Page 52 of Pucking Curves

I stare at him impassively, trying desperately not to give him a single reaction. Inside, my stomach is in knots, and my heart is pounding a million miles a minute. I feel like throwing up.

Alice laughs loudly. “I’m beginning to think you have no life of your own, Montaque. You spend so much time in everyone else’s business it’s honestly sad.”

“I’ll take that as a confirmation,” he says.

“I didn’t confirm anything. I made an observation about your unrelenting obsession with this team,” Alice retorts. “I’ve told you a million times, unless it involves hockey, you aren’t getting a comment from me about our players or their families. Are you done wasting Wren’s time now? She has a job to do.” She pauses. “An actualmeaningfuljob.”

“About that…” Montaque meets my gaze. “Were you and Archer a couple before he founded this organization, Ms. Erikson? Or did your relationship develop after he became your employer?”

“What?” I gape at him, confusion churning through me. “Archer doesn’t…” I trail off when I see the self-satisfied, smug look on his face. Archer foundedHelping Hands? How? Why?

Oh my god.

“Are you claiming you weren’t aware that his company foundedHelping Hands, Ms. Erikson? I find that hard to believe. By all accounts, he’s your brother’s best friend. You’ve been seen out with him multiple times over the course of the last year.”

“It’s not a crime for her to spend time with her brother who, as you said, is Archer’s friend. He’s also his teammate, in case you’ve forgotten,” Alice retorts sharply. “Of course they’d be seen together.In the company of her brother.And Archer may have foundedHelping Hands, but if you’ve done your research, you’re very well aware that he’s behind numerous charitable ventures in this city, all of which operate without his direct oversight or involvement. He provides funding where it’s needed. That’s it. So if I were you, I’d be very careful about defaming a beloved member of this team, Montaque. Your reputation isn’t in any condition to take another hit right now. His, however, has always been above reproach.”

My face is frozen in a mask of impassivity. But inside I’m a riot of screaming confusion. Archer foundedHelping Hands? How is that even possible? We’re the charitable arm of a DC-based investment company, owned by a man who wanted to give back anonymously.

In DC, anonymity is the name of the game. People hide behind shell corporations to keep their involvement in various nonprofits and business ventures as quiet as possible. They work through proxies and boards installed to shield their involvement. It’s an extra layer of protection for politicians and important people who want to help without turning the work into a media circus or their own personal raison d'être.

I never questioned who owned the company. I figured if they wanted the credit, they’d have claimed it by now instead of letting the board make the decisions. But maybe I should have asked. Because the man behind the curtain isn’t some politician. He’sArcher.

Why didn’t he tell me?

God. Do I even need to ask?

I know why. It was one more way for him to keep me close. I was supposed to go back home to California when this job fell into my lap, literally out of nowhere. And I was so fucking happy about it because it meant I didn’t have to leave Micah. I didn’t have to leavehim.

I was so excited when I told them about the job. They both acted surprised, but Archer knew the whole time.

Did Micah know, too? Is that what he meant when he said I didn’t even know Archer? Is that why he’s so damn mad? Because he knows Archer has secretly been my boss for the last six months? Does he know his best friend is obsessed with me?

My stomach churns with anxiety.

Montaque’s lips compress into a line, his irritation obvious, but he doesn’t negate what Alice said. “It’s just a simple inquiry, Alice. I’m trying to get the timeline and facts right, that’s all.”

“Right,” she snorts, disbelief heavy in her voice. “As if facts matter to you one little bit, Montaque. They never have. You’ll do everything in your power to paint a picture that makes him a villain, just like always. Meanwhile, the actual villain is the man looking back at you from the mirror every day. Wren has no comment. Archer has no comment. The Carvers’ organization has no comment.” She pauses. “I do, however. If I were you, I’d take a long, hard look at thefactsof your life. That’s where your nose should be. Print that.”

Montaque opens his mouth to say something, but I can’t listen to this anymore. I can’t think. I can’t even breathe. I feel myself spiraling, questions whipping around in my mind so fast I can’t even catch the edges of them.

“Get out of my office, Montaque,” I say, my voice shaking with emotion. “I don’t care what story you’re trying to spin or why, I won’t help you do it. You know nothing about Archer or my brother, and you don’t know anything about me. So just get out.”

“Ms. Erikson–”

“Get. Out.”

He sighs heavily and then dips his head in a nod before turning for the door. “If you change your mind, you have my card.”

“I won’t change my mind.” It doesn’t matter how I feel right now—how confused or hurt I am. Hell will freeze over before I tell this man anything that might hurt Archer.

Montaque walks out without another word. For long moments, Alice and I don’t say anything. I don’t know what to say. I feel…numb.

“Wren?” Alice finally says. “Are you okay?”

“No,” I whisper.

She sighs quietly. “He’ll run whatever he has. Nothing we said to him today will stop that. I’m guessing he already has the marriage license or he wouldn’t have come to you. You need to decide how to break the news to Micah, sweetie. Before he finds out from Montaque.”

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