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After a quick trip to the bathroom, we fall back together on his bed sheets. He throws the comforter over us, and it sounds like he’s fast asleep within moments of his head hitting the pillow.
I snuggle against him. I should tell him I’m a match to be a kidney donor for Lily. But until I can convince Lily to accept my kidney, it’s still not a sure thing. There’s no reason to add more to his plate until then. With Nancy willing to help again with Tabby while I have the procedure and during the immediate recovery, it’s like all the pieces are falling into place.
He said he wants me to stay in his life. That means something, I hope. Because I care about him, and I want to stay in his and Tabby’s lives too.
Duke
HargreevesstopsmewhenI get to the training facility the next day. “Duke, Raybourne wants to talk to you. Head up to the communications department before you take the ice.”
I drop my gear at my locker and do as he says. When I knock on her door, Raybourne waves me in. “Pull that closed behind you, Duke.” That doesn’t sound good, but I do as she asks, trying to figure out what this is about. “Take a seat.”
I slide into the chair in front of her, and she slips a folder across the desk. I open it. Inside is a picture of me holding June on the ice at the charity carnival. Behind it is another of me kissing her on the cheek. I set them down. “What’s this?”
“It’s an article I printed from one of the sports gossip rags. They published it this morning.” She motions to the page behind the pictures. “Thought you should see it.” She uses the eraser on her pencil to push it toward me.
On the paper is an article titled, “Who is June Harlow? All About the New Woman in Duke York’s Life.”
Something sours my stomach as I lift the page and read.
We spotted Duke York at the annual charity carnival, accompanied by his daughter and a stunning redhead. The official story is the woman with Duke is his daughter’s nanny, June Harlow. But from what we saw (and based on these photos), there’s more going on between Duke and his nanny than just childcare.
So who is June Harlow? Well, with a little sleuthing, we’ve discovered a few things about Duke’s new mystery woman.
June Harlow is a former foster child. Her mother, Elizabeth Harlow, has prior arrests in both Camden and Burlington counties for possession, prostitution, and loitering. Since she was ten, she’s lived with Lily Giancomo in Moorestown, NJ, and attended school there. She’s held a handful of jobs around town through her teens. With the help of scholarships and student loans, she graduated from Rutgers in Camden in the spring. Her first proper job seems to be working with the captain of the Tyrants.
While her past reads like a rags-to-riches success story, things aren’t sunshine and roses for Duke’s new alleged love interest. She was recently spotted at a local pawnshop, selling off jewelry and china. No word on whose belongings they were.
Sure enough, there’s a picture of June at this shop, smiling at the man behind the counter.
Unable to remain seated any longer, I spring to my feet, shaking the folder at Raybourne. “Who the hell writes this shit? Isn’t it against the law to investigate people like this?”
Raybourne lifts her hands. “There’s no proof someone found any of this information illegally. Did you finish the article?” She motions to my hands, where another piece of paper peeks out from under the picture of June at the pawnshop. I continue.
Perhaps the valuables belonged to Ms. Giancomo, who is undergoing expensive dialysis treatment. Like Miss Harlow, Ms. Giancomo is heavily in debt. She’s behind on her medical bills, and her mortgage is in pre-foreclosure. We believe Miss Harlow plans to donate her own kidney to Ms. Giancomo. That may solve their problems, but if they need money, we wonder if Miss Harlow isn’t banking on Duke York. We know Duke for his steady leadership and no-nonsense demeanor on the ice and off. But is it possible the steadfast captain of the Philadelphia Tyrants is falling victim to a pretty face and a sad tale, after claiming to want to avoid scandal this season? He wouldn’t be the first wealthy man to fall prey to a gold digger. We would hate for him to be taken advantage of, but that kiss suggests something very personal is going on.
Stay tuned here for updates.
“This is disgusting.” I drop the folder on Raybourne’s desk. “But they’re publishing information about Lily’s health. That’s definitely illegal.” I pace back and forth in front of her desk.
“You can sue, of course,” Raybourne says. “Though financially, that might not make sense. But what I need to know is if it’s true.”
“I already know about Lily, about the dialysis. I know about June being a foster kid, about her taking longer to finish college and needing to take out loans.”
“That’s not what I mean.” She narrows her eyes at me. “Are you sleeping with June?”
I scowl at her. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
Raybourne presses her fingers to her forehead. “Oh, Duke. Of all the men on this team--”
“I love her.”
She sighs and stands, rising to her imposing height in front of me. “I need you to stop to think for a moment.” She motions to the chair in front of her again. “Please.”
I do as she requests. When I’m settled, she sits again as well.
“We need to look at this without emotion,” she says. That anyone is lecturing me about being rational is pretty funny. “You know what happened last year with Hammond. He was married, but sex scandals are like crack to these people.”
Hammond was the guy who had the affair and ended up in a messy divorce last year. “This isn’t a sex scandal. It’s a relationship. I love her.”
