Chapter 21
Natalie
“Just one conversation.” Brody's voice is desperate, stripped of the arrogance I'm used to hearing. “That's all I'm asking. One conversation and then I'll leave you alone.”
Every instinct tells me to walk away, but I'm tired of his phone calls. If one conversation will make him finally disappear from my life, it's worth thirty minutes of discomfort.
“Fine,” I say in a resigned voice. “One conversation in a public place. Then you leave New York and never contact me again.”
His face lights up, and I immediately want to take it back. But the sooner I do this, the sooner it's over. I'll tell him to his face that there's nothing left between us. If he contacts me after that, I'll get a restraining order.
“There's a restaurant at my hotel,” he says. “It’s quiet and discreet. We can talk privately.” He gestures toward his rental car, and I walk around to the passenger side and get in.
I can’t believe that I’m giving him my time and attention, but it's thirty minutes of my life. Then it's done.
We're pulling out of the parking lot when my phone rings. Ethan's name flashes on the screen, and my stomach clenches.
I inhale deeply, then answer. “Hey. How are you feeling? That was amazing this morning.”
“I'm feeling good. Where are you?”
Now what? I can’t tell him that I’m with Brody, not without an explanation. “I just left the arena. I'm heading to meet Avery. Girl stuff.” I force a light laugh that sounds fake even to my own ears. “I'll see you tonight, okay? We can celebrate properly.”
There's a pause on the other end. “Yeah, sure.”
“Are you okay? You sound off.”
“I'm fine. Just tired from the skate.”
“Get some rest. You earned it. I love you.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Who was that?” Brody asks in a tense voice.
“Mind your own business,” I snap.
The drive to his hotel is tense. I stare out the window and try to ignore the guilt churning in my stomach. I shouldn't have lied to Ethan.
But he just had the biggest breakthrough in his recovery, and the last thing he needs is to worry about my ex-boyfriend drama. Besides, this will be a short conversation. Why worry Ethan over something that will be resolved in an hour?
“Remember that time we got lost driving to your parents' beach house?” Brody says, breaking the silence. “We ended up at that seafood shack in the middle of nowhere, and you ate so many oysters you made yourself sick.”
A laugh escapes me at the memory. “I couldn't look at shellfish for a month after that.”
“We had some good times.”
“Good times don't erase bad choices.”
“No, but they should count for something.”
I know what this is. He's trying to remind me of who we used to be, hoping it will overshadow what he did.
But I've learned what real connection looks like. Ethan is open in a way Brody never was. He doesn't perform or strategize. When he's angry, he says so. When he's happy, it shows on his face. When he tells me he loves me, I believe him without question.
There's no subtext to decode or ulterior motive to uncover.
We pull up to the five-star hotel where Brody is staying, and he hands the keys to the valet before coming around to open my door.
His hand settles on the small of my back as we walk through the lobby, and my skin crawls at the possessiveness of the gesture.
I want to shove him away, but I keep my composure. I can tolerate thirty minutes.
We sit at a corner table, and Brody orders coffee for both of us without asking what I want. It grates on me, but I let it go because it doesn't matter. Nothing he does matters anymore.
“Thank you for agreeing to talk to me,” he says once the server leaves. “I know I don't deserve it.”
“You don't.”
He ignores my sharp tone. “Natalie, I know I hurt you, and I can never take that back, but I’m working on myself. I’m even reading books about emotional intelligence and healthy relationships. I'm not the same man who hurt you.”
He’s really good at this, except there’s no comeback from cheating. It doesn’t matter whether all of what he’s saying is true. The fact is that he broke my trust, and that cannot be earned back. But I’ll let him have his moment.
“What I did was unforgivable. I destroyed the best thing that ever happened to me because I was selfish and stupid and I didn't appreciate what I had.” His eyes grow wet. “You were everything, Natalie, and I threw it away for nothing.”
