Behind it, he was a fraud – a phoney. All that bravado, all that swagger that he’d perfected over the years … at the end of the day, when the cameras were gone, Ward was home all by himself, wishing he could find someplace off the field he belonged – or a way to look at his reflection in the mirror one day and not hate what he saw.
Chapter 24
HANNAH
‘Dare I ask what crisis you’re dealing with now?’ Zoe answered by way of greeting after the call rang only once.
Hannah laughed into the device as she ambled down Sixth. ‘For the first time in forever, I think I’m ahead of a crisis, shockingly enough.’
Today had gone far better than she’d expected. She’d hoped to have McKenzie open up a little, but he’d gone even further. When he’d started to talk about his high school days, and then the tough, domineering coach that shaped his early playing years, there had been an openness and vulnerability to him that she’d suspected was there all along but he was so far reluctant to reveal.
She thrived on people opening themselves up to her, and letting down their guard. She understood that it was a gift they were offering and made certain never to abuse the privilege either. When Ward had talked about those early years, she’d seen in his eyes that vulnerable, immature kid he used to be.
Which made her want to uncover so much more. She needed to take her time though, and be doubly careful to ensure she didn’t scare him away. But weirdly, the more she got to know this guy – the real one – the more of a conundrum he seemed to be.
‘So it seems like I have a client who is finally willing to workwith me and a neighbour who doesn’t want to set me on fire,’ Hannah said, having filled in her friend on recent events. ‘All in all, a win, yes?’
‘Which is usually when the other shoe drops, no?’
She stopped in her tracks, ready to argue the point and, in doing so, caused a powerwalking, smartphone-wielding stockbroker to collide with her, practically knocking her over. ‘Feck, sorry,’ she gasped, which earned her an insolent glare.
‘Goddamn phone-zombie tourist …’ the man barked, before unironically returning his attention to his own device and picking up the pace.
‘You OK?’ Zoe queried.
‘Yes, I’m just starting to remember where I am. I forgot how rushed everyone is here.’
Her friend clucked on the other end of the line. ‘Regretting the decision to relocate, are we?’
Hannah let out an involuntary shiver, her thoughts briefly transporting her back to LA and the reasons for her escape. ‘Nope. I just have to remember that people are less … zen in these parts.’ She started walking again, trying her best not to dawdle lest she cause a proverbial pile-up on the sidewalk. ‘So,’ she continued, ‘about the other shoe dropping … oh, you of little faith, but I’m thinking positive. I honestly feel like I’ve turned a corner. Things are looking up.’
‘What’s the strategy then?’
Hannah heard the smile in Zoe’s voice, and she suddenly missed her friend, badly. She wished they could go to a bar and have a brainstorming session over a bottle of wine like they used to after a long day’s work.
‘As far as the hockey player goes, I need to get the thinking capback on now that he’s feeling agreeable to working with me instead of against me. And I need to make sure I get results, so heremainsagreeable.’
Easier said than done though. The joys of choosing a career managing people.
With that, Hannah turned her thoughts to her neighbour.
‘And as far as Ed in P-1 goes … well, I just need to not rock the boat. He’ll be in my rear-view mirror once Courtney’s back in six weeks anyway. Until then, I just need him tonotcall the cops because he believes I’m breathing too loud.’
Zoe sighed heavily on the other end of the line. ‘Crotchety old grump. I mean, how does a guy like that evenlivein New York if they don’t want people around them? Seriously, go move out into the country, buy a house in the woods and become a proper hermit like the Unabomber.’
Hannah laughed. ‘Let’s hope he’s nothing like the Unabomber, or even my Rice Krispie buns won’t save me.’
‘So,’ Zoe continued, changing the subject, ‘it’s Friday night. What’s the plan? Any hot dates on the horizon?’
Hannah snorted. ‘Ha. I have more than enough on my plate at the moment.’ But Zoe made a good point. It was the weekend and she didn’t know her colleagues at the New York office well enough yet to socialise with them, plus she was still hesitant about making connections until she could be more confident about what they did or didn’t know about the reason for her transfer.
The idea of returning to the apartment and tiptoeing around in case of upsetting her neighbour didn’t appeal either. Nor did eating alone again. As wonderful as Courtney’s place was, Hannah figured that maybe this week she had at least earned the right not to burn or obliterate another ready meal.
‘Actually, I think I’m going to take myself out,’ she decided on the spot. ‘Have a glass of wine, some nice food and do a bit of brainstorming.’
‘Heard anything from Rob?’ her friend enquired then, her tone changing. ‘You’d tell me, wouldn’t you?’
‘Not a dickie bird,’ Hannah muttered truthfully, still a little unsure how to feel about it.
