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Mind you, I haven’t been online, have I? My phone might be beeping like crazy, but I haven’t been looking. I don’twantto know what’s going on, mostly because I don’t understand what these trolls are getting out of targeting me and trying to ruin my life.
“I can’t even repeat what’s being said about me. Iamgoing to go to the police station, though, because I need to make sure that someone is watching me.”
“Do you need me to come?” I might have been trying to avoid it, but if Mom needs me, then there’s no way I’ll stay here. I’ll just come back and complete my dream, following in my father’s footsteps when all of this has blown over.
“I don’t think you need to, Riley,” she says with a deep sigh. “Obviously, I want you here where I can keep an eye on you, but you might not be safe here.” She pauses thoughtfully for a moment. “I don’t need you back for me. I can keep myself safe with the people in this town, but if you want to come home, then I’d prefer it.”
Well, that gives me nothing, nothing at all. I can’t tell what Mom needs from me. I’m torn in two: half of me wants to be back in Cold Springs with Mom, and the other half of me needs to stay here, for myself and my career, but of course, for Alex as well.
“I… I just need to get this story written, Mom…” It sounds like a pathetic excuse now, but it’s still something I need to be careful about. “But I can come home after that. Maybe for a visit or whatever.”
I can almost feel Sara’s gaze burning through me. She definitely thinks I should leave now. She might even be judging me for not running to help my mom, but I’m in fight-or-flight mode, and my body has decided to freeze.
I might just need a minute to wrap my head around it all; then I’ll make the right choice.
“Let me know if you do want to come back,” Mom says softly. She’s still sympathizing with me, even if I’ve brought issues to her door, which breaks my heart. Ice-cold guilt flows through my veins, keeping me locked in place even more. “And please, keep in touch with me. Let me know what’s going on, okay?”
I promise Mom that I will, but I’m struggling so much with the choice that I’ve made that I can’t even look Sara in the eye. I just need to get this story done. I want to, at the very least, takethatstep in my career, and then I can decide what to do next.
I need all of this to be worth it.
Chapter 16—Alex
I feel horrible.
All the fucking time.
This sucks.
The fact that I keep promising Riley I will see her and I don’t make it is the worst. But Coach and all this drama has me so busy. I’m so wrapped up in all this mess that it’s driving me up the wall, slowly making me insane.
I’ve always had public interested in me, but it’s never been this intense. This is exactly what I’ve been trying to avoid because I hate being the center of attention like this. I would much rather people talk about me playing hockey than this.
People making assumptions about my personal life when they don’t know a damn thing about Riley and me is nasty. The things they are saying… urgh, I really don’t know how anyone does this, how they can put up with their faces being all over the media all the time, with people saying things that aren’t true… It’s so frustrating.
But no one seems to understand my annoyance. The guys just think it’s funny for me to be on the receiving end of this for once, and Coach is just trying to focus on what’s next. He isn’t interested in my mood right now and how badly I’m struggling.
“Have you seen it?” Benjamin shakes me from my thoughts and drags me back into the dressing room, reminding me that I’m supposed to be changing for practice. “The article?”
“Huh?” I blink a couple of times, trying to adjust to the lighting in the room. “What article?”
What now? Fucking hell, I don’t think I can handle the idea that there’s someone else talking about me. I can’t stomach anything else. But it doesn’t seem like Benjamin got the memo. He can’t read my expression and shoves the paper in my face.
“Look, Riley’s article is out at last. It’s pretty good, too.”
Shit,she did tell me that it had been submitted and that she tried to write it well—as an expose without exposing me too much, but I wasn’t expecting it to come out now.
Truth be told, Riley wasn’t sure that it’d come out at all, so I guess I was thinking the same thing. To have her article right in front of me is a little jarring. Should I have read over this before it was released? Is it a mistake that I just threw all my trust in Riley?
I don’t know, but I guess I’m about to find out…
In the world of professional hockey, Alex Barrett is a name synonymous with skill, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence on the ice. As fans cheer for the goals and victories, what often remains hidden are the layers of the man behind the jersey.
Wow, okay, that’s pretty good. I’m impressed that she’s started writing about hockey first because that’sallI want to be known for. The rest of it is nothing more than outside noise.
I quickly scan my eyes over the next few paragraphs, relief flooding through me that it seems to be exactly what I would want it to be. If Ihaveto have something written about me, this is it. This is perfect.
Beyond the dazzling lights of the stadium, Alex’s world is one of sacrifice and commitment. Hockey is not merely a career for him; it’s a way of life. His intense focus on the sport hasoften kept him isolated from the frivolities of fame, a sacrifice he willingly makes for the love of the game—a love that shines through in every aspect of his life.
