Jason
“You wanted to see me, Coach?”
I step into his office, but my feet falter when I spot our general manager sitting in one of the chairs in front of Coach’s desk.
“Mr. Fitzgerald.” My eyes dart from Coach to the GM as I step into the room. “It’s nice to see you, sir.”
Randy Fitzgerald stands and clasps my hand. “Happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year.” Nerves trickle into my stomach as I take the seat beside him. “What can I do for you both?”
Coach lets out a long sigh and slides a manila envelope across his desk. “Mr. Fitzgerald received an interesting package in the mail over the weekend.”
My eyebrows pinch together as I stare down at the envelope. “Okay...”
Fitzgerald takes the envelope and pulls out a single sheet of paper. “It’s a letter from an anonymous person stating that you, your wife, and another woman have been having sex online in exchange for money.”
My stomach bottoms out.
Fuck.
He pulls out a flash drive from the envelope next. “This person was also kind enough to send me a file containing some explicit videos from the website.”
“We haven’t watched them,” Coach says. “But Mr. Fitzgerald’s lawyer was able to confirm that it looks a lot like you in those videos.”
I lift my chin and look him in the eyes. “Yes, sir. It’s me, and this person’s claims are true.”
Coach scrubs his hands over his face. “What the hell were you thinking, Jason? Why would you be so careless as to post your personal life on the internet?”
“My wife...” I clear my throat and start again, trying to find the best way to explain this.
“My wife built a website that’s like a dating app and a livestream service all in one.
We were trying to drive traffic to the website, and we had a little fun with it.
We wore masks and tried to make it as discreet as possible. ”
Let’s face it, athletes have gotten into some stupid shit over the years.
Whether it’s drunk college football players or pro baseball Hall of Famers.
This isn’t the first time explicit pictures or videos have ended up on the internet, and it won’t be the last. What Kourtney, Celeste, and I did was consensual and legal.
Sure, it’ll be a shitstorm with the press for a while, but it shouldn’t be cause for more than an apology and a slap on my wrist.
“Do you and your wife have sex with other women regularly?” Fitzgerald asks. “Did you have this other woman sign an NDA?”
“The woman in the videos is in a relationship with me and my wife.” I shift in my seat and sit up tall. “We’re together, the three of us.”
“Look, son. I don’t care what my athletes do in their personal lives—as long as they keep it private. But you broadcasted it on the internet.” Fitzgerald rests his ankle on his opposite knee. “And now, a lot of people are going to have a lot to say about it.”
I nod. “I understand. I knew going into this that there could be repercussions for my actions. I’m prepared to make a statement and do whatever else is necessary to smooth this over.”
Coach folds his hands on the desk as he leans onto his elbows. “It’s not going to be that simple, Jay.”
My chin jerks back. “What do you mean?”
Coach looks at Fitzgerald like he’s volleying my question to him.
“The person who sent this anonymous tip threatened to send this information to a reporter in exchange for money.” Fitzgerald turns to face me head-on. “While we’re not going to negotiate with the demand, we’ve decided to trade you before word gets out.”
“What?” I can’t help the boom of my voice.
Coach keeps his gaze pointed down at his desk.
“The NHL is a business, Jason, and we have to do what’s in the best interest of the business.” Fitzgerald adjusts his tie. “We think California will be better able to field this kind of headline.”
“California?” I feel like a fucking parrot repeating him, but I’m in shock and can’t form full sentences. “What do you mean this kind of headline?”
“Polygamy, Jay.” Coach spells it out for me.
Fitzgerald continues. “This team doesn’t want to send the message that we condone this kind of behavior, and if we keep you on the team, that’s the message we’ll be sending.”
This kind of behavior. “We’re in love, for fuck’s sake. We’re not hurting anybody.”
“No, but you made this public, and now you have to deal with the ramifications.” Fitzgerald heaves a sigh. “You’re a public figure. You represent this team. When a player’s actions no longer support the vision for this team, he gets traded. You know how it works.”
“My actions have supported this team for years. Look at my stats.” My eyes bounce between the two of them. “It’s a mistake to trade me.”
Coach rubs the back of his neck, once again biting his tongue and letting Fitzgerald field my outrage. His hands are tied, and I don’t blame him for his silence.
“The team in California already has a gay player. They’re more open about this stuff. I think it’ll be a better fit for you in your situation.”
Is this guy fucking serious? “Let me get this straight. You’re worried about the team’s image because I’m in a consensual relationship with two adult women, so you’re trading me—one of your best players—to make a show of denouncing the LGBTQ+ community?”
