Page 47 of Puck Me Secretly

He radiated defiance and frustration. I wanted to reach out and touch him. I wanted to comfort him. Instead, I crossed my arms. “Do you trust me?”

“You’re the only person around here that I do trust.”

“Then let me take care of this for you.”

“Rory,” he spoke with emotion. “I’m not ready to give up hockey.”

“You won’t have to,” I made a promise I wasn’t sure I could keep.

Blue eyes held mine and then he walked out.

“You look like hell,”my dad walked into his office carrying his morning coffee.

Probably because I hadn’t left the office yet. I still wore my clothes from the night before. “I need you to see something.”

He moved to stand beside me in front of his huge 72” TV. I pressed play. It was the raw footage from the night before.

The unedited version.

The camera zoomed in on Max and Katrina getting out of the cab.

The NCR station reporter stared into the camera. “No matter what, keep filming. I’m going to get Logan to hit me.”

The cameraman spoke from behind the camera. “Gary, are you sure that’s a wise idea?”

“It’ll get me the ratings I need.”

“Well you won't get ratings if you’re badgering him.”

“I can edit that out, plus if he hurts me, I can sue him and the Wolves.”

Gary, the reporter, walked towards Max.

“Max, what happened in Minnesota?”

Max blinked in the bright light of the camera. “I’m a Vancouver Wolf now, I prefer to focus on my future not the past.”

“Max, I heard the fight with Joseph Flanynk was over a woman.”

“No comment.”

“Max, my sources tell me that you lost your cool because one of your teammates said you couldn’t get it up for a woman.”

“No comment.”

“She said you preferred men.”

“No comment.”

“Our sources tell us that the only reason you’re here is because you’re sleeping with Mr. Ashford. They say you both prefer men.”

Dad stiffened beside me.

Max gave the camera his attention. “Mr. Ashford is one of the greatest GMs in the league. He’s happily married to his wife. Leave him out of this mess.”

“That’s not what I heard. I heard that after practice, he likes a big strong guy like you on his knees in front of him.”

Max stared at the camera. “Go ahead and badger me, but please talk about Mr. Ashford and his wife with the respect they deserve.”

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