My gaze shot to hers.The Athletic?I was an avid reader. It was a subscription-based sports site owned by the New York Times. They covered the NHL religiously but rarely, if ever, gave us the time of day.
Yesenia nodded, reading my reaction. “You’re getting more press than ever. If you check out the team’s social media, you’ll see the following’s grown significantly. Most articles are calling you the internet-famous team.”
I’d never cared for fame. All I wanted was for the team to stay in San Francisco.
“So, why are you here?” Ryder asked, his tone measured. “Do we need to make a statement or something?”
Yesenia exchanged a glance with Mr. Mac before looking back at us. “That’s one part of it. But what we really need is a new story. Right now, the narrative is that a coach abused her power and got into bed with one of her players.”
“That’s not what?—”
She raised a hand, cutting me off. “Of course, that’s not how it happened. But the truth? It doesn’t matter. People want scandal, they want drama. The only way to change the narrative is to give them something better.”
“What’s better than scandal?” I asked, my voice tight.
“A love story.”
I’d already admitted it to the entire team, so what was one more person? “I do love her.”
“Yes,” she said, nodding in approval. “That’s a good start. But it’s not enough. This needs to be a fairytale romance. A player sweeps his coach off her feet, and their feelings are so strong thatshe’s willing to break the rules. We need the public to believe it’s forever.”
“Forever,” Ryder repeated, the word slow and deliberate. “How?”
Yesenia leaned in, took the tablet from Ryder’s hands, and flashed a sly smile. “A proposal would be a good start.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
FRANKIE
Staring into what should’ve been my future didn’t bring sadness. Instead, there was only relief. Travis stood in the doorway of his mother’s house, his tired eyes betraying the small burst of hope that had flickered when I first arrived. It hadn’t taken more than a quick call to a mutual friend to learn this was where he’d ended up after I kicked him out. He’d get back on his feet soon, find his own place.
He’d expected more from me, I could tell. But the longer I stood there without speaking, the more that hope soured. His shoulders slumped in defeat.
I waited, knowing we both understood why I was here. There was no denying what he’d done.
“I’m not sorry,” he said finally, his voice flat.
I sighed, the weight of the moment settling in. “I know. And don’t you think that’s the problem?”
“You don’t belong with him, Franny. You and I… We made promises to each other.”
I bit back the urge to remind him of the cheating, the way he’d treated me. It wouldn’t change anything now. Not when it was already over. The anger I’d clung to since deciding to comehere started to fade, like the tide washing away footprints on the shore. Nothing was permanent.
“You know I can’t marry you, don’t you?” I held out the ring—the one that had been in his family for generations.
He looked at it, then at me, before taking it in his hand. “I messed up.”
“Yes, you did.”
“And you can’t forgive me?”
“For the cheating? I already have, Travis. That’s behind us. But for trying to destroy the one thing I had left to hold on to? Not a chance.”
“Fran—”
“That. Is. Not. My. Name.”
“Chill, babe. It’s not that serious.”
