Off The Record
1049 Words
Ava barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she replayed dinner.
The way Liam had remembered her order.
The way he’d quietly admitted no one had ever made him forget her.
The way he’d looked at her when he said dinner mattered.
For the first time since she’d arrived in Boston…
She wasn’t sure who was losing the battle.
Him.
Or her.
⸻
The next morning, the Frosthawks’ practice arena was already buzzing.
Game One was less than twenty-four hours away.
Reporters crowded around players while camera crews fought for the best angles.
Ava checked her schedule.
Exclusive interview: Captain Liam Hayes.
Thirty minutes.
One-on-one.
Private media room.
She sighed.
“Of course.”
⸻
The media room was surprisingly quiet.
One table.
Two chairs.
Two bottles of water.
A camera crew setting up in the corner.
Liam walked in exactly on time.
As always.
He wore the team’s navy tracksuit, his hair still damp from practice.
“Morning.”
His voice was polite.
Professional.
“Morning.”
The producer clapped his hands.
“Okay, guys.”
He pointed toward the cameras.
“This interview is for tomorrow night’s playoff special.”
Liam nodded.
Ava opened her notebook.
The producer continued.
“We’ll start with hockey questions.”
He grinned.
“Then we’ll finish with something more personal.”
Ava frowned.
“What kind of personal?”
“The fans love learning about players.”
She didn’t like where this was going.
⸻
The interview started smoothly.
“Captain Hayes, you’re heading into your sixth playoff appearance. What’s different this season?”
Liam answered confidently.
“The team’s more mature. We trust each other.”
“What motivates you after everything you’ve already accomplished?”
“The guys beside me.”
Professional.
Safe.
Exactly what everyone expected.
Then came the final segment.
The producer smiled.
“Rapid-fire questions.”
Liam shrugged.
“Shoot.”
“Favorite meal?”
“Burgers.”
Ava looked down at her notes.
Coincidence.
Probably.
“Favorite city?”
He answered without hesitation.
“Boston.”
The producer laughed.
“Really?”
“No.”
A tiny smirk appeared.
“Whichever city gets us a win.”
Everyone chuckled.
The producer looked at his next card.
“When was the last time you fell in love?”
The room went silent.
Ava stopped writing.
The producer looked up.
“Oh. I didn’t realize—”
“It’s okay.”
Liam interrupted calmly.
His gaze shifted.
Straight to Ava.
The room disappeared.
“I’ve only been in love once.”
Silence.
The producer smiled awkwardly.
“So…”
“Long time ago?”
Liam never looked away from Ava.
“Not as long as people think.”
Ava’s heartbeat thundered.
No.
Don’t do this.
Not here.
Not in front of cameras.
The producer quickly moved on.
“Dream vacation?”
“Anywhere without reporters.”
Everyone laughed again.
Except Ava.
Because she knew.
That answer hadn’t been for the audience.
It had been for her.
⸻
The interview wrapped twenty minutes later.
The crew packed away their equipment.
“Great job, Captain.”
“Thanks.”
People slowly filtered out of the room.
Until only Liam and Ava remained.
She gathered her notebook.
“You shouldn’t have answered that question.”
“Why?”
“Because people will speculate.”
“They already do.”
She zipped her bag closed.
“It’s unprofessional.”
“So is pretending.”
She looked at him.
“Pretending what?”
“That we’re strangers.”
A sharp knock interrupted them.
The producer leaned back into the room.
“Captain.”
He pointed toward the hallway.
“Need you for photos.”
“I’ll be there.”
The door closed again.
Liam looked back at Ava.
“I meant what I said.”
She forced a laugh.
“You’ve had girlfriends.”
“I dated.”
“What’s the difference?”
He took one slow step toward her.
“I never loved them.”
Her breath caught.
“You can’t say things like that.”
“I just did.”
Another step.
She didn’t move.
Couldn’t.
“You know what the hardest part was?”
His voice dropped.
“Watching interviews where people asked if you’d gotten married.”
She swallowed.
“I searched your name.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“Every few months.”
“I wanted to know if someone else had finally convinced you to stop waiting.”
Her chest tightened.
“You searched me?”
“For five years.”
Silence.
She stared at him.
“You had no right.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
His answer came almost immediately.
“Because I couldn’t stop wondering if I’d already lost you forever.”
Her eyes burned.
She hated this.
Hated how easily he broke down the walls she’d spent years building.
“Liam…”
“I know we’re over.”
He smiled sadly.
“I accepted that a long time ago.”
Something about those words hurt.
Because they weren’t true.
Neither of them had accepted anything.
He looked at her for another long moment before stepping aside.
“You should go.”
She nodded.
Neither trusted themselves to say another word.
⸻
That evening, Game One finally arrived.
The arena was sold out.
Fans dressed in navy and silver filled every seat.
The energy was electric.
Ava stood near the players’ tunnel, waiting for the team’s entrance.
One by one, the players stepped onto the ice.
The crowd roared.
Then…
Captain Hayes.
The loudest cheer of the night shook the building.
Liam skated toward center ice before stopping.
Almost instinctively…
He looked toward the media section.
Toward Ava.
Their eyes met for the briefest second.
Then the national anthem began.
Ava looked away first.
She told herself it was because she had work to do.
Because she needed to take notes.
Because she couldn’t get distracted.
But deep down…
She knew the truth.
Every time Liam looked at her…
A part of her still felt like she was twenty-five years old.
Still standing in their tiny apartment.
Still believing forever was possible.
And that frightened her more than anything.
Because if she kept looking back…
She wasn’t sure she’d have the strength to walk away a second time.
- Writer
