by Kate Meader
“Because … I don’t know. I was humiliated, just wanted to forget it. You had a lot going on in your life at the time. You’d recently found out about Mia, were having that strained relationship with your mom, and you were about to move to Chicago and see Isobel again. It was just one more thing I didn’t think you should have to deal with.”
Vadim snorted. “You kept this a secret for my benefit?”
“Partly. But mostly because I didn’t want to risk a blowup with you.”
His friend stood and paced before him, hands on hips. “Whyever not? We have fought before.”
“You and Tommy are good friends, similar in outlook—”
“Please. We are not the same.”
How did he explain something he couldn’t rightly understand himself? “What I mean is that you’re alike in many ways. I know you’d never do that or anything like it. If I’m being really honest, I was embarrassed. I didn’t want to tell anyone what had happened. If I told you, you’d get mad and it would get out. It would destroy relationships, business and personal. Make Bethany the villain. Hurt her relationship with her parents. Sure, she was in the wrong but hell, I didn’t want to get revenge on her. I’m not sure I even cared enough to get revenge.”
There it was in a nutshell. He hadn’t cared enough to want Bethany back, but enough to let it fester.
“But you let me work with Tommy all this time. Let him earn money off me and he is a piece of shit.”
True, but if it wasn’t Tommy it would be some other leech.
“Mia’s in love with him,” Cal said slowly.
“Tommy?” Vadim threw up the hand of drama. “That will not happen. Is that why—ah, I see.”
He saw what? One look at Vadim’s imperious expression, and Cal understood. Vadim knew. Cal wasn’t sure how long he had known but he knew now.
The moment stretched out, a rubber band of tension waiting to snap. The time for secrets was over, so Cal asked the only thing that mattered.
“How’s Mia?”
“Oh, you care about Mia now?”
“I’ve always cared about her. I can ask how she is.”
Vadim shrugged. “You can. I do not have to tell you.”
“Seems petty.”
“Perhaps I am feeling petty.” Vadim continued to pace in front of Cal. “Actually I’m feeling pissed. What the hell is wrong with you?”
Cal swallowed. “Look, I’m not going to apologize for what happened. I know she’s your sister and you still see her as a kid but she’s a grown woman and perfectly capable of making her own decisions. We were together for a while and it didn’t work out.”
Vadim pointed a finger. “I’m not asking for an apology for being together. I’m demanding one because you are not.”
Not expecting that. Why would Vad care that it didn’t work out between him and Mia? He hazarded a guess. “Is this some Russian honor thing? Now that I’ve—well, known your sister in the biblical sense, I should marry her or something?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Cal tried another tack. “I know you don’t want me to be with Mia.”
“How do you know this?”
“Because it’s the rule.” Wasn’t it? Thou shalt not lie with thy friend’s little sister. Bro-code.
“It is a rule but I am Vadim Petrov. I make the rules and I break the rules.”
“I have no fucking idea what you’re talking about.”
Vadim looked exasperated. “Why do you think I asked you to train my sister? Why do you think I have been encouraging you to spend time together?”
The awareness crept up on him, chills and heat at once. “You wanted me to be with her? To—” He broke off, the conclusion almost too mind-boggling to comprehend.
“Of course I did. You are a good person, Cal. A decent person. You deserve nothing but the best and Mia is the best. I hoped by putting you two in close proximity that you would realize that you were good for each other.”
“If you thought it was fine, why didn’t you say something?”
“You I can trust to follow through. Mia, on the other hand … if she thought I had anything to do with it, she would not be pleased. It excited her to defy me. This is purely psychology.”
Vadim approved.
Vadim encouraged this.
Vadim was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Cal returned to first principles. “I need to know how she is.”
“Why do you care? You have done nothing but push her away.” When Cal didn’t deny it, Vadim quirked an eyebrow. “Is that not true?”
He didn’t want to go into detail about the lessons in seduction. About why Mia really needed his advice.
“As far as Mia is concerned, I’m not the first line guy, I was never supposed to be. Not even if the great Vadim Petrov tried to will it into existence.” It made no difference that Vadim didn’t approve of Tommy. If Mia wanted him, she would have him. She was too driven to let her brother stand in her way.
“You are a fool. You were bitten by Bethany and now you are shy about taking a chance. Even though my sister is loyal and good and perfect. Do you not think so?”
“Mia is amazing. But she’s kind of young to be settling down.”
“She is an old head on young shoulders. You said so yourself, but I don’t think you realize how much she has been through. Cancer when she was a teen. Not knowing her father. Not meeting me until later in her life. These are all major blows to her yet she has emerged strong.”
Cal hid his smile as Vad continued.
“Mia has packed a lot into her life. She is determined and fearless and has the heart of a lioness. She deserves someone who is equally brave.”
Cal’s heart doubled in size, pumping with hope and deep emotion.
Vadim asked, “Do you love my sister?”
“Vad.”
“It’s a simple question.”
“No, it’s not. It’s the least simple question in the world.” Whoever thought different had never been in love.
“Sounds simple enough to me,” Theo said, walking in. The rest of the team followed, but hovered awkwardly on seeing that Vadim and Cal were clearly in the middle of something. No sign of Durand, though. Probably still on the ice shooting for Cal’s place on the first line.
