EARLY AFTERNOON, I picked up Lolita at her hotel and then drove her to the airport. At security, she gave me a sweet hug.
“I hope my interview helps Max.”
“I think what you did will help.”
“The detective called and said they will pick up Joseph today for questioning.”
“Will you be okay?”
“My mom is meeting me at the airport. She said she’s proud of me.”
“Max will be proud of you.”
“Will you give him a hug for me?”
“If I find him.”
“He’ll come back.”
It seemed like everyone believed he would. I wasn’t so sure. “You need anything for your flight?”
“I’m good.”
“Are you scared?”
She smiled the most serene smile. “The funny thing is, I’ve been scared since this has happened, but today, for the first time, I woke up without fear. It’s like I’m being set free.”
“You’re an amazing woman.”
“Will you come and see me when the baby is born?”
“You can count on it.”
She hugged me again. “Take care of Max, okay?”
“I’m trying.”
FROM THE AIRPORT I headed straight to the hospital. Dad wasn’t in his room. The nurse said they had taken him down for some tests and my mom had gone with him.
Max: Where are you?
My heart pounded as I stared down at that text.
Me: At the hospital. Where are you?
But no responding text came back. I slumped in the waiting room, willing my phone to beep. Hours passed while I flipped through old health magazines. My stomach growled. I debated going down to the cafeteria to get something to eat, but I didn’t want to miss my Dad coming back so I remained seated.
My heart jumped when my phone rang, but it sank again when I realized it was Brian.
“Talk to me.”
“The private investigator found a correlating payment between Baxter and the alleged victim.”
“I knew it. That fucker set Max up. Did you hand that over to the police?”
“It wasn’t legally obtained.”
“Dammit.”
“But she is still refusing to allow them to do a physical exam and refuses to hand over her clothes.”
“Because there was no assault.”
“Right? I’m going into court today to make a motion for the charges against Max to be dropped.”
“Do you think it will work?”
“I’m going to damn well try.”
“What about Flanynk?”
“His flight is scheduled to land any minute. The Minnesota DA is standing by at the airport to take him in for questioning.”
“What time did Katrina say they would release the interview?”
“As soon as they apprehend him.”
“Holy shit.”
“Can you convince your mom to reverse the proxy that gives Baxter power?”
“I will try. She doesn’t want to think about hockey right now.”
“Keep trying. I drew up the paperwork. We only need a signature. But you need to work fast. If Max’s contract doesn’t get reinstated by tomorrow, he won’t play the rest of the season.”
“I’ll make it happen.”
I hung up, wondering how I would get that done. Mom was in denial. And right now, she didn’t give a rat’s ass about hockey.
“Rory?”
I lifted my head. Max stood in the doorway. He wore a baseball hat low over his eyes.
I sat frozen, staring up at him. “Max.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. The expression on his face was inscrutable.
I stood up and moved towards him, approaching him with caution, terrified that he’d leave. “Are you okay?”
He shrugged. “I’ve been better.”
“Things will come together, okay? I’ve been working around the clock and I’m trying to get you reinstated.”
“I don’t give a fuck about hockey.”
I froze. “What?”
“Did you mean it?”
“Mean what?”
“You said you loved me. Did you mean it?”
Everything rushed up over me. All the anxiety and fear over Max pushing me away. Tears blurred my eyes. “Yes. I meant it.”
“Say it.”
“I love you.”
“My life’s a fucking mess.”
“I don’t care about that.”
“I may never play hockey again.”
I swallowed the tears that wobbled my voice. “That would break my heart because I know how much you love the game, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
“I suck at this.”
“At what?”
“Showing you how much you mean.”
“I mean something to you?”
He stared past me for a moment before his eyes returned to my face. “Rory, you mean everything to me. I’ve spent my entire life working toward being a professional hockey player, but none of that matters if you’re not in my life.”
So much emotion coursed through my body, my lips trembled. “I was scared you would leave me.”
“I needed to clear my head. I didn’t want you to see me like that.”
“Like what?”
“I was low, Rory, and I said some shitty things to you at the police station.”
“You told me it was over.”
“I didn’t mean it. I don’t want this to end between us.”
I stepped forward and then his mouth was on mine. His big hands were in my hair and my entire world righted itself again. We spoke between kisses, our lips mashed against each other.
“Max, I was so scared.”
“I know.”
