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I knew that look on Liam’s face. It was how he looked before he was about to fly off the handle.
“I’ll do eighty hours too,” I said. “I’m just as responsible for what happened. I had it coming.”
Wren picked up the folder she’d set down in front of her on the table and looked back and forth between Liam and me. “Charlotte deserves better than this.”
She might as well have kicked me in the gut. Her words cut deep down to the heart of all my worries about being good enough for Charlotte.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said.
Wren’s eyes softened as she looked at me. She got up and left the room then, leaving us alone with Orion.
“I don’t even know where to start,” he said the moment the door closed. “You two jackasses embarrassed yourselves, your team, and me today.”
“It was me,” Liam said. “I’m the one who started it.”
“Believe me, I know. You’re a PR nightmare already, and your solution to that is to bang the PR lady to stay in her good graces.”
“That’s not—”
“Did I say you could talk?” Orion yelled.
“No, Coach.”
Orion turned to me. “Bennett, you should’ve told him. That was a hell of a way for him to find out you got his sister pregnant.”
“You’re right, Coach,” I said.
“But you—” he pointed at Liam “—fucked up bad this time. You’d better blow me away on the ice an
d do that community service with a smile on your face every second you’re there.”
“I will.”
“If the press gets wind of this, you keep your mouths shut and send ’em to me.”
We both nodded. A knot of tension formed in my stomach at the thought of this hitting the news.
“Any injuries?” Orion asked.
“I think my wrist is sprained,” I said.
“Go home and ice it. You’re going to Chicago in the morning for some one-on-one with my former teammate Niko.”
“Vereshkova?”
“Yes. He’s got an off day and he wants to work with you.”
I nodded silently, but inside I was elated. This was a chance to get recognized by a player from the team I wanted to be on.
“And when Bennett gets back tomorrow night, figure out how to put this behind you.”
Liam scoffed and looked away. Orion stood and I followed him out of the room, knowing Liam and I would be at each other’s throats again soon if I stayed.
Charlotte was sitting on a bench in the lobby of the police station, her elbows resting on her knees. She looked up as I approached.
“Hey,” I said softly.
“Bennett.” She sighed, looking relieved, and stood up. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close.
