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Chapter eighteen
Birdie
Morninghasawayof putting a new spin on things.
Chief among them...agreeing to marry and get pregnant with a promising hockey player at the beginning of his career, which would probably destroy myowncareer.
I slide out of bed and pad down the hallway to where I dropped my bag earlier first thing in the morning, shrugging into Johnny's t-shirt to sit down at the dining table and glance at my laptop. If we're going to do this--even if it's justdating--I have to get my ducks in a row in terms of journalistic integrity. My reputation is everything in this business, and I can't be sleeping with a player if I'm...
I stop dead in my tracks as I look at the first email in my inbox.
Subject line:WHAT THE FUCK, HART
My jaw drops as I click open the email, my heart in my throat. Inside is a tirade from my editor, with a clear message that my article on the hockey team has been pulled from the publication due to a conflict of interest. My stomach churns as I realize the gravity of the situation.
I should have known better.
I slump into the chair, feeling like a fool. How had I let myself get so caught up in Johnny's charm? I compromised my integrity and now, not only is my career on the line, but my relationship is too.
I glance up as Johnny walks into the room, looking like he's just rolled out of bed himself. His hair is a mess and his eyes are sleepy, but as soon as he sees the expression on my face, he immediately straightens up.
"What's wrong?" he asks, coming to stand in front of me.
I hold out my phone, showing him the email from my editor. "My article got pulled. They found out about us."
Johnny's face falls, and for a moment we just stare at each other, the weight of it all in the process of hitting us. This is just the beginning...
My hands fly up to cover my mouth when Johnny's phone rings in his hand. He pulls it up to look at the screen, and his eyes go wide.
"It's my coach," he says quietly.
"Don't answer," I spit out, but he's already doing it.
"Hey, Coach," he says. "What's--"
"You fucked the journalist who wrote the profile on you?!"
I can hear Coach Petrovek's voice all the way from here, and Johnny holds the phone away from his ear as he continues to get berated.
I watch as Johnny's face turns red with anger and embarrassment, and I can tell that he's struggling to keep his cool. I reach out and place my hand on his arm, trying to calm him down.
"Coach, I can explain," Johnny says, holding up a hand to silence me.
"There's nothing to explain. You've put the entire team in a bad position. And what about your future in the league? You think any team is going to want to sign a player with this kind of baggage?"
Johnny's shoulders slump as he listens to the coach's words, and I can see the defeat in his eyes...and I get it, because I hear every word. I know that he's worked his entire life to make it to the NHL, and now it's all in jeopardy because of a stupid mistake that we both made.
"Coach, please," Johnny pleads. "I'll do anything to make it right."
There's a long pause on the other end of the line, and I can almost feel the tension between us.
Petrovek's voice is quiet now, but I can hear him talking. Johnny locks eyes with me and crosses his arms over his chest as he listens, his lips pressing into a thin line.
"No," he says. "I won't do that."
"Johnny," I whisper.
"Is she there right now?!" Petrovek's voice is loud again. "I swear to God, Playfair--"
