But the failure is mine.
I hang my head, not moving for what feels like an eternity.
I don’t even lift my head to say goodbye to Sophie.
The crowd thins.
Eventually they are all gone.
The TVs shut off.
The lights dim.
I hear a throat clear, and I lazily lift my eyes. Coach Carlson is standing next to me. I don’t have it in me to make eye contact. He slaps a hand on my shoulder. “Got a sec?”
Ice slicks my veins, as I know he’s going to come down hard on me.
This is where I’m normally a prick and run my mouth, but something’s changed in me. Even though I feel this loss so deep in my gut I want to hurl,I’m quiet.
Bill steals my attention as he rounds the corner, saunters out of the tunnel, and joins us. “What do you have to say?” Bill asks, not unfriendly.
“I got nothing.” I shrug exhaustively.
Bill lifts his hat, hovering it over his head while he scratches an itch on the top of his bald head with his other hand. “Something was different tonight. I’ve never seen you play like that.”
“I was sloppy,” I spit out, disgusted with myself. He doesn’t have to assess my game as I already know I sucked.
“I think . . .” He pauses while he passes a look to Coach and goes after that itch on his head again. “I think I pushed you too hard. I got your mind off hockey, and now you’re distracted by this whole fake-dating thing. The stunt with the jersey at the start of the game was too much. It made the crowd wild, and maybe that’s what the problem was.”
“That wasn’t a stunt—”
He ignores my defenses. “We knew we couldn’t keep this going forever, and the stands were packed, but that doesn’t do us anygood if we start losing all our games. Now, we need to reign things back. We can leak a statement that says you two parted ways as friends—”
“I’m not doing that.” Fire pumps through my veins, and I burst to stand in front of Bill, looking down at him. “Nobody is going to release any statement about Sophie or me.”
“It was fine at first,” he tries to smooth things over, but rage is running through my brain. “It’s taken a turn we weren’t expecting. Having her at the game tonight was too much. We’re going to streamline the distractions, and she’s no longer allowed at the arena.”
“You can’t banish her from my games,” I growl. “She’smygirlfriend.”
Bill wags his head, his eyelids getting heavy. “She’s not your girlfriend. You forget this is all a setup.” He starts to reach out to pat my shoulder, as if I need calming down, but I sweep his arm away. He doesn’t understand that we’ve made a real connection and that everything’s changed.
It’s sort of funny, actually.
Our setup was all his idea, and I don’t have anything to hide. He’s the one person who knows the situation the best, and he’ll surely laugh off the ending as good news. “Yes, I know it started that way, but things changed. We got to know each other for real, and we are officially together now.”
“Axl.” He goes after that itch again. I hold my breath, wondering if I should recommend someHead & Shoulders. After a painfully long pause, where I don’t know what to say to convince him Sophie and I aren’t faking it, he pulls out his phone and flicks open an app.
Then he hands me his phone.
Photo up.
My breath rushes fast, pumping adrenaline to every tendon in my body. “How did you get this photo?” I snatch the phone from him. “Are you spying on me?”
“I was.” He nods matter-of-factly. “Look, after the reports came out that you two were faking it, I panicked. I knew this would not work unless we got you to loosen up in public. I don’t know how to say this, but I knew you were the problem, being so stiff. I paid Sophie to kiss you. I thought if only she knew it was going to happen, it would look more natural, and I could leak the photo. We planned the whole thing, and I was waiting in the bushes to get proof.”
“What?” I screech, my voice echoing off the walls. I suck in so much air, my nostrils flare. “You’re lying.”
“How would I have this photo if I was?” He shrugs, snatching his phone back and stuffing it into his pocket. “I’m no idiot. I see the way you look at her, and you’re falling for her. Last night we took it too far. I’m sorry.” He pats my shoulder. “I was hoping she’d say something, but it seems like she’s keeping this charade going. I couldn’t stand back and let your heart get broken . . . ” His words drop off, and he turns to Coach. They exchange a quiet expression and walk away, leaving me to digest this.
