Page 146 of If You Love Me

The game is tight. Roman’s focus is singular. After a goal scored by Bowman in the first few minutes of the first period, Roman has deflected every shot, and the enforcers are defending the net. But Bowman is on fire. His stick-handling skills keep improving. It’s mind-blowing to watch him snag the puck out of midair.

But in the end, it’s this maneuver that’s essentially New York’s downfall. Bowman gets a penalty in the third period for high sticking, and Madden scores the tie-breaking goal during the power play, giving us the lead with only four minutes left in the game. We manage to hold on. It’s a rough loss for New York, but a solid win for us.

My anxiety is at an all-time high as we enter the press box a few minutes later. And I’m unprepared for the number of microphones suddenly in my face. “Coach Forrester, this is your first game back in three weeks. Rumor has it that you’remarried to Roman Hammerstein? Are these two things connected?”

“I’ve already answered that. Coach Forrester was on leave and has returned to her role as coach,” Vander Zee states, brow furrowed in irritation.

“Were you involved with Hammerstein before you joined the team?”

I go with honesty, because lying seems pointless and will only create more issues down the line. “I met Roman a few years ago, but I hadn’t seen or spoken to him again until after I joined the team as an assistant coach.”

A woman thrusts her microphone into my face. “You made history this year as the first female assistant coach in the league. How do you think marrying the team goalie will impact the opportunity for other women to progress in the league?”

I knew this question was coming. But it’s still a knife to the chest. “How many men have married their subordinates and faced the same public ire?” I throw the question back at her. “Look, love doesn’t always have convenient timing. Sometimes it shows up when you least expect it and knocks your whole world, or in this case, your whole team off balance.” I roll my shoulders back, thinking about how proud my husband already is of me. “And let’s be real, I was under a microscope prior to marrying Roman. I have been since I stepped into this role. It doesn’t matter that Roman is retiring. I will always be the assistant coach who married the goalie during the season. But he is the love of my life, and I’m the love of his. And I will take whatever is thrown at me because he is worth it. My being married to Roman might not be convenient or palatable for the masses, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m good at my job. I was the most qualified candidate for the position. And I believe my track record this year indicates that I am still the most qualified person for the job.”

“Why did you want the job? Was it so you could get closer to Hammerstein?” she asks.

I level her with an unimpressed glare. “I have lived and breathed hockey since I was three years old. It is my life and my very first love. It’s second now only to my husband and my sisters. I wanted this job because it gave me the opportunity to work with one of the top teams in the league.”

“You work primarily with the defensive line,” she states.

“For this team I do. I was a defensive player during my hockey career. It’s where my strengths lie.” I pause a moment. “We’re talking in a circle here. Our team stats speak for themselves. My being married to the goalie can’t skew the numbers.”

Vander Zee steps in. “Coach Forrester is an asset to this team and we’re grateful to have her back. She’s been instrumental in helping bolster our enforcers and working with Hammerstein and Coach Boxer to prepare Ryker to take over next season. And she’s done a damn good job, which everyone on the team has already stated over the past few weeks. Several times. If you’re looking for a scandal, try another team. Can we please focus on the game and the on-ice performance of the players, rather than our assistant coach’s personal life?”

“I do understand the fixation, though. Our goalie is a pretty great guy,” I add.

Vander Zee cracks a rare smile and that gets a round of chuckles from the media.

The questions shift to Roman’s retirement and the fact that Hendrix is in a contract year. Vander Zee vague-talks around it. In house, we all know how Hendrix feels. He’s expressed interest in coaching with Roman at the Hockey Academy next year. I can’t blame him. Life is short, and Peggy is his priority. He wants her to have a career and pursue her own aspirations, just like Roman’s wants for me.

Vander Zee answers a few more questions before we leave the press behind. “You handled that well, Forrester. They’ll keep pushing this angle for a while because it’s juicy gossip as my daughter likes to say.” He rubs the back of his neck. “But they’llmove on when they realize there’s no dissension on the team over it.”

“I know.”

“I’ll keep Hemi and her team on top of social media, but once Roman retires, things will settle down,” he assures me.

I’m the biggest target out there now. “I had to have thick skin to get where I am. That won’t change. I’m sorry for the headache it causes you and management.”

“Honestly, it would have been a battle regardless. If you’d waited until off-season, we would have heard about it in the fall. At least he gets to finish his last season happy.” He clasps me on the shoulder. “I’ll check on the guys and make sure you’re not getting an eyeful.”

I wait outside the locker room until I get the all clear from Vander Zee. When it’s safe, I join the rest of the coaching staff and the team.

“You did well,” Boxer says as I take my place beside him.

“Thanks, I appreciate that.” It’s nice to know that despite the headaches I’ve caused the team this season, I still have his support.

Fielding steps up and gives a short good-work-and-excellent-playing speech before we leave the arena and return to the hotel.

“I have plans for us tonight.” Roman guides me in the opposite direction of the team.

“We have a flight in the morning,” I remind him.

“I’m aware, but it’s the first time we’ve been together in New York since the weekend we met, and I want the night with you.” He kisses the back of my hand and guides me to a waiting car. “Don’t worry. We’ll make it back to the hotel tomorrow morning before anyone notices we’re gone.”

My stomach is full of excited butterflies as Roman helps me into the back of the waiting car and slides in next to me.

“What about all our stuff?”

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