Vadim carried on as if there had been no interruption. “I have been there, Cal. Holding on to things, shoulder fries.”
“Shoulder fries?”
He gestured at one broad shoulder. “Grudges.”
“You mean a chip on your shoulder?” He started laughing, knowing that Vadim Petrov had an excellent command of the English language so he was just doing this to make him smile.
“Isobel’s father made things difficult when we were first together as teens. Ruined my chances to play in the NHL for years.”
“I didn’t know that.” Vad had played his formative skating years in the KHL, the Russian hockey league. Cal had thought it strange he didn’t go straight into the NHL draft but assumed it was a family thing, a Russian rite of passage.
“He thought I would distract her from her career goals. He may have been right. When she was injured and I thought she might die, I tried to”—he waved a hand—“it does not matter. But for a while, I held on to the grievance. That someone thought I might not be good enough for her and I made that my own. You have been doing this as well. Yet you have much to recommend you to a potential mate.”
“Sure, Vad, tell me how awesome I am.”
Vadim turned to the crew, who were still eavesdropping. “Poor little Foreman needs validation.”
The team shouted out variations of “you rock, Foreman” and “we love you, Foreman” (though he definitely heard “Foreskin” in there). Someone punctuated the verbal love fest by throwing a jock strap at his head.
While the boys went back to locker room business as usual, Vadim retook his seat beside Cal.
“You should have trusted me,” he said quietly.
“I know. It’s
harder than you think. Trust.”
Vadim nodded. “Even with the people closest to you.”
Cal thought about Mia and how she couldn’t—wouldn’t—tell her family about what had happened to her. What the Fabiens did to her. That was her story to tell, her timeline to tell it, and he’d put that in jeopardy last night. He needed to make amends.
“This business with the franchise—tell me how to fix it.”
28
“Come on, doggo, do your business.”
Gordie Howe peered up at her, gave her the look that indicated poop might be imminent, then chose to keep his bowel movement to himself. Ever since her blowup with Cal, her puppy had been jittery, obviously picking up on his human’s mood.
“I know, it sucks to be us right now.”
Her funny little Pom dragged on the leash, heading toward the car, parked outside Vadim and Isobel’s house.
“No, we’re not going over to Cal’s. Haven’t you heard? He’s a big old jerk.”
Gordie Howe barked, but it didn’t sound like he agreed. Tears threatened and Mia gasped to keep it in. Jesus, she needed her dog on her side.
“What do you know? You weren’t there. He just … gave up.” That was what was so heartbreaking about it all. He didn’t even try to win her. She was merely another way for Cal Foreman to pass the time until the next petite blonde came along.
Finally Gordie Howe did his business after which Mia went into the house where she found Isobel sitting at the kitchen table, scrolling through her phone.
Her sister-in-law looked up. “This Cal and Selena business. Any thoughts?”
Sure, let’s jump right into it. “I’m not in his head.”
“I think you are. Rent-free, girl. As far as I know, Cal Foreman has no prior relationship with Selena Fabien. What the hell is he doing picking fights with the commissioner of the Women’s Hockey League?”
For her. He was fighting for her. Yet, when it came to the other … to what she really needed, he wasn’t willing to step up. Which was fine. He didn’t feel the same way.
Mia busied herself making coffee from the Keurig and toasting up a cranberry English muffin, then took a seat at the table.
“It’s between me and her,” Iz continued. “That’s what he said, all mysterious. That pig-fucker.”
Mia tried to move the conversation along. “Have you had a chance to talk to Selena?”
“Harper managed to catch up with her last night and she’s supposed to be stopping by Rebels HQ on her way to the airport.” She tapped a fingertip on the table. “Selena wants a personal apology from Cal, not just the organization. You think he’d go for that?”
“I’ve no idea.” She wasn’t sure he should have to. Cal had stood up for her, put right before might, and even though it would smooth things over, Mia didn’t like this resolution at all. “Maybe he shouldn’t apologize.”
“Oh, really? Why not?”
Mia dropped some skim milk in her coffee and tried to corral her thoughts. “He obviously had his reasons.”
Isobel’s eyes were slits of judgment. “Know what I think? I think that Cal Patrick Foreman is a big old puppy, completely loyal, but with a sharp set of molars when pushed. He reminds me of Remy, actually. All easy grace and best buds with the world, but beneath it all, there’s rage when it comes to certain things or people. Men like that rarely lose it but when they do, watch out.”
She placed her coffee cup down with a deliberation that worried Mia.
“You used to date Drew Fabien in college.”
“How’d you know that?”
“I did a little digging. What I don’t understand is why I had to. Why you kept it to yourself.”
“It was just for a while.” Mia took a bite of her toasted muffin and mumbled around it, “Barely a blip.”
“Strange how these blips can ripple out and have lasting consequences. Cassie said—”
“You spoke to Cassie?”
“Yep. Said there was some bad blood between you and this Fabien kid.” Isobel inhaled a breath. “I’ve been here before with Harper. Hiding things that happened. Horrible things.”
