A Perfect Distraction

by Anna Sugden

  What else could she possibly throw at him? “Go on.”

  “Maggie never doubted you.” Jenny forced him to meet her steady gaze. “She was determined to do something. She pushed to find the truth.”

  Jenny explained what they’d done. “Maggie risked missing the meeting that would have guaranteed sole custody of Emily because she wouldn’t give up on you.”

  She reached up and kissed his cheek. “Think about that, Bad Boy.”

  The realization of what Maggie had been prepared to sacrifice for him was humbling. All because she believed in him. Even after he’d pushed her away, her faith in him hadn’t wavered. She’d seen beyond his reputation, beyond his nickname, beyond his own self-doubt. She’d seen the man he wanted to be.

  The man he was.

  The fist that had gripped his heart since the accident loosened. He blew out a shuddering breath and with it went the anxiety and guilt of the past eleven months. The self-recrimination and the self-doubt. With it, too, went his anger toward Adam. For what he’d done—taking the drugs and framing Jake. For what he hadn’t done—believed in their friendship enough to ask for help.

  And, Jake was finally able to admit, for dying.

  Adam’s death had been the wake-up call Jake had needed. His own survival had been a chance to put things right. What Jake hadn’t understood until now was that with everything his friend had lost when he’d died, Adam had lost the chance to put things right, too.

  As he walked back down the corridor to the conference room, Jake realized this was another wake-up call. A chance for a do over. One he intended to seize with both hands.

  He’d still do everything he could to win the Stanley Cup and raise it in Adam’s honor. But he also planned to do something else his friend had never got the chance to do—live a life that was long, happy and free from regrets.

  A life that, assuming he could get her to agree, would include Maggie and Emily.

  His pace quickened as his mind buzzed with renewed purpose. He had a lot of work to do. Starting today.

  Starting now.

  Jake opened the door to the conference room. “If we’re done here, I have some things I need to take care of.”

  * * *

  “WOULD YOU LIKE breakfast?”

  Maggie smiled at the flight attendant. “Tea and a bacon sandwich would be lovely.”

  She was exhausted. Unable to sleep, she’d been too restless to read or watch a movie. Hopefully, adrenaline and caffeine would keep her going until she was on the plane home.

  The lack of phone service on the plane had left too much time to think and worry—about Jake, her upcoming meeting with Lee then Jake again.

  Had Jenny arrived in time? Had the information been enough?

  Would Lee actually sign the papers? Could this finally be the end of it?

  How had Jake reacted when he’d learned about Maggie’s help?

  She’d deliberately pushed aside thoughts of the future. There’d be plenty of time for that on the return journey, once she’d seen how everything played out.

  Maggie stirred her tea. The time hadn’t been wasted. She’d sorted out her jumbled feelings about her past and decided finally to stop beating herself up about loving a celebrity lifestyle. Who wouldn’t enjoy going to glamorous events, meeting household names, wearing designer fashions and receiving special service—like an upgrade to upper class when the woman at the Virgin Atlantic check-in had recognized her?

  Sure there was a downside—the lack of privacy, the paparazzi, the gossip media. But like the calories in her bacon sandwich, that was the price you paid.

  “More tea?” the stewardess asked. “This will be the last round before we land.”

  “No, thanks.”

  “We’ll be starting our descent shortly, so if you want to beat the rush for the bathroom, I’d nip in now.”

  “Good idea.” Maggie stood and got her carry-on bag down from the overhead locker.

  The problem, she reflected as she got changed, wasn’t the lifestyle but her lack of self-belief. Her mistaken fear that enjoying those things would somehow turn her back into meek Margaret and she’d make the same mistakes that had hurt Emily.

  “I’ll never be meek Margaret again,” she told her reflection. And while she’d probably make mistakes, she’d never do anything to hurt her daughter.

  Maggie had finally embraced the person she really was.

  “Ladies and gentlemen...”

