Chapter Eleven
Louis
Louis stepped onto the treadmill and got his running session started with a slow walk that gradually increased in pace until he was moving at full speed. The burn in his muscles felt good. Sweat was dripping down his back.
He had no intention of stopping, but Hank and Spencer appeared beside him, waiting.
They would stand there all day if they had to.
Ever since he had returned from Paris, they had kept an eye on him.
They had no idea what to do to help him, yet they stood by his side anyway, hoping their presence was enough to heal him.
Emerald and Vince had called repeatedly. The three of them had spent time together, but his heart just wasn’t interested in company right now.
His heart felt like it was missing, but he respected Rosie’s answer.
He wasn’t going to chase after her anymore.
He had shown her that he would choose her, and it had backfired.
She had a right to choose her path in life.
Besides, she had a lot going on and adding him to the mix would no doubt add even more pressure. That wasn’t fair.
Besides, why set himself up for more rejection? He loved her, he wanted to be with her, but he also had feelings. Right now, he wanted to hide and heal.
Unfortunately, the world wasn’t letting him do that. Someone had recorded the whole thing and posted it online thinking it was hilarious. Louis hadn’t even known about it to start with.
That day, he had gone to get a ticket for his flight back. Then he had headed to his hotel, just to stare at the ceiling all night since he couldn’t sleep. He hadn’t touched his phone, nor had he turned on the television.
The morning after that disaster, he decided to explore for a few hours before his flight, so he got to see some of the recommended places and had breakfast in the city. That was really cool and just slightly improved his mood.
In the afternoon, he had gone back to the airport and returned home. The next day after that, he was back to work. Once he arrived at the arena, Frederick had greeted him.
“I already know it didn’t go well,” he stated. “Have you seen the video?”
Panic started to surface. “What video?”
“That answers that, then.” Wincing, Frederick pulled out his phone and showed him. That was how he’d found out about everyone knowing about his rejection, and it made it sting so much more. He shouldn’t have done it in public, but all logical thought had gone out the window the second he saw her.
After that, people wanted to interview him.
Stories were posted full of theories. He was mocked for it, and so was Rosie.
Keeping his head down like he was told, he was letting the professionals deal with it.
Rosie would have dealt with it no problem, and her presence would have stopped the rumours.
She was the best in this type of situation, but she had been finding her own quiet corner.
She was back now, though. It was good to know she wasn’t leaving the team. That was a small win. Currently, she was in with the media team to discuss what to do about the video, and what she had missed.
Louis hadn’t seen her. Instead, he had hidden out in the gym to make sure they did not cross paths.
She may be back, but he didn’t know how fragile that thread was, so it was better to stay well away until she was settled.
Hank had gone to meet her and see what he could do to help.
His friend hadn’t been happy to go instead of Louis, but he had realised it was a boundary both parties needed.
Now, he was obviously back in the gym.
Slowing down, Louis eventually came to a stop. Both his friends stayed where they were, still waiting.
“Is she definitely back?” Louis asked, panting.
Spencer handed him a bottle of water which he gratefully accepted and took a drink.
“Yup,” Hank answered. “Saw her with my own two eyes. Even spoke to her, too. Which you will have to do eventually.”
True, but that should not be today.
Nodding, Louis enquired, “She is well?” His voice was barely above a whisper.
Hank shrugged. “Rosie is acting like it. She even started throwing out orders to everyone like her usual self. But she has lost her spark.” His friend tilted his head, watching Louis. “That smile is fake. Her voice has no emotion. She is just as lost as you.”
There was nothing Louis could say to that.
“Rosie is about to start a press conference regarding the video,” Spencer mentioned. “Did you want to be there?”
“Absolutely not,” Louis answered quietly. No doubt his presence wasn’t needed, or it would make it worse. “I am trying to avoid her, remember?”
Grimacing, Spencer pointed out, “You can’t avoid her forever. You work together!”
Wiping a towel down his face, Louis needed a moment to breathe. She was so close, but so far away.
“I know, Spencer, but I can avoid her for now while we establish a new normal.” Louis stepped off the treadmill. “I hope you never get to feel how I am feeling.”
