AGAINST THE ICE

Chapter31

When I returned to the table, Calder and Katrina had yet to return. Dad was off to the side, talking to someone and Mom sat by herself.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Darling,” she smiled up at me. “I saw you dancing and might I say that you were gorgeous out there.”

“Thanks.”

“Come,” she stood up. “Time to do the rounds.”

I protested. “Mom.”

“Rory, when you host a gala, you need to be a gracious hostess.”

I groaned.

The next two hours, I worked the crowd with Mom. She knew everyone. She said hello to various players and their significant others. She talked to the coaching staff and their wives. She tried to speak to everyone. I admired how she seemed to have a personal connection with everyone, but it was exhausting following in her wake.

I stiffened when we approached Baxter’s table.

“Helene!” Baxter’s face was red, compliments of the amber liquor in the glass he clutched.

“Hello Baxter and Carly,” she bent down to kiss a woman who wore a sour expression. “You look lovely tonight.”

“I see that you are as gorgeous as ever, Helene.” Baxter ogled my mom through his whiskey goggles.

“Hey,” he caught sight of me. His tone sounded jovial despite the cold glint in his eyes. “How’s my favorite assistant GM in training?”

“Hello, Baxter.” I tried to infuse warmth into my voice.

Mom turned towards me. “Have you met Baxter’s wife, Carly?”

I reached forward and shook her limp hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

Instead of responding, she vacantly stared at me.

After a few minutes of painstaking conversation, we moved away from their table.

“You missed your calling,” I could not keep the dry tone from my voice.

She smiled at me. “And what is that?”

“Politician.”

“I enjoy talking to people.”

“I could move to a deserted island and I don’t think I’d miss talking.”

She touched my face with her palm. “Rory, you look exhausted.”

I yawned. “I could sleep for a week.”

“Why don’t you take the car home and send it back to us. We will be here for a couple more hours.”

I glanced around, wondering if I should find Calder. “Yeah, okay.”

“Let me walk you out.”

We got to the front foyer, and I saw Max leaning up against the bar. He was talking to another player. Calder and Katrina were nowhere in sight.

“Mom, did something happen between a player and Dad?”

“What do you mean?”

“Dad doesn’t like Max Logan, because he says he reminds him of someone.”

Mom’s eyes studied Max and then it was like the ball dropped. She put a hand over her mouth. “Oh no.”

“Mom! What is it?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“You know who Dad is talking about? You know who Max reminds him of?”

Mom squeezed my hand too tight. “Don’t go there, Rory, please.”

“Go where?”

“Leave the past in the past. And stay away from Max Logan.”

I protested when someone put their arm around my waist.

“Calder!” Mom gave a relieved smile to my dinner date. “We were searching for you.”

I unwrapped his grabby hand from my waist. “I’m going home.”

“Great,” he pulled out his phone. “Let me text my driver.”

He lifted his head up. “He’ll be out front in ten minutes. Just going to get a drink, want one?”

I shook my head. “No thanks.”

Mom and I watched as he made his way to the bar. I turned back to Mom. “Please tell me what you are talking about, Mom. This is important. Dad is so biased against Max for no reason other than he reminds him of someone? This is Max’s career, Mom.”

She shook her head. “Sorry, Rory. I can’t.”

“Mom. That’s not fair.”

“Please, Rory. I’m asking you. Drop it.”

“Fine.”

She gave me a quick hug. “Have a good night.”

I watched as she moved away from me. What had happened? And who did Max remind them of? What was going on? And why wouldn’t they talk about it with me?

A shout sounded behind me. I spun around in time to see Calder shove Max against the chest. Max didn’t budge and stepped closer, towering over Calder. Calder wasn’t backing down. Another hockey player stepped in between them and pushed Max away from the bar. Max lifted his hands in disgust and walked away.

I rushed to Calder’s side and hissed. “What are you doing?”

He smoothed his hair back off his forehead. “Your lover is feisty.”

“Okay, let’s go. Right now.”

“I’m not done with my drink.”

I pulled the glass out of his limp fingers. “You’re done.”

“You’re so bossy.” But he slung his arm around my shoulder. “Lead the way.”

Once we got into the car, I turned on him. “What happened between you and Max?”

“Loverboy?”

I ignored his jab. “Did you say something that upset him?”

“He seems quite protective of you.”

“Calder!”

“Relax. It’s not my fault if your boyfriend can’t take a joke.”

I rolled my eyes and stared out the window.

“Roar, don’t be like that.” He tossed something towards me.

“What is this?”

I picked up something lacy. In horror, I realized that I was holding a pair of female panties. I tossed them back at him, hitting him on the face. “Calder!”

“I have a secret about the fox,” he taunted as he held the fabric to his nose and breathed deeply.

“Those are Katrina’s? You slept with her?”

“Let’s say, based on my performance tonight, you owe me tickets for more than one game.”

“Ewww.”

“She’s not the innocent she pretends to be.”

My mind was still trying to comprehend that Katrina hooked up with Calder. “What are you talking about?”

“The fox has been in the chicken coop.”

“Can you please speak English?”

“She’s sleeping with a married man. Hot and heavy. Her marriage broke up over it.”

My heart zinged with joy over the fact she was not sleeping with Max. “Who?”

“Baxter.”

My mouth dropped open. “The head coach? Baxter Nicols?”

Calder shrugged, already bored with this conversation. “Yup.”

My mind raced. “But I met his wife.”

“He wants to leave her.”

“You’re shitting me.”

“The fox is up in arms because he hasn’t left his wife yet. He was supposed to get a promotion, but he didn’t so he refuses to leave his wife until that happens.”

“Promotion? What promotion? He’s already the head coach!”

“No clue.” He shrugged and shut his eyes. “Wake me when we get home.”

My mind raced as I tried to process what Calder has told me. What promotion was he talking about? I couldn’t even comprehend that Katrina and Baxter were sleeping together. So why was she always making such a big play for Max? I thought back to the media fiasco that had transpired. I had thought she had called the media so she could be seen as his girlfriend. Now it appeared she had tried to set Max up. Was she doing that to help Baxter?

Calder snored beside me. The driver pulled up to my family home. Without waking him or saying goodbye, I let myself out of the vehicle. I wondered if Max knew about Baxter and Katrina? I decided, even though I didn’t like to spread gossip, it warranted talking to Max about. Perhaps he could shed light on Katrina’s motivation. If anything, he needed to be on his guard with her.