Everyone fell silent.
On the screen, the hostess—a middle-aged blonde with a pixie cut—invited me to sit on the sofa opposite her. I was wearing the same ocean blue suit I’d worn to Lake’s wedding, which I hoped would make me come across as fun rather than a show pony.
“Oh, my God.” Tally turned to me, her lips parted, eyes wide. “Seriously, what’s going on? You were on—” She cut herself off, her hands covering her mouth.
“Listen,” I urged, shifting closer to her so that our bodies were pressed together from knee to hip to shoulder.
The hostess introduced me to the audience and settled more comfortably onto her seat. She crossed one leg over the other and rested her palms on them.
“So, Alec,” she began, leaning slightly toward me, “rumor has it you’re not really off the market, is that right?”
“That is absolutely not correct,” I said crisply.
Someone in the living room cheered.
“I’m in a very committed relationship with a woman who has been my best friend for many years. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her.”
The hostess’s eyes twinkled. “Including a nationwide interview, when you’re a notoriously private person?”
I nodded. “Including that.”
She whistled. “She must be special.”
“She is.”
In real time, Tally shuffled closer. “I can’t believe you did this! When did you even have the time?”
“Coach let me out of practice this morning,” I whispered back. “He’ll probably kick my ass for it in training tomorrow, but he knew this was important to me.”
On the screen, the hostess asked me about Tally, and I explained who she was, how we’d met as teenagers, and the truth of how I’d fallen for my best friend bit by bit over the years but was too foolish to see it until I’d seen what I could have with her.
I took a brief detour to talk about her delicious chocolate creations and how they were my absolute favorite to indulge in during the off-season, hoping that would ease some of Tally’s concerns about her business.
Finally, I relived the kiss that changed everything. Several of the women present swooned.
“So, what does this mean for your hockey?” the hostess asked.
The virtual version of me straightened. “Just that it’s no longer my number one priority. I love hockey and always will. I’ll give it everything I can. After all, I want a championship ring. But Tally comes first. Always.”
“Do you mean that?” Tally asked, her eyes shining.
“Every word.” I watched her face, wondering what she made of all of this. Had airing my love for her to the entire nation been too much? Was she embarrassed? Or did she like that I’d been willing to do that for her?
Whatever the case was, I couldn’t bring myself to regret it. I’d put everything on the line for love and I was proud of that.
“I—” She started to speak, but when the hostess asked me about the man who’d gone running to the tabloids about our fake relationship, she spun back to the TV.
I smirked as I watched the recorded version of me tell the whole country what a vindictive, cheating asshole Thad was, spewing toxic bullshit to anyone who would listen because he was furious that she’d had the audacity to move on and find someone better than him.
Tally clapped her hand to her mouth a few seconds too late to hide her laughter.
“Wait for it,” I murmured.
A moment later, a photograph of Thad appeared behind the hostess. It was terrible. His face was twisted like he’d sniffed shit, and his cheeks were red from sunburn.
A snort burst from Tally. “Oh, no!”
A spiteful wave of glee rose within me. “Oh, yes.”
