Body Check: A Spicy Hockey Rom-Com

“You really haven’t heard from him? Not even a text?” Darcy demanded.

Hayden wiggled her toes, which were being devoured by a swarm of tiny fish. Apparently, this was a spa treatment to get all the dead skin off, but it tickled so badly that she was afraid she was going to squish the poor things. Spa day had been Darcy’s idea, supposedly the best solution to Brody’s three days of complete radio silence, but Hayden didn’t feel at all better.

If anything, she only missed him more. And now she felt even worse, because Darcy had closed up her shop on a Monday morning just to commiserate with her.

“Not even a text,” she confirmed glumly. She jumped when she felt another tickle on the sole of her foot. “Oh, my God, can’t we just ask them to start the pedicure now?”

“No! You’ve got to do this first. Trust me, your feet are going to be as soft as a baby’s bottom.”

It was sweet of Darcy to suggest this girls’ day, but Hayden didn’t give a shit how soft her feet were. All she could think about was what the hell she was going to do now. About Brody. About her father.

God, her father. She still hadn’t confronted him about Brody’s belief that her dad was guilty. They’d spoken a few hours after the photos of her and Brody had appeared on the internet, when her dad called demanding to know what the hell was going on. She’d still been so stunned about Brody ending things that she simply sat there and let her dad lecture her, and it was only after they’d hung up that it occurred to her the wrong person was asking that question.

She was the one who should be demanding to know what the hell was going on.

Presley had likely fixed those games. He’d cheated. Not just professionally, but on Sheila. Love her or hate her, Sheila was still his wife, and Hayden believed her when she said he’d slept with someone else.

But she’d been too distraught to push him. All she’d gotten out of him was that he was being interviewed by investigators this afternoon.

“Come on, smile a little,” Darcy pleaded. “I know life sucks right now, but I promise, it will get better.”

“I can’t believe he ended it.”

“I can’t believe it’s hitting you this hard.” Darcy shook her head. “You were the one who was so insistent about it being a fling and nothing more.”

“I know.” Hayden groaned. “What the hell is wrong with me?”

Her friend reached over and rubbed her forearm. “Nothing’s wrong with you, babe.”

She closed her eyes and tossed her head back on the padded chair top, but her eyelids slid open when a spa employee walked into the room with a tray of mimosas in hand.

“Care for a drink, ladies?”

“I’ll take two.” Hayden shamelessly grabbed two of the long-stemmed glasses and placed them on the bamboo side table next to her.

Darcy looked like she was fighting back laughter. “She’s had a long week,” Darcy explained.

The young female employee flashed Hayden a wide-eyed look before moving on to the next room. When she was gone, Darcy snorted loudly. “Classy,” she said.

Hayden chugged nearly half of the first mimosa. “I don’t care,” she grumbled. “I need this.”

She’d woken up the past three mornings feeling confused, devastated and angry. The anger surprised her, but most of it was directed at herself anyway. Last night she was tossing and turning, thinking about what a mess she’d gotten herself into since she’d come back to Chicago.

She’d propositioned a stranger, then proceeded to fall in love with him. She’d hurt Doug. Discovered her father had a drinking problem and was probably a criminal.

And what exactly are you doing to fix any of it? a little voice chastised.

Good point. How was chugging two mimosas going to help anything? She wasn’t the type to let problems pile up without looking for solutions, and although she might not be able to “fix” Doug’s broken heart or Brody’s decision to stay away from her, she sure as hell could do something about her father.

“I need to talk to my dad,” she said flatly.

In the chair beside her, Darcy nodded. “You do. Time to tear that Band-Aid off.”

“The Band-Aid being that he’s probably a criminal and an alcoholic?” She couldn’t keep the misery out of her voice.

“I didn’t say it wasn’t going to hurt. But it needs to be done.”

Darcy pulled her feet from the tub. Apparently, the fish were done with her. Hayden quickly followed suit, breathing a sigh of relief when the tickling abated.

“Are you okay if I abandon you mid-pedicure?” Hayden asked, biting her lip. “I don’t think I can sit around here all morning. I want to go see him. Force him to give me some answers.”

Because enough was enough. She needed to look her dad in the eye and demand the truth from him. This scandal was affecting her, too, and she deserved to know whether or not the trust and faith she’d placed in her father was justified. Presley’s mess had taken her away from Doug and brought her to Chicago; it had broken up her and Brody, caused stress to tangle inside her.