“I’ve thought you hated me.”
“I could never hate you.”
“I’m trying to fix things, so you’d want to give me another chance.”
“I don’t need things fixed to want you in my life.”
“Please tell me you’re not giving up on me.”
He pressed his forehead to mine, his gaze burning me. “I never gave up on you. I gave up on myself.”
“I never gave up on you.”
“All your texts. They kept me going.”
I pulled him tight against me. “Where did you go?”
“I booked into a hotel to lie low.”
My phone buzzed. I stepped back.
Brian: Turn on the TV
Max gave me a questioning glance as I moved to the TV and flipped the channels until I found a sports channel. Max moved to stand beside me. There on the TV was footage of Joseph being led out of the airport in handcuffs.
“Police have taken Joseph Flanynk into custody for questioning at the Saint Paul airport. Although no one has confirmed the charges, we believe it has something to do with allegations made against him in the exclusive interview we have with Lolita Patterson. Stay tuned.”
“What the fuck?” Max breathed.
“Listen, I can explain.”
“What are you doing here?” Mom’s voice sounded shrill from behind us.
“Mom, wait.”
“You,” she pointed a finger at Max. “You stay away from my daughter.”
I stepped in front of Max. “Mom, stop.”
“No, you listen here.”
“Mom!” I almost yelled. “Watch this interview and then we can talk, okay?”
She crossed her arms. I turned my back on her and focused on the television.
“You okay?” Max’s voice was only for me.
“I will be.”
Lolita’s interview started. They had edited it to create a succinct story about how she was brutally assaulted by Joseph and how Max stepped in to care for her.
The reporter lifted his head. “Is this the reason Max Logan beat up Joseph Flanynk?”
She nodded, her big eyes staring straight into the camera. “In the locker room, Joseph was bragging about how I wanted it and he called me a slut. Max knew the truth. He knew what had happened had been against my will. Max held my hand that night in the hospital when I couldn’t stop crying. I think he lost his cool when Joseph was making it sound like I had a choice in that matter.”
“Lolita, tell me why you are doing this interview.”
Her voice sounded clear. “Max Logan is a compassionate, caring friend and I think the media and the world have unfairly judged him. Now with those false charges against him, I want the world to know who he really is as a person. Max protected my secret at great cost to himself, but now I want the world to know the truth of what happened.”
“Lolita, why do you think the charges pending against Max are false?”
She smiled. “Because he spent that night with his girlfriend. His alibi is airtight. The truth will come out soon enough.”
The television cut to the reporter who stood outside the stadium. “Well, folks, as you have heard, that interview, coupled with Joseph being taken in for questioning, has left the Vancouver Wolves fans reeling. That Baxter Nicols stood yesterday on these steps, announcing the Wolves’ intention of buying out Flanynk’s contract leaves everything in flux. We don’t know where Max is or if he will return to the team, but we know now we have a lot more questions than answers.”
I stepped forward and shut the television off. Max wore a shocked expression. Mom’s hands covered her mouth.
My phone buzzed.
Brian: Alleged victim has reversed her story. She confessed that Baxter paid her to falsely accuse Max. They have dismissed all charges
I read the text out loud. Max dropped his head, and a sigh escaped him.
Mom shook her head. “I don’t know what to say.”
I stepped forward. “Mom, everyone has made mistakes here, but Baxter has unfairly canceled Max’s contract. If we don’t get that reversed by tomorrow, then that’s on us.”
Her eyes were big. “I didn’t know.”
“Please reverse the proxy. Put me in charge so I can reinstate Max back on the team.”
Her face was white. “I’ll call Brian.”
“I can text him and he can bring the paperwork here.”
“Okay,” her voice sounded small.
Me: Brian can you bring the paperwork to the hospital?
Brian: Already on my way
I looked behind me at Max. He was sitting, with a confused expression on his face. His face lifted to mine. “You did that?”
“Lolita showed up here on her own. It was her idea.”
“Is she okay?”
I nodded. “She wanted to do this. Brian has been working with the detectives in Minnesota. They’re confident they have enough to arrest Joseph.”
He swallowed a lot of emotion. “I wanted to tell you.”
“You were protecting Lolita.”
“She showed up here?”
“Looking for you. I ran into her and this whole thing was her idea.”
“I need to call her.”
“She’d love that.”
He stood up and disappeared out of the waiting room.