“We’re not denouncing the gay community.” Fitzgerald waves me off as if I didn’t restate exactly what he just said. “We’re simply—”
“We’re getting the first-round draft pick in exchange for you,” Coach blurts out. “California has wanted you for the last couple of years, and they’re down a defenseman. Your sex tape scandal just made it that much easier for the team to let you go.”
They’d rather take their chances with a rookie than deal with the press. Meanwhile, I have to move my wives across the country, away from our home.
I jab my finger in the air. “This is bullshit.”
“That’s the way it goes in a trade, son.
” Fitzgerald tucks the letter back into the envelope and slides the flash drive inside.
“None of this would be happening if you hadn’t posted what you did on the internet.
Hopefully, you learn a valuable lesson about your behavior when you’re representing a professional sports team. ”
“No, none of this would be happening if the rich men who run this industry weren’t a bunch of single-minded, discriminatory, hateful pricks.”
I’m yelling now, and I can’t stop myself from spewing my frustration onto the men in front of me.
“That’s enough, Jason.” Coach rises from his chair. “You still have a career to think about. Why don’t you take the day and let this sink in.”
Fitzgerald nods. “We can continue this conversation after you’ve calmed down so we can discuss the logistics.”
I snatch the envelope from Fitzgerald and dangle it in the air between us. “What’s on this file is nothing more than three people in love. It’s not a scandal. It’s not a disgrace to the team. It’s love, and it’s beautiful, and I refuse to be ashamed of it.”
I toss it onto the desk and storm out of Coach’s office.
And I barrel right into my teammates.
“What’s going on?” Krum asks.
“They’re trading me because someone found out about my relationship with Kourtney and Celeste.”
Trenton’s head jerks back. “They’re trading you over that?”
“The fuck they are.” McKinley shoves past me and storms into Coach’s office.
Trenton and Krum follow.
I appreciate their support, but it’s no use. The owner of our team will get what he wants. Fitzgerald was right: The NHL is a business, and I am nothing more than a transaction to them.
No matter how many years this team has been my family, it’s time to say goodbye.
“This is all my fault.”
I cup Kourtney’s face and lift her watery eyes to mine. “None of this is your fault.”
“This wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for my idea with the website.” She shakes her head. “We should’ve cut out our faces totally. It was foolish to think the masks would hide our identities.”
“Stop blaming yourself, baby.” I swipe a tear from her cheek with my thumb. “Sure, I should’ve been more careful being that I’m in the public eye. But I don’t regret what we did, and I wouldn’t change a thing. And I won’t let you regret creating this website and following your dreams.”
“But you love this team.” Her bottom lip trembles. “Now, you’re being forced to leave your friends and your home.”
“I could’ve been traded at any time in my career.
You know this. It’s a risk we take as pro athletes.
The people in charge play us like pawns.
” I suck in a deep breath. “I know it sucks having to uproot our lives for this, but as long as I have the both of you with me, it doesn’t matter. Nothing does.”
Kourtney glances at the bedroom door. “Celeste has been quiet all night. She’s never quiet. What do you think is going on inside her head?”
“Only one way to find out.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “Come on.”
Kourtney takes my hand as we slip out of bed and pad down the hall.
Celeste asked if she could use my office two hours ago, and we haven’t heard from her since.
I tap my knuckles against my office door and peek my head into the room. “Can we come in?”
“Of course.” Celeste barely looks up from her laptop, her fingers flying across the keyboard.
“What are you doing?” Kourtney takes tentative steps toward the desk. “You haven’t said more than two words since Jason got home earlier. Are you...are you upset about moving to California?”
“Nope.” Celeste’s phone dings, and she glances at it before returning her attention to the computer.
Unease trickles into my gut.
Please don’t push us away.
Kourtney’s head tilts. “So, you’re okay with what’s happening right now?”
Celeste snorts. “Fuck no.”
Kourtney plants her hands on her hips. “Then what’s going on with you?”
“I’m trying to fix this.”
“Look at me, kókkino.” I spin her chair to face me, forcing her eyes and hands off the electronics. “There is no fixing this. Fitzgerald made it crystal clear. They don’t want me on the team when our story goes public.”
“Oh, boss man.” Celeste crosses her legs, rubbing her foot against the inside of my leg. “You have such little faith in me.”
Kourtney scoots closer to her and squints at the laptop. “What are you doing?”
A slow smile stretches across Celeste’s face. “You can take the girl out of the PR agent, but you can’t take the PR agent out of the girl.” Her blue eyes meet mine. “Do you trust me?”
I nod once. “With everything I have.”
“Then let me handle this right now, and trust me when I say I’m fixing this.”
For a moment, I feel bad for Fitzgerald and anyone else standing in Celeste’s way.
My wife is coming for them.