And didn’t Brody deserve the same thing, a woman who stood by him? He cared about her, she knew he did, and if he thought putting their relationship on hold until the scandal blew over was best, maybe she needed to trust him.
She stumbled away from the desk, suddenly knowing what she had to do.
“Hayden?” her dad said quietly.
“I need to take care of something,” she answered, inhaling deeply. “We’ll talk after your interview, okay? We’ll talk about everything.”
Her father nodded.
She was halfway out the door when she glanced over her shoulder and added, “And, Daddy? I hope you remember to do the right thing.”
BRODY STOOD outside the conference room, anxiously tugging at his tie as he waited. Damn, he hated this tie. It was choking the life out of him. Or maybe he found it so hard to breathe because any minute now he’d be sitting in front of three people who could very well destroy his career.
Both explanations were logical, but deep down he knew there was only one reason for the turmoil afflicting his body—Hayden.
He hadn’t thought it was possible to miss someone this much. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her from the second she’d left his house two days ago. Which was probably why his performance during that final game against the Vipers had been less than stellar. But even though the team was out of the play-offs, Brody’s disappointment wasn’t as great as it should have been. His season had officially ended, and yet he hardly cared. How could he, when his entire body ached for Hayden? Although his brain insisted he’d done the right thing by distancing himself from her, his heart refused to accept the decision. In fact, his heart had been screaming such vile things at him for two days now that he was beginning to feel like the biggest cad on the planet.
Had he made a mistake? He hadn’t wanted a permanent break, hadn’t intended to end the relationship; he’d just wanted the investigation to be done with, the scandal an unpleasant blip on his memory radar. But Hayden, well, she’d gone and made it permanent. Reverted to her belief that a relationship between them could never have lasted anyway.
Yet he couldn’t bring himself to agree. She was wrong about them. If she’d only let down her guard and open her heart she’d see that the two of them could be dynamite together. Not just in bed, but in life. So he traveled for work. He’d have to retire sooner or later, and when he did, he planned on settling down in one place and opening a skating arena that didn’t require a membership fee, so that kids from poorer families would have access to the same facilities as those who were better off. He might even coach a kids’ team. It was an idea he’d been tossing around for years now.
But instead of planning a future with Hayden, he’d lost her. Maybe he’d never really had her to begin with….
“Croft.”
He raised his head, frowning when he spotted Craig Wyatt walking toward him.
Wyatt’s massive frame was squeezed into a tailored black suit, his shiny dress shoes squeaking against the tiled floor. The captain’s blond hair was gelled back from his forehead.
“What’s up?” Brody couldn’t stop the twinge of bitterness in his voice.
A muscle twitched in Wyatt’s square jaw. “I saw the article about you and Presley’s daughter, Brody. You have no reason to be nervous. We both know you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You’re right, I didn’t.” He couldn’t help adding, “But how did you know?”
Wyatt jerked his finger to the left and said, “Follow me. We need to have a chat.”
Brody glanced at his watch, noting he had another twenty minutes before they called him in for his scheduled interview.
They walked silently toward the lobby, then exited the front doors and stepped into the cool morning air. Cars whizzed by in front of the arena. Pedestrians ambled down the sidewalk without giving the two men a second look. Everyone was going about their day, cheerfully heading to work, while Brody was here, waiting to be questioned about something he wanted no part in.
With a strangled groan, Wyatt ran one hand through his hair, messing up the style he’d obviously taken great care with. “Look, I’m not going to lie. I’ve been seeing Sheila, okay?” His voice cracked. “I know it’s wrong. I know I have no business sleeping with a married woman, but, goddammit, I was a goner from the moment I met her. I love her, man.”
“Sheila told you who took bribes, didn’t she?”
Wyatt averted his eyes. “Yes.”
“Then who, damn it? Who the fuck put us in this position, Craig?”