Page 122 of Heart Taker

No shit.

“But I’ve also been around long enough to know that this isn’t the first student-teacher relationship at Sutton, or any other college for that matter, and it won’t be the last. I’m not condoning it, but you’re both adults, and given that you’re committed to each other, legally, what else can I say? Except that I’m overturning Dave’s decision.”

“What?” Dave shouted at the same time as my husband.

I stared at Damien, wondering what the fuck was going on.

“If we put Damien on leave and suspend Silas, it looks like something’s wrong and that will make this journalist even hungrier for blood. No. No way am I putting the school’s reputation at risk like that. It’s business as usual. We confirm the story, and then we sell the hell out of it. The camp goes on.”

“What about informing the team?” Damien asked.

“PR will write an email for you ASAP. The sooner the team knows, the better.”

“And if there’s backlash?” Damien added.

I gave my husband’s thigh a reassuring squeeze.

“You know your players better than I do,” she countered. “How do you think they’ll react?”

“With a lot of swearing,” Damien quipped.

Nora glared at us. “It’s too early for jokes, Banning.”

“I think they’ll be as stunned as everyone else,” he admitted. “At first.”

“I agree. They’ve witnessed the intense… I mean, the way me and Damien… The fact that we…” I glanced at my husband, unable to find the right words.

That was a first.Help me out, baby.

“They’ve witnessed the tension between us,” Damien offered.

Thank fuck my husband found the discreet word for our smoking hot chemistry. I was going to say “eye-fuck each other,” but it was doubtful Nora and Dave would want to hearthat.

“Once the initial shock wears off, though, I think the guys will be okay,” Damien continued. “As long as we make it clear that nothing changes when it comes to the game. That’s the priority.”

“Exactly. When we’re in the rink, we’re focused, professional,” I confirmed, then turned to smile at Damien. “But I’m still gonna mouth off and that means you’re still gonna ride my?—”

This time, it was Damien’s turn to squeeze my thigh.

“Okay, I think we have enough information for now,” Nora interrupted. “Let’s get the media plan rolling. And I want to see you both in my office first thing tomorrow morning. You too, Dave.”

“I’ll be there,” Dave replied. “Damien, I’ll be in touch later.”

We closed the call, and Damien sagged against me with a sigh of relief.

“Holy shit, I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Me neither, but Nora’s plan makes sense.”

I kissed his temple.

“It’s clear that her concern is about the school’s reputation, not ours, but things could be a lot worse.”

“Shit’s getting real.”

“It is.” Damien reached for my hand. “Selwin isn’t the only one coming out. I better call my family next.”

“I’m sorry you have to come out like this. Back at the rink, I didn’t pause to think. It’s all my fault.”

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