Page 91 of Zero Pucks Given
“We’re in the middle of the playoffs,” he said weakly. “I have to focus.”
All of my anger returned in the blink of an eye.
“You threw me under the bus!”
“No, I didn’t.”
“You implied that I’m a distraction,” I insisted, voice rising. “As if your loss is somehow my fault. Now everyone is tearing me a new asshole on TikTok. You should see the hate I’m receiving.”
“I can’t control what random fans say on the internet,” he argued.
“Yes, actually, youcan. If you had told the truth in your press conference, none of this would be happening. Instead, you lied andblamedme! You said I was a distraction!”
“What if it’s not a lie?” he shot back at me.
I gave a start. “What?”
“Maybe we took things too far,” he said. He sounded resigned to his words. “Maybe we should have gone on our dates, as required, and nothing more.”
“I don’t think you mean that,” I said softly.
“This is myjob,” he angrily snapped. “Don’t you understand that, Josie? Nothing is more important than this playoff series.”
“Not even me?” I blurted out.
“Of course not even you!” he shouted.
I recoiled like I’d been hit in the chest with a hockey puck.
“I’m under more pressure than you could ever understand! Sure, we shared a spark. And some hot moments in the hotel. It was fun. But it was just a fling. That’s all. You seem to think otherwise.”
“Of course I…” I could barely speak. “You don’t think there’s more here? Between us?”
Grayson paused before answering. It gave me hope.
But only for a moment.
“This is just a fling, and I’m done letting it distract me,” he said with a tone of finality. “We’rebadfor each other, Josie. We clashedfrom the very first date at Carlo’s. A few orgasms doesn’t change that core fact. It just masks the truth.”
A bitter laugh escaped my throat. “A few orgasms. That’s what the great and amazing Grayson Steele thinks of women. You know, you’re exactly what I thought you were on that first date. Arrogant and completely self-involved. I can’t believe I ever allowed myself to think any different. I should have trusted my gut instinct that night, because Ihatedyou.”
“I don’t hate you, Josie,” he replied slowly. “I never did. But you’re just a fan who won a contest. It’s time to move on. I hope you can do that.”
The line went dead.
44
Grayson
I hung up the phone and clenched my eyes shut. For a few seconds, I resisted the urge to smash my phone against the wall. I felt like destroying something. Ordrinkingsomething. But that wasn’t a good idea since our next playoff game was two nights from now.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Mason peering around the doorframe of his bedroom. I ignored him for a few seconds, but he justlingeredthere like a bad smell.
“Either say what you want,” I warned, “or fuck off.”
“I, uh, think I’ll fuck off.” His face disappeared from the doorway.
I thought about what I had said on the phone. I meant everything I’d said. At least, it felt genuine while I was saying it.
