“Pay me a whole lot less or pay you a whole lot less?” I mutter under my breath.
“What was that?”
I contemplate giving him a piece of my mind about how I know he only cares how big my paychecks are because he’s getting a percentage, but I don’t. I keep my mouth shut.
“Nothing.”
“Who’s your date to the gala?”
Now, that’s a question I’ve asked myself multiple times over the last few weeks. The only person I want to take is Stevie, but there’s going to be too much press there. I know she couldn’t go with me due to that pesky fraternization rule. But regardless of that, I don’t even know if she’d want to go with me.
“No one. I’m going alone.”
“Fucking hell, Zanders. No, you’re not. There will be too much media there for you to be alone. I’ll set you up with a date if you don’t want to find your own.”
“No, Rich. I’m holding my ground on this one. That night is way too important to me to be faking it with some fucking puck bunny for some pictures. We’re not messing with Active Minds. Do what you want with my image when it comes to hockey, but if it starts affecting the foundation or the kids, then I’m out.”
Silence lingers on the line between us.
“Fine. But you have five months to amp back up to the Evan Zanders Chicago knows and loves, or I can guarantee you, you’ll lose your contract and be on a plane to bum-fuck nowhere playing for a city you don’t want to be in.”
The line goes dead.
Dick.
“EZ!” Scott, our team manager, calls out from the top of the stairs, right outside the main door of the airplane. “You ready?”
Looking around the tarmac, I realize I’m the last to board the plane. I hustle up the stairs just as the lead flight attendant closes the door behind me.
“Everything good, man?” Maddison lightly knocks me in the chest as I take my seat next to him.
“Rich is fucking killing me.”
“Fire him.”
“I can’t. That’d be worse for my career than what he’s threatening me with now.”
“Which is?”
“The usual. Chicago not wanting to re-sign me if I fuck up our little duo we have going. That if people start to figure out that I don’t give a shit about owning the persona the media has me made out to be that the fans won’t want me.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it.”
Actually, I don’t know it. Rich is on the money with one of my biggest fears that if people figure out I’m not the EZ they’ve grown accustomed to, they won’t love me anymore.
“I swear to God he’s way too obsessed with your personal life that I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s getting a payout from the tabloids or newspapers to leak information about where you’re at or who you’re with.”
Shrugging, I stay silent. At this point, nothing would surprise me, but regardless, it all feels real defeating, like I’m stuck with this image for the rest of my career.
“Zee,” Maddison says, slightly under his breath. “Rich works for you. You’re in control here. As much as he likes to make you think you don’t, you hold all the power.”
Nodding in agreement, I lean my head back on the headrest behind me, drained. As if the grueling overtime win wasn’t wearing enough on my body, that phone call with Rich has taken its toll on my mind.
I want to stop with all the stupid games. I want to leave the arena alone without anyone questioning me. I want Chicago to re-sign me with no doubt of what I bring to the organization. I want Stevie to be allowed to hang out with me. I want Stevie to want to hang out with me.
I also really want to kiss her.
And tonight, I’m real tired of not doing the things I want to do.
“I’m gonna call Logan quickly before we take off.” Maddison turns towards the window, dialing his wife. “Happy New Year, baby!”
Oh, did I not mention it was New Year’s Eve, and we have a red-eye flight back to Chicago that will have us flying somewhere over Kansas at midnight?
Because it is, and the only girl I want to kiss when the clock strikes twelve just so happens to be on this airplane. But I can’t touch her. Not here, and maybe not at all.
“How’s Logan?” I ask as Maddison hangs up with his wife.
“She’s good.” He smiles to himself. “She got her dress for the gala.”
I stay silent, knowing what’s about to come.
“I can’t wait to take it off her.”