“Right. Yeah. I’ll see you both later. Send my love to Freya,” he shoots over his shoulder before he races around the corner.
“Let’s go,” she demands.
Like an obedient puppy, I follow along behind her, into the elevator, and then to her office.
Her assistant smiles, but she doesn’t meet my eyes. I can only assume that she’s found herself on the wrong end of her boss as well this morning.
“Take a seat,” Hailee instructs as she walks around her desk and drops into her seat. “Rowan Conaway wants attention.”
I scoff. “No shit.”
“So we’re not going to give him any.”
“Sounds perfect. Did you need me for anything else, or…”
My fingers curl around the arms of the seat, and I push to stand, but the second Hailee narrows her eyes at me, I lower my ass back down.
She’s silent for a few seconds before her shoulders relax and she sighs.
“Look, I know that neither of you wants media attention, but unfortunately, you’ve got it. As much as you might hate to hear this, Rowan and the Rusty Trinkets are massive right now. And you, Cole Hansley, are just as hot. It’s going to be inescapable. While it draws him and his new album attention, he’ll keep the stories coming. He?—”
Fire shoots through my veins. I fucking hate that he’s dragging Freya into this.
He sent her away.
She’s put him behind her.
He has no right to use us as pawns in his games.
“This is bullshit,” I snap. “Can’t you shut it all down?”
A humorless laugh erupts from Hailee. “Trust me, if I could, I would. I’m doing everything I can to minimize the damage. Butthis isn’t going to disappear overnight. We need to figure out where we go from here.”
“Then you should be talking to Freya, not me. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her from all of this.”
Hailee smiles softly at me from across the table before she nods once, as if my statement just told her everything she needs to know.
62
FREYA
Cole is leaving tomorrow for two back-to-back road games before they play in their final game of the regular season at home.
I’m buzzing for that.
They secured their playoff spot a long time ago, but none of them are slowing down. The hard work is only starting.
I want it for them so badly. No one deserves it more than Cole and the rest of the guys. I may not be a hockey expert, but even I can understand just how hard they’ve worked this year, and how much it means to them.
It’s been four days since we bumped into Rowan and I discovered that my brief dating experience with Levi was nothing but a game. Bitterness still floods through me when I think about it, but thankfully, Cole is doing a fantastic job of keeping me distracted.
I haven’t left the apartment since it all happened. As much as I like to think I’m dealing with it all okay, I’m not entirely sure I am.
Just thinking about going out there terrifies me.
I don’t want to hear anyone shouting my name, or demanding to hear my side of the story. I just…I want it all to goaway so that Cole and I can embark on our life together like any other new couple.
For the first time ever, Cole has allowed others into his apartment.