  At the pilot’s announcement, Maggie buttoned the jacket on her red suit. She’d brought it deliberately because it had marked a turning point in her blossoming self-confidence and her relationship with Jake. She hoped it would mark a turning point in her future.

  Somehow the suit gave her extra strength, as if Jake was with her. She could almost feel the warmth of his hand against her back as she returned to her seat. The whisper of his breath against her neck as she fastened her seat belt.

  Instead of making her more vulnerable, having the right man by her side made her stronger. Jake was the right man. She knew that to the depths of her soul.

  But how did she convince him?

  The jolt of the plane landing broke into her thoughts.

  Once inside the terminal, Maggie switched on her phone. Her heart lifted as she listened to Emily’s voice mail—her version of a hockey chant.

  “Let’s go, Mummy! Go, Mummy, go!”

  Tracy added her good luck wishes but said nothing about what had happened at NHL headquarters.

  Scrolling through her texts, Maggie found one from Jenny. A smiley face.

  Jake’s name had been cleared. Relief filled her, but she was left with unanswered questions. How had he reacted? What did this mean for the future?

  Maggie shook her head. She couldn’t fret about that now. She had a meeting to get to.

  As she didn’t have luggage, Maggie breezed through the formalities. The prebooked driver was waiting in arrivals, holding up a sign with her name.

  Despite the rush-hour traffic, the journey passed quickly. As neither side had wanted to risk a media presence, Samantha had suggested using a neutral office facility near the airport.

  When Maggie arrived, her solicitor was already there. They hugged, laughing over their coordinating outfits; Samantha wore a stunning red tweed suit and the same black patent Chanel shoes as Maggie.

  “The meeting shouldn’t take long.” Samantha led the way into the conference room and chose seats on one side of the long table. She opened her red-leather briefcase and laid out folders. “Everything has been agreed in principle, so all we need are the signatures.”

  Maggie poured them coffee. “You think it’ll go that smoothly?”

  “Sadly, no. Lee is bound to make a last-minute power play to soothe his ego. But I won’t let him derail things.” She gave Maggie a firm look. “Don’t let him get to you.”

  Maggie squared her shoulders. “I won’t.”

  “Good. Now, before they get here, we should go through the amendments.”

  They took their seats and bent their heads over the folders. The phone rang as they finished, announcing that Lee and Patty had arrived with their lawyer.

  Maggie’s heart thumped heavily. “Showtime.”

  Samantha rubbed her hands together, her smile predatory. “I’m looking forward to finishing that weasel off.”

  The door opened and Patty came into the room, alone.

  It was like looking in the mirror ten years ago. Maggie shouldn’t have been shocked by the changes to the young soap star, but she was. Patty’s once-dark hair was now blond. The plum-and-gold leather Versace suit was low cut, with a micromini that barely covered her bum, while the six-inch heels of the matching Prada peep toes made Maggie’s calves ache.

  “Lee’s on the phone. He’ll
be here shortly.” Concern tinged Patty’s smile.

  When the door opened again, Maggie tensed, but the familiar dread at seeing Lee never appeared. Though her stomach knotted nervously, she felt calm, strong. Ready to deal with whatever Lee threw at her.

  As ever, her ex made a grand entrance, talking loudly on his mobile while barking out orders to the lawyer scurrying behind. He stalked to the table, stopping behind Patty’s chair. He unbuttoned his Armani jacket, then shot his cuffs, fiddling deliberately with his Rolex before resting his hands on Patty’s shoulders.

  Maggie recognized the pose. She recalled the bite of his fingers into her skin, an admonition to do as she was told. It felt good to be free of him.

  Once again, she was surprised. He no longer scared her. Lee seemed smaller, slighter than she remembered. His skin was pasty, and his hair had been carefully slicked back over the beginnings of a bald patch that he must curse every morning.

  Compared to Jake, her ex definitely came up short.

  “You look terrible, Margaret.” He cast a pitying look over her. “Your hair, that suit. Positively middle-aged.”

