Page 25 of No Pucks Given
Duke popped his head toward me. “What’s wrong?”
“Carter didn’t gift the upgrade.”
Duke was stone-faced. There were times when I thought he had the same training as the guards at Buckingham Palace. Normally, I could read people pretty easily, but it was always trickier with Duke. Yet his voice was so much more expressive. I hated that I couldn’t read his facial features.
He was on guard. “Who knows you’re here?”
The same list I had been trying to populate. It wasn’t that long at all. Each and every person was someone I trusted. Well, trust with Russell only extended to a point, since who could really trust a cheating ex? But he knew how to keep a secret, andbesides, if he was taking care of Stephanie, he needed to know where I was. And I trusted Carter and Natalie Carmichael with my life.
Then, from the set, Colleen and Demi knew I was checking into a hotel while Carter was away. They’ve been ribbing me about how I’d moved in with Carter, yet I wasn’t staying at his place when he wasn’t around. But I wanted to stay at a hotel since it didn’t feel right to stay at Carter’s place when he wasn’t there.
“You, Russell, Carter, and Natalie Carmichael know exactly where I’m at. Colleen and Demi know I’m staying at a hotel this week, but I never said which one.”
Duke cracked a smile and a nod of approval. “That’s a much tighter circle than I thought. Just make sure they keep things quiet. I don’t like the fact that we don’t know who authorized the upgrade, but for all we know, the manager is a fan ofShady Oaks. Do you want me to stay a bit?”
He wasn’t saying anything I didn’t know.
“It’s kind of you to offer, but no. Natalie is coming over soon to go over some social media stuff tonight, and then I plan to crash. I’ll be fine.”
Duke looked at me and didn’t seem so sure, but he looked around one more time. “If you say so. But if you hear something weird, call me. Got it?”
I nodded, and Duke left, but he didn’t seem pleased.
I went to my phone and texted the only other guy who knew my location. As doubtful as it was, maybe it was Russell who did the upgrade.
Thanks for the hotel upgrade
Why the fuck would I upgrade your hotel room so you could act like a slut and sleepwith that stupid hockey player? It’s bad enough you sleep around like a whore. Don’t expect me to pay for that shit.
That sent a chill down my spine. It meant the stalker found me once more. While I really didn’t want to call Duke or the police over a free hotel upgrade, I knew I needed to talk to the registration desk.
After a chat with the hotel staff, they moved me to a different suite and put my reservation under a different assumed name. I felt a bit safer. I probably should have changed hotels, but I was too tired and wanted to rest.
I went into the room, unpacked my bags, and tried to relax a little bit. But my fear was so overwhelming.
Chapter 24
Siobhan
Iset my mobile on the tripod with a ring light and opened up the FaceTime app. I couldn’t wait to talk to Carter, although we didn’t have time to chit-chat tonight. I usually never bother with getting the perfect lighting. But tonight, we were going to be interviewing some bodyguards, so that meant having a more professional setup so he could see and hear things well.
Almost immediately, Carter picked up my call. He looked good in a teal shirt with the Legacy crest slightly above his left pec. It reminded me of his Captain’s C, but it was clear it was an ornate L for Legacy.
“Hey, babe. How was life on set today?”
It still surprised me how much he asked about my day. He started every call asking about me and would remember if I hada call time or if it was an off day for me. It was nice to feel cared for in such a small but important way.
“Good, but all my stuff was in the late afternoon, so for most of the day, I got to hang out with my friends on set. How was practice?”
It was always a safe bet to ask about practice when he didn’t have a game. There were several days when they just had optional practice, but he told me that he always did those as a way to encourage all the guys to participate in them.
“Great. The lines are really gelling. I hate to say it, but this year’s really special.”
From what I’d seen, he wasn’t wrong. The Legacy were playing really well, and the guys seemed to genuinely like one another. Carter routinely seemed to hang out with the guys, especially when they were on the road.
Before I could ask him why he hated saying the team was special, the doorbell rang. That meant the lighthearted conversation with Carter had to end, and it was time for the first interview of the night. I couldn’t keep asking Duke to stay late or escort me home. Thankfully, we had narrowed his recommendations for a security team down to three, whom we were interviewing tonight. That way, we could hire someone ASAP.
Opening up the door, there was a stocky guy in jeans, a T-shirt, and a blazer. He looked kind of casual, but I liked that. Suits seemed to be impractical and way too formal. I’d rather have my security team blend in.
