“I’ll see you on Monday to sign the divorce paperwork.”
“Rosie!” His voice breaks on my name. It’s raw and desperate and I know I’ve hurt him. But he hurt me too. I avoid his gaze.
"Just let it go," I respond and then I leave him there, stunned and silenced.
Chapter 38: Boone
Boone:Rosie, please talk to me. I’m sorry I went off script. I’m an idiot. Please answer my calls.
No response. Again.
Fuck me.
I pull up Rhiannon's phone number next.
Boone:How badly did I fuck up?
Rhiannon:Like, on a scale from 1-10? You’re at an 11.
Boone:Fuck!
Rhiannon:You went off script and blindsided her with an “I love you” in the middle of your fake breakup. That’s not cool.
Boone:I know. I’m an idiot. I just couldn’t say all that shit they wanted me to because it wasn’t true and the look in her eyes was so… sad, fuck.
Rhiannon:I get it, but thankfully, my husband’s amazing and saved your asses along with the Prescott PR team. Have you seen the news?
I groan and reach for my phone, scrolling through the search results while lying in Penn’s spare bedroom that used to be mine and now feels like my own for of purgatory.
Two days of moping in this tiny room, barely moving, just stewing in my screw-ups, regrets and Rosie's sweet rose scent.
The first article tied to my name pops up with a headline that makes my stomach churn:
“Mayhem in Paradise: Trouble for Hockey’s Favorite Center and His New Bride?”
Fuck me.
The lead photo is a shot of me leaning toward Rosie on the street, my face deadly serious while hers looks like a deer caught in headlights. It’s convincing and painful to look at when I know the truth of what was happening there.
The article spins the PR-approved story: I’m clinging to my hockey career and refusing to settle down because I'm passionate about the sport and want to lead the team to another victory now that my case has been dismissed, while Rosie wants to leave it all behind and start a family.
It’s all the fake, rehearsed bullshit we planned, instead of what Iactuallysaid to her in that moment.
That I’d leave hockey behind for her.
That I want kids.
That I want a family.
That I love her.
I fire off a text response back to Rhiannon.
Boone:I saw.
Boone:So, what do I do?
Rhiannon:You give her a second to breathe. Let her realize what you said was true and not acting. That you just have shitty timing of telling her how much she means to you. Let her see that she loves you too. And that, despite embarrassing her like that, you’re just a big idiot who’s a fool for her and that's why you did it. And then apologize some more.