  What a jerk. Instead of shriveling inside, Maggie restrained her urge to laugh. His opinion couldn’t have mattered less. “Shall we get on with the meeting?”

  His eyes narrowed. “We’ll start when I’m ready.”

  “Well, get a move on.” Maggie tapped her watch. “I have a plane to catch.”

  He clenched his jaw. “How dare—”

  “Lee has to get back to the training ground, too,” Patty interceded quickly. “He has a big game on Saturday.”

  “Ah, yes.” Maggie couldn’t resist tweaking the tiger’s tail. Especially now she knew his teeth couldn’t harm her. “You’re hoping to impress the England manager. Good luck with that.”

  Lee glared at her, then sat.

  “Before you both sign, I’ll outline the terms of the agreement so there is absolutely no misunderstanding,” Samantha said smoothly. “Maggie retains full custody and is free to take Emily to the U.S. permanently. Lee’s visitation rights remain unchanged.”

  Maggie and Patty exchanged knowing looks. Those visits would never happen.

  “Child support continues until Emily is nineteen. Finally, any future attempts to challenge this agreement will be dealt with under New Jersey state law. If that’s clear, you may sign the papers.” Samantha passed Maggie her Montblanc fountain pen and showed her where to sign.

  Lee pulled out a gold Cross Townsend.

  Maggie held her breath. She wouldn’t rest easy until the ink was dry.

  He touched the pen to the paper, then stopped. He smiled maliciously as he put the pen down. “I won’t pay child support for a child I have nothing to do with.”

  Samantha didn’t blink. “By law, you have no choice.”

  “Then chase me for payment through the New Jersey courts.”

  “It doesn’t work that way.”

  “Lee, darling...” Patty began, but stopped when he speared her with a blazing glare.

  Maggie didn’t care about the money, but she was fed up with Lee’s silly games. She wouldn’t let him mess her around again. “Stop being childish and sign the damn papers.”

  Lee surged to his feet, fist clenched. “You stupid bitch.”

  Samantha leaped up, throwing her arm protectively in front of Maggie.

  Lee’s solicitor sputtered as Patty pleaded for calm.

  Maggie’s heart pounded but she wasn’t scared of him anymore. “Sit down and shut up.”

  “How dare you speak to me like that?”

  Maggie rolled her eyes. “Quite easily. Your bullyboy tactics bore me. Now, either you sign those papers or I’m calling a press conference. I don’t think your team will be too impressed when they hear my story.”

  Patty gasped. “But you promised.”

  Samantha sat, a smile playing around her lips.

  “I’ll keep my end of the bargain if Lee does.” Maggie laid her phone on the table, then crossed her arms. “He has two minutes, or my first call will be to the Daily Mail.”

  Lee’s solicitor murmured furiously. After a couple of tense moments, Lee slashed his signature across the papers, then tossed them across the table.

  “Patty, we’re leaving. Now.” He stormed out.

  Patty jumped up and rushed after him, shooting an annoyed look at Maggie over her shoulder. Lee’s solicitor gathered his papers and followed, closing the door behind him.

  Maggie slumped back in her chair, letting out a heavy breath.

  “Well done.” Samantha laughed. “I think you’ve seen the last of Lee.”

  “I hope Patty will be okay. This deal wouldn’t have happened without her. I hate to think she’ll bear the brunt of his fury.”

  “She’s made her bed—it’s up to her to choose if she really wants to lie in it.” Samantha touched Maggie’s arm before putting the folders in her briefcase. “Go home, hug Emily for me and enjoy your new life.”

  Giddy with happiness and relief, Maggie grinned. “Thank you. I will.”

  Adrenaline kept Maggie going until she got onto the plane. As she got to her seat, her knees suddenly went weak and she sank into the seat.

  “Can I get you a drink?” the flight attendant asked.

  “Definitely champagne.”