The tears start falling, and I realize I'm unmoved. A year ago, those tears would have devastated me. I would have reached across the table and taken his hand and told him we could work through it together. But sitting here now, all I see is a man I used to know. A stranger wearing a familiar face.
“My mother is so disappointed in me,” he continues, wiping his eyes with his napkin. “She loved you like a daughter. When she found out what I did, she didn't speak to me for a month. She said I was a fool.”
“She was right.”
“I'll move to New York, if that's what it takes.” The words tumble out of his mouth in a rush. “I'll relocate, find a job here, and start over. We can take it slow. I won't pressure you. I just want a chance to prove that I've changed.”
He reaches across the table and tries to take my hand. I pull back.
“There's someone else, isn't there?” His jaw tightens. “That's why you won't give me another chance.”
“My reasons are my own.”
“The man on the phone. That's who it is, isn't it?” Brody’s eyes narrow into slits. “He doesn't know you, Natalie. Not the way I do. He doesn't have our history.”
Thank God.
“Does he know you're a people pleaser who bends over backward for everyone else's approval?” Brody's voice takes on a cruel edge. “Does he know that underneath all that sunshine, you're terrified of being abandoned?”
The words slice through me, leaving a trail of pain. Until I remind myself that I’m not that person anymore. I’m surrounded by people who love me and whose love I don’t have to earn.
His face transforms again. “I'm sorry, baby. I shouldn't have said that. I just get so frustrated because I know you. I know what you need. And no one can give that to you like I can. No one can make you happy the way I did.”
“Are you done?” I ask him in a cold voice.
He nods, uncertainty drawn on his face.
“You’re right about one thing,” I say. “I was a different person in Charlotte, and she’s gone.”
Brody snarls. It doesn’t affect me in any way.
“I know my worth now, and I refuse to settle for a man who does not respect me.” I keep my voice calm and even. “What happened between us is over, Brody. It's been over since the moment I walked into our bedroom and found you with someone else.”
“It was one mistake.”
“It was a choice. You chose to betray me, and now I'm choosing to move on.”
He slumps back in his chair, the fight draining out of him. For a long moment, neither of us speaks.
“I really did love you,” he says quietly. “I still do.”
“I believe you loved me in the way you were capable of loving someone. But it wasn't enough.” I stand and place my napkin on the table. “Go back to Charlotte, Brody. Find someone who can give you what you need because it's not me. It was never going to be me.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he says, but his tone is not confident.
I’m so tempted to grab my coffee and toss it on his face. Maybe that will penetrate his thick skull. “If you contact me again, I'm getting a restraining order. I mean it. Goodbye, Brody.”
I walk out of the restaurant without looking back. The lobby is busy with guests checking in and out, and I weave through them toward the front entrance. Outside, I flag down a cab and give the driver the arena's address.
As the city slides by outside the window, relief comes over me. It's finally done. No more Brody.
The cab drops me at the arena, and I head inside, composing myself as I walk through the corridors. My afternoon is clear of sessions, and I plan to catch up on paperwork, maybe call Ethan and apologize for being weird earlier.
I'm almost to my office when Ken appears from around the corner. “Natalie, perfect timing. Do you have a minute?”
“Yes, of course.”
He gestures for me to follow him to his office. Once inside, he closes the door and motions for me to sit.
“I have some news,” he says, settling into his chair. “Ivory Brock is leaving the organization. Her boyfriend has accepted a position in another state, and she's relocating with him.”
My stomach drops. Ivory is leaving? She never mentioned anything about this.
“This puts us in need of a full-time physical therapist for the team,” Ken continues. “Someone who understands the demands of the sport, and has proven themselves capable of handling high-profile cases.”
My heart starts pounding.
“We'd like to offer you the position of a permanent member of our medical staff, Natalie.”
I stare at him, certain I've misheard.
When I took this contract, I had a plan. Six months to test the waters and to figure out if New York was where I belonged or just a temporary escape. If things went well, I'd start job hunting around month four.
