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“Anaheim,” Oakley confirms. “But he had some … trouble recently.”
“More like he made his own trouble,” Mads adds, throwing a knowing look at her bestie.
“He’s been good at that for the past few years,” Oakley confirms.
“I didn’t nickname him Jude, the patron saint of lost causes, back in college for nothing,” Mads murmurs.
“Why? What did he do?” Suki asks.
I nibble on a cracker stacked with salami and cheese and listen.
Mads and Oakley exchange another look before Mads answers, “First semester at Sinclair, he broke up with the best thing that had ever happened to him.”
Oakley rolls her eyes, but there is a soft smile on her lips. “She means recently.”
“He got caught hooking up with his GM’s daughter in a very public place.”
My eyebrows lift. “Oh. That sounds scandalous.”
“Yeah,” Oakley says with a nod. “Not his best move.”
“Anaheim couldn’t get rid of him fast enough. And he didn’t have a lot of other teams clamoring to pick him up,” Mads says.
“But the Hawks decided to take him?” I ask.
Mads nods. “Ollie had a lot to do with it.” She glances at Oakley. “He has more pull with management than you think.”
“Apparently,” Suki agrees.
Madison sighs. “So, now, Sam’s here. And he’s becoming my problem to deal with.”
“How so?” I ask. I place my wineglass on the wood plank.
“You know how I’m working for that PR firm,” she begins.
I nod. Mads took a job with the same public relations firm that represents the Hawks organization. She’s been working for them since she moved here after graduation. Oakley is also working in PR, but in a more independent position. She promotes authors online and can basically work from anywhere.
“Well, we just inherited Sam and all his chaos. His sponsors aren’t happy with his notoriety. The coaches are wary of him. And management wants him kept in line or else.”
“Or else what?” Suki asks.
The soft glow of the lights forms a halo around Madison’s blonde hair as she talks. I lift my wineglass again and take a long drink while leaning into the backrest, enjoying the way the alcohol is warming my body. It’s especially welcome after the day I just had.
“Or they will end his contract,” Mads declares before popping a piece of bread with Brie into her mouth.
Suki whistles low. Oakley appears concerned.
“Wow,” I comment. “That’s harsh.”
From the little I know about Sam, it was always apparent that hockey was his life. I can’t imagine what he will do if he loses that.
“He did it to himself,” Mads adds. Oakley scolds her with a look. “What?” she asks firmly. “He did.”
“You know Sam better than any of us,” I say to Oakley. “What do you think?”
“I think Sam has veered off track. But he’s a good guy. We were so young when we started dating, but I never would’ve been with him if I didn’t see something in him. He’s so much more than how he’s been acting the past few years.”
Mads leans into Oakley, squeezing her into a side hug before letting go. “My bestie, the eternal optimist. I think you dodged a bullet.”
