Page 3 of So Pucking Over You
“I could have the maid take her luggage to the room on the other side of you. It has a connecting door with your room. Maybe less noticeable and save you some grief. It’s a late check-in room so we’re good to use it.”
“Which car?” He motions me around the desk and pulls up the parking lot and points to a late model SUV. I squint trying to see the driver. “Is he a guest?”
“No. He showed up right behind the team bus. I told him there were no rooms, but he hasn’t left.”
“Do you have a shot of his license plate?”
He messes with the camera angles and is able to give me the plate number.
“Thanks. I’ll take you up on the maid’s help. Give me a couple sodas and some of those snack crackers for now.”
Back in the room I discover Oakley hasn’t moved from where I left her. I hunker down in front of her and take her ice-cold hands in mine.
“Oakley, it’s going to be okay.”
Tears fill her eyes. “Did you know? Did everyone know? Am I a laughingstock?”
“No one’s fucking laughing at you. Everyone on the team loves you. I don’t think anyone knew or knows anything. He hasn’t traveled with the team since before the Christmas break, well, really since we’ve been taking the bus.”
“Do you know who she is?”
I’m pretty sure I do, but I keep it to myself. If I’m right this is bigger than just his relationship with Oakley. “She hasn’t been around the team before.”
I am not a social media guy. No personal accounts. Don’t look at them, and don’t care. What the team posts is all on them. As one of the senior players and goalie, I keep my presence to the interviews the team office requires of me and the publicity they schedule. I have a couple charities I support that mean something to me. I donate time with them and once in a while they will ask to publish a photo of me as part of their PR. But that’s it. I’m here to win hockey games. Nothing more. In the off season I hang out at my ranch and exist under the radar as much as possible.
“Does Gordy know he’s with someone here?”
“I don’t know.”
“He and—the jerk had a fight about something recently.”
“If they did, I don’t know about it.” Most everyone has had at least one round with Trevor. He’s a showboat and always trying to grab the limelight. Never gives anyone else their due. Fuck, if you asked him, he’d tell you he’s the only one on the ice.
“Stand up, sugar. Your hands are freezing. Let’s get you into a warm shower. Have you eaten? I’ll order some food.”
“I’m not hungry.” She pauses and looks around. “My clothes. My equipment. They’re in my suitcases. I thought you went to get them.”
“Your bags are being brought to us. Hop in the shower and they’ll be here by the time you get out. I promise.” I go to my duffle and grab one of my team T-shirts. “Take this just in case.”
A few minutes after the shower comes on there’s a knock on the dividing door. I’ve barely thanked and tipped the housekeeper when there’s pounding on my door. Coach Nugent, Phil, our media guy, and a red-faced Gordy are on the other side.
“Come in but keep your voices down. She’s in the shower. She doesn’t need any more drama right now.”
“Videos are already popping up,” Phil says. “So far nothing showing Oakley’s face.”
“There’s an SUV in the parking lot, or at least there was. Desk clerk thinks he did some filming.” I hand Phil the license plate number. “Know anyone who can find out who this belongs to?”
He nods and starts typing on his phone.
Gordy growls deep in his throat. “What the hell happened? What kind of incident? What room is Trevor in? I need to talk to him.”
“Sit down and shut up,” Coach Nugent snaps. “I know what you want to say with your fist, and it isn’t happening. We are three games away from clenching a spot in the playoffs. You are not risking the team’s chances.
“We all love Oakley, but there’s a time and a place and we will deal with this after the season.”
“I ain’t waiting that fucking long,” he grumbles.
“There may be more going on than the obvious,” I interject.