Mia reached over and squeezed her sister-in-law’s hand. “He didn’t hurt me. Not physically. Not like what happened to Harper.”
“Then what?”
You need to tell them what happened, Mia. You need to tell your family what’s in your heart.
Standing, she took her plate to the sink, then placed both hands on the counter, looking to draw some strength from the cool surface. But really she was imagining Cal standing beside her, a hand at her back, his encouragement the emotional currency she needed.
“Drew shared some intimate photos of me and the school took his side after Selena got involved. I wanted to tell you and Mom and Vadim but—anyway I didn’t. I made that choice and then I made a plan to recover.”
Isobel looked horrified. “I thought you knew you could tell us anything.”
“I didn’t want to make a fuss. Do you remember when we first met? How hurt Vadim was because Mom had left him behind in Russia?”
Isobel nodded.
“I was in the middle of them, trying not to take sides. Trying to keep the peace while forcing them together at every available opportunity. I was the glue. And Vadim actually gave me his bone marrow, part of his body to heal me. To save me. No question.”
“He loves you. Even before he knew you existed, he loved you.”
Vadim’s melodramatic tendencies had obviously rubbed off on Isobel. “I didn’t want to risk losing that. I didn’t want him to—I don’t know—think I was stupid for sending those photos and getting caught out in the oldest trick in the book. Falling for a guy. Buying his smooth words. I know I was in the right, but it never feels like that. Principles go out the window and deep shame takes its place. I knew Vadim would still love me, but … he might love me a little less.”
“Oh, Mia.” Isobel stood and put her arms around her. “I know what that’s like. Thinking you can fix it, not wanting to be a bother, afraid to ask for help. I went through that when I was injured and thought I could make it back to competitive play. Sometimes our desperation sends us down the wrong path.”
“But I am fixing it. Making Team USA is fixing it.” Assuming that it was still a go and she hadn’t been sucked into the Fabien shit show again.
As if reading her mind, Iz asked, “Selena blacklisted you in the pros somehow, didn’t she?”
“I don’t know for sure. I think so. Whenever I tried out for a team, the whiff of sulphur preceded me.” At this point, she’d prefer to think this was the reason she hadn’t made a team, and not just that she wasn’t good enough.
“You should be playing the sport you love professionally. Instead these toxic turds destroyed your trust and used their influence to sideline you from play. To sideline you from your life.”
“That’s what Cal said.”
“And he was right!” Isobel’s fury had Mia taking a step back. “So that’s why he got into it with Selena?”
Mia nodded.
Isobel took a deep inhale. “You did what you thought was right to protect yourself and your family. But thing is, we’re your family. I’m your sister—sure, by marriage, but your sister all the same. And you have no idea how fucking enraged I am.”
Mia had seen Isobel angry before but not quite like this. “I think I’m getting a sense of it.”
Isobel’s phone buzzed with a text message. She checked it and showed it to Mia.
“I don’t want to tell you what should happen next but knowledge is power and sunlight is the best disinfectant. These are clichés but they are also true.”
Mia blew out a breath, knowing now what she had to do.
“I love you so much.” Mia hugged her sister hard.
“And I love you.” Isobel’s expression lost a modicum of its fury as her affection for Mia tempered it. “Let’s go.”
Mia and Isobel walked into the Rebels front office. It was quiet on a S
unday, no evidence that it was usually a bustling hive of activity during the week. Harper’s door was closed but Isobel walked in without knocking, Mia trailing her.
Harper and Selena were seated on the sofa, while Cal and Vadim were ensconced in a couple of armchairs.
Cal blanched and stood. “Mia, what’s going on? Are you okay?”
He looked like he’d had no sleep, and she imagined they had that in common.
“I’m fine. Isobel said you were all meeting and I thought I should get in on that.” Wishing she could look at Cal all day and absorb the strength she always felt in his presence, she instead directed her attention to Selena. “I wondered if I could have a word in private.”
Vadim’s expression darkened. “Sestra, what is going on?”
She squeezed her brother’s shoulder. “I need to take care of something, Vad. This has to happen first and then we can talk.”
Isobel smiled at her husband, then nodded at Harper who she had texted on the way over, asking her to stall. “Let her do this.”
All eyes turned to Selena, who merely shrugged and stood, smoothing her skirt as she went. “Always happy to talk to a member of Team USA.”
But there was no missing the note of concern in her voice. She had to know this could not be good.
Cal shot a speaking glance at Mia, asking if she was okay. She took that care inside her heart and let is settle. So he wasn’t willing to step up to be the man who nurtured that same heart back to life, but she knew he would be there for her as a friend. One day they might get back to there.
Mia walked to the outer suite and waited, digging nails into her palms, her nerves stretched taut. When Selena appeared, she took a seat and looked at Mia expectantly.
“First, I want to apologize for what Cal said to you last night. I know Harper and Isobel have probably already done that, but I wanted to say it again. That was not his place.”
Selena placed both hands in her lap. “I assume you told him some version of events that produced that attack dog response.”
“I told him the truth. But I didn’t ask him to get into it with you. That was uncalled for.”
“Well, I expect he had been drinking. Not that it’s an excuse to make threats of bodily violence.”
