Chapter Twenty One

“Good job! You win!” Max said happily, planting a kiss on my forehead. We had been playing a game where he gave me an NHL team and I supplied him with the city or state in which they played.

“And what do I win?” I asked looking up at him.

“A date with a Superstar, of course,” he answered with a smile.

“Eh, I think I’ll pass,” I said rolling over with my back to him. Max slid his arms around my waist and buried his face in the crook of my neck.

“I think you’ll change your mind,” he murmured. His words sent electric waves through my body and I felt as if I was on fire.

That night could go down in the history books as one of the best nights of my life, even though it was spent in a hospital. I pleaded with my doctor to let Max stay and after much begging, he finally caved. The doctor had advised me to get as much rest as possible, but I was too excited to sleep therefore sleep came in twenty minute intervals. The rest of my time was divided between kissing Max and answering ‘yes’ every time he asked if this was for real. The pain in my head was subdued by the medicine I was given and even though I knew that I’d be feeling it tomorrow, I didn’t care at that point. I didn’t care about anything except being there with Max. I awoke the next morning by myself and I had to squint to see because the sunlight was coming through the window in bizarre unnatural streaks. I looked to my left and realized why. A giant vase with roses sat on the bedside table and the sunlight peeked between the flowers and leaves. I reached up and grabbed the card. On one side it said ‘Get Well Soon’ and on the other, Max had written a message. ‘I wish I could have woken up with you, but practice was mandatory. Sometimes it’s hard being a world famous hockey player! Oh well. I heard that you’re being released today, so I’ll come by your house after practice. Miss you! No I don’t…yeah I do. But not really. Sort of. Yeah, yeah I guess I do.’ I rolled my eyes at the complete idiocy of the card and reached up to finger a flower. They were a beautiful deep red and their aroma was intoxicating. The flowers and the card were like the two sides of Max. The flowers being the mushy, sensitive side and the card being his silly, childish side. It baffled my mind how someone could have two completely different sides to them like he did. Around ten thirty the doctor came in to run some final tests and once I was cleared, I was in a cab and on my way home. I walked up the pathway noticing that all the flowers had been removed. I thanked God for this as I struggled with trying to open the front door while holding the new bouquet. Once inside, I placed the roses on the living room coffee table and went upstairs to get two Motron. After taking the pills I went back downstairs and stretched out on the couch. I had every intention of staying up and waiting for Max, but the next thing I knew I was waking up to someone gently rubbing my feet. I would have screamed if I hadn’t been so tired.

“How’d you get in here?” I asked groggily looking at the clock that read 2:30.

“You really shouldn’t leave your spare key in such an obvious place. Under the front mat? Come now, Riley,” Ryan said in a demeaning voice.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and becoming more alert.

“That was a cute little stunt you pulled. Stepping in front of Jordan like that. Very cute,” he continued, ignoring my question. “What was he doing here in the first place? Are you fucking him too?” I looked at him with disgust.

“Not that it’s any of your God damned business, but he had something to talk to me about.” Ryan’s look faltered for a moment, but then he regained his composure.

“What about?”

“Nothing that concerns you. And just so you know, I’m not fucking anybody, okay? Not Geno, not Max, not Jordan, and certainly not you ever again.”

“I’m not sure just how much of that is true. You’re dating Geno, and you’re not sleeping with him? I find that hard to believe. And Max? Ha! Max won’t be sticking around for long if there’s no sex involved.”

“It’s not like that with us!” I felt myself becoming angrier and the need to defend Max overwhelmed me.

“’Us’? Are you and Max an ‘us’?” A smug look taking form on his face.

“I’m dating Geno. You know that.”

“That’s not an answer to my question is it? Or actually, that’s all the answer I need.” I eyed him carefully.

“All the answer you need for what?”

“I’m sure Geno would love to know exactly what’s going on between you and Max.”

“There’s nothing going on. So there’s nothing to tell.” I answered defiantly. He kept his stare locked on mine.

“That sounds perfect, then. I’ve got Geno and Sergei waiting outside. Let me just run and get them!” Before I could even say anything Ryan was out the door and in a matter of seconds, both Geno and Sergei were with him.

“Bugsy tell me that you see Max?” Geno asked staring at me.

“Geno, I---” I started but he cut me off.

“Is true?” Geno asked again staring at the ground. At that point in time I just wanted to die. And what I least wanted was what happened next. Ryan had left the door slightly ajar and Max ambled right through it and into the middle of our little scene. Shouldn’t all of these guys be taking a pregame nap or something?!

“Riley?” Max asked surveying the situation. I looked up at Max who looked beyond confused, then over at Ryan who wore the smuggest expression I had ever seen. I looked back at Max who had finally seemed to put the pieces together. He began to slowly back towards the door when Ryan called him out.

“Leaving so soon, Max?” Max didn’t answer, just froze in place and continued to watch the rest of us. All I really wanted to do was grab his hand and run out the door.

“Riley. It’s true.” Geno stated aloud. He looked up at me and I nodded. I felt my heart breaking for him as he sat down on my couch and put his head in his hands. The same position I had been in yesterday when Jordan came to talk to me. I walked over to him and placed my hand on his shoulder but he jerked away from me. He had every right to. I was awful and he didn’t deserve this. Suddenly though, he began speaking very swiftly and angrily to Sergei who just nodded in understanding. When he was done I looked to Sergei. He seemed uncertain if he should tell me, but Geno nodded and Sergei began.

“Well, Riley, Geno’s really upset that it had to end this way. He really liked you. He really likes you and it’s hard to imagine you with anyone else. That being said, to protect both of your reputations, it’s best if you act as if you’re continuing to see each other. The media has already spotted the two of you out and you can just imagine how it would look if, say tomorrow, you were walking down the street hand in hand with Max. So, until a respectable amount of time passes you will be seen in public with Geno, you will sport his jerseys at games, and you will go to events with him. And after that time passes, you guys will have a clean, swift break up. Then, when another respectable amount of time passes, you may begin seeing Max publicly. To the outside world, you are Evgeni Malkin’s girlfriend and behind closed doors, he couldn’t care less what you do. Fair?” My mind could barely process what was just said.

“Fair,” I squeaked back. Sergei stood up and tapped Geno’s arm. Geno took a few steps towards the door before turning around and coming back to stand in front of me. He bent down and placed a quick kiss on my lips before exiting. A kiss goodbye I assumed. I looked over at Max who wore a stunned expression and Ryan’s face held one of equal surprise.

“Get the fuck out, Ryan,” I said icily.

“Wait, Riley I---” he began, but I cut him off.

“What Ryan? What?” I couldn’t stop myself and the tears began to flow. “Are you happy now? Are you finally happy? Look what you did! I can’t even be with who I want to be with in public! We have to keep our whole damn relationship a secret, Ryan! Do you understand that? Do you understand how painful this is going to be for everyone involved?! If I would have handled this the way I wanted to, things would have worked out! It would be different now. But okay Ryan, you won. Alright? I’m a prisoner in my own damn home because of you. Congratulations.” I pushed past him and ran up the stairs and into my room. I slammed the door, but I could still hear them talking downstairs.

“I…I had no idea that it would end up like this,” Ryan said.

“Yeah…I…I don’t know. I think you should, um, leave,” Max responded. Without another exchange, Ryan left. I then heard Max’s footsteps making their way to my room. I was face down on the bed and Max sat down next to me, rubbing soothing circles into my back. “It’ll be okay.” I wanted nothing more than to believe that.