  The woman smiled politely as she passed a champagne flute. Probably thought that was what Maggie always drank. She didn’t care. She was celebrating.

  Once the plane took off, Maggie fell asleep. She didn’t wake until it was time to land. Thankfully, a driver was waiting for her in arrivals, and they were soon in the car, heading for the turnpike.

  Maggie stared out of the window at the familiar landmarks. A sense of homecoming filled her heart. She couldn’t wait to see Emily and Tracy.

  She couldn’t wait to see Jake, either. She was tired of waiting for him to realize what they had together was special. Time to stop allowing the past to deny them the chance of a wonderful future. Maggie let her head drop back and closed her eyes. She fell asleep planning what she’d say to him.

  She woke as the car stopped. It took a moment to realize the Victorian they’d stopped in front of wasn’t Tracy’s. Her heart jolted. She started to tell the driver he’d made a mistake, but the words died in her throat as Jake stepped forward and opened the door.

  “Welcome home, Maggie.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  MAGGIE STARED AT Jake’s hand as he offered to help her out of the car, but didn’t move.

  His smile wavered. “Do you want Chuck to take you to Tracy’s house?”

  The uncertainty in his expression cut through the shock that had immobilized her.

  “No, that’s okay. I’ll stay.” She put her hand in his, savoring the warmth and strength of his grip. “For now.”

  “Thank you.” Jake touched his lips to her fingers, sending a tingle through her, then released her. “Go on in. I’ll get your bag.”

  As she climbed the steps, Jake took her carry-on from the driver and palmed him a tip.

  Maggie paced the entrance hall. This had to be a good sign, didn’t it? He wouldn’t bring her here to tell her they had no future. Would he?

  Jake closed the front door and put her bag at the foot of the stairs. The scene had a cozy familiarity to it, as if they’d done it a hundred times before. Wishful thinking.

  “I should let Tracy know I’m here.” She unbuttoned her coat. “When I called her from the airport, I said I wouldn’t be long.”

  “She knows.”

  Maggie arched an eyebrow. “My sister let you kidnap me?”

  Jake massaged the back of his neck. “She wanted to help an idiot man apologize.”

  Her pulse skipped. “I see.”

 
The conversation died to awkward silence as they stood, trying to read each other.

  “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable and I’ll make you some tea?”

  “All right.” She laid her coat over the banister.

  Heat flared in his eyes as he saw her red suit, giving her a boost of confidence she didn’t know she needed. Suddenly, she felt in control again.

  “I’ll wait in the den.”

  Jake nodded. “I won’t be long.”

  She walked down the hall, putting an extra swing in her hips.

  In the den, her confidence faltered. Memories of their last conversation...argument...disaster flashed through her mind. Hopefully, they’d exorcise that specter shortly.

  She turned on table lamps to brighten the room in the fading afternoon light. Deliberately, she sat in Jake’s leather armchair, kicked off her shoes and curled her legs under her.

  Jake entered a few minutes later and handed her a mug of tea. She smiled—he’d made it just as she liked it.

  He sat on the sofa, resting his elbows on his thighs and staring into the steaming mug he cradled in his hands as if it held the meaning of the universe.

  Maggie sipped her tea and waited.

  “Jenny told me what you did. How you believed in me.” He exhaled heavily and looked up, meeting her gaze. “Thank you doesn’t seem enough.”

  “You were innocent. It was only a matter of time before they uncovered the truth.”

  “How much would it have damaged me, my integrity, in the meantime? The suspicion would never have gone away. People would have always questioned whether there was any truth in the story.”

  “Not the people who know you.”

  “Maybe.” Jake shrugged. “Anyway, thanks to you, I don’t have to worry about that. My career and reputation are safe.”

  “What happens next?”

  “The investigators verify the information, but that shouldn’t take long.”

  “Good. The sooner you can put it behind you, the better. Then you can focus on playing hockey and winning the Cup.” And me, she added silently.

  “Yeah.” His voice resonated with unspoken emotion.