I never imagined the job would come to me.
A permanent position and a career with one of the most elite sports organizations in the country. My heart is racing, my palms are damp, and I have to consciously stop myself from grinning like an idiot.
“I'm honored,” I say.
“You've done exceptional work with Ethan Ward. His progress has exceeded all our expectations. The organization is very impressed. So what do you say?”
Some decisions are easy when you know exactly what you want. “Yes. I'd love to accept.”
Ken's smile widens. “That's what I was hoping to hear.” He stands and extends his hand. “Welcome to the team, Natalie.”
I shake his hand. “Thank you, Ken. I won't let you down.”
“I know you won't. That's why we chose you.”
I leave his office, my mind spinning. I feel as if I’m walking on air but underneath the excitement, something nags at me. Ivory never said anything about leaving. We've become close over the past few weeks. Why wouldn't she mention something this significant?
I find her in the treatment room, working on Logan Shaw's shoulder. The goalie is lying face-down on the table, his massive frame taking up nearly the entire surface.
“Hey,” I say from the doorway. “Got a minute when you're done?”
Ivory glances up. “Five minutes. I'm almost finished here.”
I wait in the hallway, checking my phone. Still no messages from Ethan. I type out a quick text: Going for a drink with Ivory after work. See you later?
He's probably napping. The skate this morning took a lot out of him.
When Ivory emerges from the treatment room, I fall into step beside her.
“You're leaving?”
She sighs. “I was going to tell you. I wanted to tell you in person, but you were in Wisconsin when everything happened, and then you got back, and things have been so busy.”
“What's going on?”
“Tim got offered his dream job. Head of engineering for a major tech company. The only catch is it's in Seattle.” She runs a hand through her blonde hair. “It's an incredible opportunity, and I couldn't ask him to turn it down.”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“And honestly, with my experience working for the Renegades, I can get a job anywhere. Seattle has professional teams. I'll find something.”
“I'm going to miss you. I know we haven't known each other long, but you've become a real friend.”
Ivory stops walking and pulls me into a hug. “I'm going to miss you too. You're one of the good ones, Natalie. Don't let this city change you.”
“Can we go for a drink after work? A proper goodbye?”
“I'm not leaving until next month. But yes, let's do it. There's a pub near the arena that makes excellent cocktails.”
We agree to meet at six, and I head back to my office to finish the day. I check my phone again. Still nothing from Ethan.
I send another text: Everything okay?
No response.
I complete paperwork, return emails, and try not to stare at my phone every thirty seconds. Ethan always responds to my texts, even if it's just an emoji or a one-word reply. This silence is unusual.
At six o'clock, I meet Ivory in the lobby, and we walk to the pub together. It's a cozy place with dark wood and brass fixtures. We order cocktails and find a quiet booth in the corner. Ivory tells me about Tim's new job and their plans for the move.
I tell her about Ken's offer, and she immediately lights up. “Please tell me you said yes.”
“I said yes.”
“Oh my God, Natalie. This is amazing! I'm so happy for you. You deserve this more than anyone.”
“I still can't quite believe it. When I moved here, I thought I'd have to hustle for months to find something permanent. And now it's just happening.”
“Because you're good at what you did. Ethan Ward's recovery is the talk of the facility. Everyone knows you're the reason he's ahead of schedule.” She raises her glass. “To new beginnings. Yours and mine.”
I clink my glass against hers. “To new beginnings.”
We clink glasses and drink. The conversation flows easily, covering everything from work gossip to relationship advice to our favorite restaurants in the city. It's a fun evening but in the back of my mind, the silence from Ethan gnaws at me.
I check my phone. Still no response.
I type out another text: Hey, are you okay?
I hit send and stare at the screen, waiting for the little dots that indicate he's typing.
“Everything alright?” Ivory asks.
“Yeah.” I slide my phone back into my purse and force a smile. “Everything's fine.”