aurora said, heading away from the table.
I sat down and checked my phone for messages, then took a bite of my sandwich which I quickly put down. My stomach turned as I read the article on my screen.
“Sorry about that,” Aurora said, sliding into the seat across from me. “What are you looking at?”
When I said nothing, she glanced up. I’d opened up the sports app, the one I used to follow the guys. It had been a mistake to open it because there, on the main page, was an article, and in it was not only Knox’s mentioned but me as well.
“Lorelai?”
I looked up and then swallowed hard, passing Aurora my phone. She looked down at the screen and then back up at me.
“What the hell is this?” she questioned, sinking down into her seat across from me.
“That is what I’d like to know.”
“Hockey Player’s Girlfriend: Disgusting History as a Cheater,” Aurora read out loud, then stopped as she read the article.
Fire built inside of me until I felt as if I could explode. I knew who’d done this. There was only one person, and to think I’d once thought I’d loved him.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Aurora questioned as she looked over at me, shoving the last of her sandwich into her mouth while she continued reading the article.
“I’m not hungry,” I murmured as I took my phone back and stared down at the article. I wanted to cry. I wanted to beat Hugo within an inch of his life, and I was certain Knox would too when he found out that it came from Hugo.
“You need to eat. Don’t worry about that gossip rag,” Aurora said. “It’s just that they will trash talk any player if they think they can.”
I knew this; I wasn’t a stranger to being in a sports family. It just hurt and hit home when the article was about you.
“I know,” I mumbled.
“You think it was Hugo, don’t you?” Aurora questioned.
I blinked away the tears that were clouding my vision and nodded, trying to force a bite of my sandwich down.
“I know it was,” I whispered, shoving my tray to the side. There was no point in trying to eat. I’d just end up throwing it all back up, anyway.
“Things were going so well between us while he was home.” I muttered, wondering how this was going to affect us moving forward.
I wanted to text him, to warn him this was out there, but I was in such shock I couldn’t. I looked at the plate of food in front of me and shoved it off to the side, my stomach turning.
“You really should eat,” Aurora said, looking over at my uneaten lunch. “Don’t let him win.”
“You know, I think I am going to go home. I’ll call the arena and just tell them I must have eaten something that didn’t agree with me.”
“Lorelai,” Aurora said.
“I think I need to be alone.”
“Lorelai, really, this isn’t anything to get upset about. It will all clear up with a call from the PR department. You know this. That gossip column is always after dirt and they twist words around like crazy.”
“Yes, I know. What I don’t know is how this will affect Knox and me. So, regardless, I’m gonna go. Just go back to work,” I said, dialling the arena.
“At least let me take you home. I don’t know if I want you wandering the city alone in this state. Knox would kill me.”
I shook my head. “Well, good thing for you Knox isn’t here. I’ll be fine. Go. I’ll grab a cab. I won’t do anything crazy.”
Aurora looked at me with worry as I called and told them I was heading home with a migraine. Then we said our goodbyes. Once she was gone and I’d calmed down enough, I called a cab and made my way home.
I’d never been so glad to step into my own space. I shut the door and locked it and then slid down to the floor, burying my face in my hands at the thought of that article. This would affect Knox; it might even harm his career. It was affecting me, and somehow deep inside I knew it would affect our relationship, which was something I’d never wanted to happen.
I sat on the floor and cried until no more tears fell, then I got up off the floor and headed down to my room where I curled up in bed and cried all over again until I fell asleep.
* * *
I slowly opened my eyes and looked around my room. My eyes were dry, my chest hurt from crying. I had no idea how long I’d been asleep, but it was dark as I stared out the window and looked at the twinkling lights of the city.
I normally loved looking out the window at night, the city all bright with lights. Tonight was different though; it had somehow lost its magic.
I glanced at the clock and slipped from my bed. My feet sank into the soft, plush carpet as I made my way to the bathroom. I shut the door and started running a bath, dumping about three cups of Epsom salt into the running water. Then I added a few drops of lavender essential oils before turning and looking at myself in the mirror. My makeup was smudged from crying and my hair was a mess. My body felt heavy, and I couldn’t wait to crawl into the warmth of the bath. It was the only comfort I could find.
I could hear the clanging of pots and pans down the hall and knew Aurora was probably making dinner. I’d been sleeping so soundly I hadn’t even heard her come home.
Grabbing my phone, I placed it on the edge of the tub and slipped out of my clothes and then climbed into the hot tub, welcoming the warmth against my aching body. I closed my eyes, and that was when I heard my phone vibrate against the edge of the tub. I wasn’t sure I wanted to face any more bad news today and had a mind just to shut it off, but when it went off again, I decided to look.
I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, the smell of lavender calming me, and then reached for my phone. Knox had messaged me.
KNOX: All I’m going to say is I am going to kill Hugo!
I stared down at the message, swallowing hard. This wasn’t good. Knox already hated him, and judging from how things went in Hawaii, I knew without a doubt he’d follow through with harming him if given the chance. No one would ever understand how happy I was that Knox wasn’t in the same country at this point.
