We’re all quiet for a beat.
“Who?” I ask.
“Noelle Knight.”
For a minute the name doesn’t register.
“Wait—is that Ashton’s sister-in-law? She’s married to his brother, right?” Serena asks.
“Yup. She called the other day and she’s coming to the game tonight. She and Remy are here to watch Ashton play, and we’re going to have lunch tomorrow. Basically, she wants to own forty-nine-percent of the business, so I have the majority shares and final word if we ever disagree on anything. She’s an avid reader and loves the idea of owning a bookstore, especially if it’s with a hockey wife.”
“Oh, my God,” Serena whispers. “That’s amazing. Remy Knight is a billionaire! And super smart. I don’t think you can go wrong with him helping out.”
“Noelle said she wants something of her own, that she loves being a mom but she needs something else to do too. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, so she won’t be here most of the time, but she’s willing to help book special events, help with inventory planning, whatever I need.”
“This is amazing,” I tell her. “And with a partner who has the last name Knight, you’re one step ahead from the get-go.”
Remington Knight owns the Lauderdale Knights, another NHL team, and all three Knight brothers are incredibly successful. The middle brother, Kingston, is the lead singer of a platinum-selling rock band called Onyx Knight, and of course, Ashton plays in the NHL. Being linked to them is quite a feat, so I’m excited for her.
“I can’t stop bouncing,” Jayne says. “I don’t think I slept more than an hour last night but I’m not even tired!”
We all laugh.
“You’ll crash hard tonight,” Kelly says gently.
I want to talk about my news but not in front of Kelly. Not because I don’t plan to tell Viktor but because I want to tell him myself without her getting in the middle. She’s been perfectly polite and cordial but I know she doesn’t approve of what we’ve done. She’ll probably be even less enthused if she knew we were sleeping together.
Because despite everything I’m feeling, when he reached for me last night, I didn’t say no. We made love twice and then showered together before falling asleep. In fact, it was like I couldn’t get enough.
Probably because I don’t know how much longer I’ll have it—or him.
If I get this job, I’ll have to move to New York City, which means we’ll be living apart. That will actually be helpful in the long run because we can frame it as the professional opportunity of a lifetime, and then, when the year is up, we can say the distance was too much. We grew apart. Whatever good excuses we think of.
I don’t know if he’s going to be on board with this, though, which is why I need to be the one to tell him. After I’ve had time to think about how to frame it.
“How’s it going with Viktor’s parents?” Kelly asks me as we walk into the arena.
“It’s been okay. His dad has fallen in love with the birds at the sanctuary so we have that in common. I can’t really tell what his mom is thinking, but at least she’s not hostile.”
“And what about you? How are you doing with the…situation?”
I shrug casually. “It’s been fine. Viktor is a really nice guy, as you know. He makes everything easy.”
She studies my face for a few seconds. “I feel like that’s not the most honest answer.”
“I’m not sure what you want me to say?” I glance at her. “He’s great. We get along. But this isn’t a love match. Eleven months from now, we’ll be divorced.”
I can tell she has something to say, but I don’t want to hear it.
“Don’t worry,” I add quickly. “I’m doing my best to support Viktor through the championship, and then we may do our own thing this summer. He wants to go home to Russia for a while and I have some job opportunities I’m looking into. We’re making it work.”
She looks startled but I turn away as a couple of the other wives join us and start talking animatedly about the game. Everyone is excited and I feel a twinge of sadness, knowing that these may be my last games as a player’s wife. If I get the job in New York, I won’t be around next season, regardless of what Viktor and I decide privately.
“What’s up with you tonight?” Serena asks me as we go in search of wine.
“I have a job interview in New York,” I blurt.
Her eyes widen. “But…how can you take a job in New York?”