Then he winced. Spencer had gone through worse since he had lost his wife.
“I am so sorry, Spencer . . . That came out automatically.”
“I get it. It’s a fair comment.” Spencer patted Louis’s shoulder. “I got to marry the woman I loved. We had time together. This is not something I have been through. But we are watching it, whether you like it or not. You need to know what is said or being done.”
“Makes sense.”
The television in the gym was switched on, and Spencer flicked through the channels until he found the right one.
And there she was. Her beautiful face appeared on the screen. Stood at a podium, she looked ready for anything in that smart suit of hers and a microphone in her face. Her expression was calm as she looked at those who were gathering. Not even the flashes of the cameras bothered her.
In a way, it hurt knowing she was so relaxed and put together. Meanwhile, he was in the gym feeling like he had been punched. Repeatedly.
That isn’t fair. You can hide. This is her job.
“I would like to thank you all for coming today, so we can establish the truth about the video of myself and the Ice Hounds’ team captain, Louis Ledger.”
Her voice wavered a bit. Her lip twitched, but only slightly, to show that she was nervous. Louis knew her well enough to catch it.
Someone interrupted her. “Was this a publicity stunt?”
That caused Louis to laugh, but not in amusement. It was a fair question since ticket sales had gone up. Women wanted to comfort him.
How she stared at the crowd, Louis could tell Rosie was controlling her annoyance at the question. Her shoulders and head were high. Her lips were pinched.
“Nearly two weeks ago, a video was circulated of the Ice Hounds captain, Louis Ledger, proposing to me. It went viral, and this has caused a lot of speculation.” She swallowed.
“I assure you that it was not a publicity stunt. That really happened. Louis proposed, and I said no. And I am here to explain my actions, so these rumours are finally put to rest.”
Louis’s heart hurt at the reminder. He watched her suck in a breath.
“For those that do not know, we were in a relationship. A great one. Louis Ledger is a good man. One of the best I know, so it was not because he was a bad partner. The opposite in fact. I felt loved, wanted, and respected.
“He didn’t deserve my rejection, especially in public for all to see. Or any of the aftermath, but unfortunately it is what happened. To make it worse, he has had to come back, and play, with all of this hanging over his head. In the meantime, I needed some time away and was with my sister.”
Camera flashes went off.
“I only found out a few days ago about this video. Today, I have come back to share my side of the story.
“That day, I had an argument with my parents. I have spent my whole life trying to live up to their expectations. All I have wanted to do is make them proud. But that was the day I realised I would never be able to do that, because they kept asking more and more of me.
“They did not approve of Louis. Nothing he did made them accept him. His job is high risk. High demand. They didn’t believe he would put me first.
“It also turned out that my mother is very ill. They wanted me to quit my job and go back home, so I could work for their business. They wanted to control my future.”
Louis’s jaw dropped in utter shock since he had not known this. No wonder she had needed to flee. It was all too much in a small amount of time.
“They wanted me to change my whole life for them,” she continued.
She was really doing this. The whole world went silent for Louis, and the only thing he could focus on was her. He felt like she was opening up and talking to him. Did she know he was watching?
Why else would Spencer turn on the television? They knew! This was planned!
Turning to face his friends, they were watching him. Smiling, waiting for him to figure it out. Turning back to the screen, he continued to watch.
“I kicked them out of my home. Not my proudest moment, but in a way my mother’s illness was used as a weapon to manipulate me to do what they wanted. It didn’t matter to them what I wanted. Just what they needed.
“I went to work that day and I snapped. I broke up with Louis, because everything was spiralling out of control. I needed to get away. I accused him of controlling me, because I could not recognise someone wanting to help me. I am not used to people wanting to help me.” Lowering her head in shame, she sighed.
“What makes it worse was that he knew none of this. I didn’t tell him anything.
All he knew was that his girlfriend was breaking up with him, and he had no idea why.
He came after me, proving to the world he would choose me over everything. ”
Louis was now touching the screen, wishing it was her cheek.
“Like a coward, I rejected him even though he offered me everything I could have wanted. Because deep down I am still a little girl hoping her parents are proud of her.”