And now it was time to try to make sense of everything that had happened.

She drove to the Lincoln Center with a heavy heart, knowing Brody was scheduled to be interviewed by the league investigator today. She hoped she wouldn’t run into him. If she did, she’d be tempted to hurl herself into his arms, and she had no desire to be pushed away again.

It was so ironic. She’d been fighting this relationship from day one, set on keeping it a fling, and in the end he’d been the one to break things off.

And she’d been the one to fall in love.

Forcing the painful thoughts from her mind, she parked the car and walked to the building’s entrance. After greeting the woman behind the lobby desk, she rode the elevator to the second floor, which housed the franchise head offices.

Her father’s office was at the end of the hall, through a pair of intimidating wood doors more suited for a president than the owner of a hockey team. Tucked off to the right was the desk of her dad’s secretary, a pleasant woman named Kathy, who was nowhere to be found.

Hayden walked up to the doors but stopped when her dad’s voice practically boomed out of the walls. He sounded angry.

She slowly turned the doorknob, then froze when she heard her dad say, “I know I promised to cover your ass, Becker, but this is getting out of hand.”

Becker? Brody’s closest friend on the team?

Her blood ran cold. She knew she shouldn’t stand there and listen, but she couldn’t bring herself to announce her presence.

“I don’t give a damn about that…they won’t trace the money…”

Enough. She’d had enough.

Feeling sick to her stomach, Hayden pushed the door open and strode into her father’s office. He was standing behind his desk, clutching the phone to his ear, and he nearly dropped it when he saw her enter.

“I have to go,” he said into the phone, disconnecting the call without giving the other person—Becker?—a chance to respond.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Hayden inched closer, fighting the urge to throw up as she stared into her dad’s eyes. His face had gone pale, and she could see his hands trembling as he waited for her to approach.

“So it’s true,” she said grimly, not bothering with any pleasantries.

He had the nerve to feign ignorance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, sweetheart.”

“Bullshit!” Her voice trembled with anger. “I heard what you said just now!”

Silence hung over the room. Her father looked stunned by her fury. After a beat, he lowered himself into his leather chair. He gave her a repentant look and released a heavy sigh. “You shouldn’t have eavesdropped, Hayden. I didn’t want you involved in any of this.”

“You didn’t want me involved? Is that why you asked me to come home? Is that why you forced me to give a deposition in your divorce? So I wouldn’t be involved? Too late, Dad. I already am.”

Her legs barely carried her as she stumbled to one of the plush burgundy visitor’s chairs and sank into it. It was hard to think over the roar of her pulse in her ears. Anger and disgust and sadness mingled in her blood, forming a poisonous cocktail that seared through her veins. She couldn’t believe this. The signs and suspicions had been there from the start, but hearing her father confirm his criminal actions was like a switchblade to the gut.

If someone had told her that the man she’d loved unconditionally, whose flaws she’d always ignored, whose attention she’d always craved, could be capable of such dishonesty, she would’ve laughed in their face. And yet, it was true. Her father had broken the law. He’d lied. He’d cheated on his wife.

When had this man become a stranger to her?

“Sweetheart…” He gulped. Guilt etched into his features. “At least let me explain.”

“You committed a crime,” she said stiffly. “What’s there to explain?”

“I made a mistake.” He faltered. “I made some bad investments. I…” Desperation filled his eyes. “It was only two games, Hayden. Only two. I just needed to recover the losses, and… I screwed up.”

Her belief in him slowly began to shatter, tiny jagged pieces of trust and faith chipping away, ripping into her insides. How could he have done this? And why hadn’t she seen it, damn it?

“Why didn’t you call me?” she whispered.

“I was too ashamed.” His voice cracked again. “I didn’t want you to know I’d destroyed everything I’d built.” His eyes looked so tortured Hayden had to turn away from them. “I never wanted another woman after your mother died. None of the ones I met even compared to her. So I focused on my job instead, first as a coach, and then as an owner. Money was tangible, you know? Something I didn’t think I could lose.”

When she looked at him again, she was stunned to see tears on her dad’s cheeks.

“But I did lose it. I lost it and I got scared. I thought I’d lose Sheila, too.” He swiped viciously at his wet eyes. “I know part of the reason she married me was for my money. I’m no fool, Hayden. But Sheila and I also loved each other. Sometimes I think I still love her. She’s so full of…life, I suppose. And after so many years of feeling dead, I needed that. I didn’t want to lose her. I started drinking too much, trying to forget about what was happening, I guess. Sheila tried to help me, but I wouldn’t listen. I didn’t want her to think I was weak…”

His voice drifted, eyes glistening with pain, shame and unshed tears. Tears sprang to Hayden’s eyes, too.