LORELAI: You are going to have to beat me to it.
I typed, then watched the screen. I felt sick again. The three little dots bounced around for what felt like forever.
KNOX: I shouldn’t have started out that way. What I really want to know is, are you okay?
LORELAI: Yeah, I think so. I wasn’t earlier. I was upset. I really wished you were here when I saw that article.
KNOX: Why didn’t you message me?
LORELAI: I choked, I didn’t know what to do. I was so angry, so hurt, there were so many emotions flooding me I couldn’t sort through them. I’m worried about us, you, how this will affect things for you.
KNOX: You aren’t the only one who was angry. When I get back there, I’ll take care of it. As for us, we are fine, something like this has no impact on our relationship. I have to go get ready for the game. Coach is screaming…again…I’ll message you later, tonight.
I stared down at the screen, at his words, knowing full well he meant what he said about Hugo. There was no way I could let him near him now. As I sat there reading over his words, a part of me did question the us part, and the worry started all over again.
LORELAI: Talk later.
Once I got out of the tub and got dressed, I tiptoed down the hall to the front door. I wanted to sneak out without Aurora seeing me; I had to take care of this. I’d just slipped my shoes on and had quietly grabbed my keys from the closet when they slipped out of my hand, clanging to the floor.
“What the hell!” Aurora shrieked.
I turned around to see her watching me from the living room, where she was eating and watching the game.
“Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Where have you been? I was worried sick.”
“I was sleeping in my room.”
Aurora gave me a confused look, then sort of giggled. “I didn’t check there.”
“Oh well, that was where I was. Now, I’m going out. I’ll see you later.”
I slipped through the door before she could question me any further and took off down the hall, hitting the elevator button.
* * *
There were two cars parked in the driveway in front of the little bungalow I’d hoped to see again. This house held too many terrible memories for me, including the worst night of my life. The night I’d come home from school to find Hugo in the shower with the woman he’d been having an affair with.
It looked like he was up to his old tricks, I thought to myself as I watched a woman other than Molli step out the front door. She turned, gave him a long kiss on the lips before getting into her car and pulling out of the driveway. Hugo looked around before heading back inside. Once she was gone, I got out of the car and made my way to the front door.
Anger flooded me as I stood there waiting for him to open the door. It was better if I confronted him than Knox. It wouldn’t look good for his image if he was up on assault charges.
I heard the lock flip and then the door open. The slimy smile that Hugo wore ignited a raging fire inside of me. Before I could stop myself, I slapped him across the face.
“What the hell, you bitch?” he yelled, holding his cheek.
“Don’t start! Stop ruining my life!” I screamed.
“It’s not your life I want to ruin,” he said, still holding his cheek.
“Stop pretending like that hurt. I didn’t hit you that hard, but I am sure Knox will…so you better toughen up,” I gritted, clenching my fist.
“Don’t hit me again.”
“Why does it bother you so much that I am happy?”
Hugo looked at me, smirked, and then shrugged his shoulders. “You can’t possibly be all that happy? The guy is gone all the time!”
“I am happier than I have ever been, and I am happier than I ever was with you. I know you can’t stand it. You proved that when we were in Hawaii.”
“Yeah, whatever you say. That entire thing was a charade. I could see it written all over your face.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and stepped closer to him. “The only charade there was you, begging and pleading for me to come back. You don’t want me back. You never wanted me in the first place.”
He stood there staring at me with disbelief. “I loved you,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. “Listen, you chose to be with your mistress, so what happened between us, is on you. I see you haven’t changed all that much, seeing what left your house this evening. Does Molli know? Does Molli know you were begging me to come back?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said, clearing his throat, the same nervous stance he’d taken so many times when he was lying to me.
“The woman who left here about ten minutes ago. I saw it. Don’t bother trying to deny it. Does Molli know?”
Hugo shifted from foot to foot, then cleared his throat and swallowed hard.
“I can already tell she doesn’t, so you can save the lies,” I said, staring at him. “You know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think perhaps Molli should get a phone call tomorrow.”
“Lorelai!” Hugo said, raising his voice to me.
“Don’t you dare raise your voice to me. You better retract what was said in that article, otherwise I know that when a certain someone gets back into town, he’s coming for you.”
“He wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh, he would. I also know that if that statement doesn’t get retracted, Molli is going to get a phone call from me,” I said, turning around and making my way down the walkway.
“You wouldn’t dare call her.”
I turned around and looked at him. “Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn’t. Just remember, if shit gets ruined, it’s on you again. It’s all on you. No one else.”
I walked down the driveway and opened the driver’s side of the car, getting in. I looked at the house to see Hugo still standing on the front step, watching me. I didn’t wait around. I pulled away from the house and drove down the street, pulling over once I’d rounded the corner.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm my beating heart. Then I grabbed my phone and dialed Knox’s number. Of course he didn’t answer, so I left him a voicemail letting him know that I’d hopefully taken care of the situation.