She’d never seen her father cry before. It broke her heart. And it hurt even more knowing that she hadn’t noticed that his life was spinning out of control. She knew how much his career and reputation and, yes, his wealth mattered to him. The threat of losing it had driven him to make such hideous decisions. And she’d been so busy living her own life that she’d failed to be there for her dad. Because no matter how dishonorably he’d behaved, he still was her father, and she couldn’t write him off just because he’d screwed up.

She rose slowly from the chair and rounded the desk, placing her hand on his shoulder. His head jerked up, eyes widening with surprise, and then the tears flowed in earnest down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” he choked out.

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “I know you are. Don’t worry. We’re going to get you some help.” She swallowed. “And you’re…you’re going to have to tell the truth today, okay?”

Dropping her arms, she stared into her father’s eyes, seeing the remorse and guilt flickering in them.

After a moment, he nodded. “You’re right,” he said weakly. “I know I need to face the consequences of my actions.”

“I’m here for you, Dad. And if you want me to go to the interview with you, I will.”

He shook his head. “It’s something I need to do alone.”

“I understand.”

Presley rubbed his cheeks, then looked up at her and sighed. “Croft is in the building, in case you were wondering.”

Heat flooded her cheeks. “I wasn’t. Wondering, that is.”

“And this affair…you really think it’s a good idea? Croft isn’t your usual type, sweetheart.”

“It’s not an affair. I… I love him.” A lump rose in her throat. “I want to be with him, Dad.”

She paused as the words settled between them. I want to be with him. And then she thought of what she’d told her father, just a moment ago. I’m here for you.

Why was it so easy for her to say that to her father, but not to Brody? He might not have the stable life she’d always longed for, but didn’t he have so many other incredible qualities that more than made up for having to travel every now and then?

She suddenly realized how unfairly she’d treated him, wanting to keep everything on her terms. Fighting him when he tried to make her see they were good for each other.

Well, he was right. They were good for each other. Brody was the first man she’d ever been truly herself with. He made her laugh. He drove her wild in bed. He listened.

Fuck, she didn’t deserve him. All she’d done since the day they’d met was set boundaries, have expectations, find reasons why he wasn’t right for her. Yet, he’d stayed by her side. Even when she came up with silly rules or insisted he was nothing but a fling. And wasn’t that what she claimed to want in a man? Someone solid to stand by her?

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, Dad? I hope you remember to do the right thing.”

Brody stood outside the conference room, anxiously tugging at his tie as he waited. Fuck, he hated this tie. It was choking the life out of him. Or maybe he found it 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 since she’d left his house three days ago. Her absence upset him a thousand times more than being out of the playoffs. 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 days now that he was beginning to feel like the biggest asshole on the planet.

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 to be 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.

But he couldn’t bring himself to agree. She was wrong about them. If she let down her guard and opened her heart, she’d see that the two of them could be fucking amazing together. Not just in bed, but in life. So what if he traveled a lot for work? If his life wasn’t as stable as other men’s? He’d have to retire sooner or later, and when he did, he planned on settling down in one place. Maybe opening a skating rink 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.

Hell, 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 shoes squeaking against the tiled floor. The team captain’s blond hair was gelled away 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. With that said, I hope you know you have no reason to be nervous. We both know you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You’re right, I didn’t.” He lifted a brow. “Although I’m curious how you’re so sure about that.”

Wyatt nodded to the left and said, “Follow me. We need to have a chat.”

Brody glanced at his watch. He had another twenty minutes before they called him in for his scheduled interview.

He and Wyatt walked silently toward the lobby, then exited through 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 shook slightly. “I know it’s wrong. I know I have no business sleeping with a married woman, but goddamn it, I was a goner from the moment I met her. I love her, man.”

“Sheila told you who took the bribes, didn’t she?”

Wyatt averted his eyes. “Yes.”

“Then who was it, damn it? Who the fuck put us in this position, Craig?”

There was a beat of silence. “I don’t think you want to know, man.”

Another pause. Longer this time. Brody could tell that the last thing Wyatt wanted to do was name names.

But he did.

“Nicklaus did. And—” Wyatt took a breath. “I’m sorry, Brody, but…so did Sam Becker.”