29. Lucia

The moment Lucia saw the news article, she texted Colton. While she’d been the one to end things between them, her feelings for him hadn’t changed in the slightest, and the idea that he might have seen and believed the news threatened to break her into little pieces. Especially after she’d had to spend over a week without his jokes and laughter to make her feel better.

The article itself was so stupid. How unfulfilled were the people at The Richmond Herald that they had to keep finding things in her life to talk about? She knew this was Max’s doing, felt the heat of rage build in her when she saw the quote taken out of context from their last conversation. He’d screen recorded it, as if he’d planned this from the start. Like if the conversation hadn’t gone his way, he’d have the recording as some kind of leverage. She wouldn’t be surprised if this was his way of getting back at her for blocking him. It had probably been an added bonus that it would get in Colton’s head three days before the game.

Max was pathetic. He knew he wasn’t as good as Colton, so he’d turned to psychological techniques to win. What a piece of shit. She wasn’t sure whether the tears she held back were due to her anger at him or frustration at the possibility that Colton might not believe her. Might never want to speak to her again. Especially not when this had been his fear from the moment she’d joined the Sabers.

She wasn’t surprised when only moments after she’d composed herself, Tim and Coach Turner stepped into her office, mixed expressions of pity and anger on their faces.

She steeled herself for a lecture, or worse, to lose her job. She knew fighting tooth and nail to keep this job wouldn’t work. For this, she would beg.

“Before you say anything, none of it is true. All of those pictures were taken before we’d broken up except for the phone call. That phone call was our breakup call and the quote in the video was taken out of context. I was being sarcastic. I didn’t tell him anything about the Sabers, and I haven’t talked to him since.” She said it all in one breath, and she came up for air at the end of it.

“We’re putting you on probation until further notice. We obviously need to get to the bottom of these allegations. We will have to pursue legal action if it’s determined that you’ve been conspiring with the Vipers,” Tim responded, words clipped.

Lucia willed the tears away. Coach Turner’s face softened when he saw the look on her face. “Our hands are tied here. We know you’re a professional and a great analyst. When we determine you didn’t conspire with the Vipers, the Sabers’ legal team will look into a defamation suit. For now, it’s probably best if you leave your equipment and go home. We’ll try to have a decision for you before the game on Sunday.”

Lucia looked down and nodded. Her hand automatically reached for her tablet, but she set it down a second later. She grabbed her purse, keeping her head down as she left them in her office, praying as she walked to the elevator and down to the facility garage that she didn’t run into anybody else. She could only imagine what the team and staff thought of her.

Lucia lay on her couch, wrapped in one of Colton’s sweatshirts and yoga pants, unwashed hair in a bun with light-brown strands hanging around her face haphazardly. She hadn’t left the comfort of her couch in over a day, glued to an old season of The Bachelor. She couldn’t even bring herself to eat anything other than her mini ice cream cones, the empty box abandoned at her feet.

Isa had called a couple of times to check on her, but she didn’t answer, texting her that she wasn’t up for talking about the article. Her father had tried to call once too, and she wanted to speak with him even less.

Her phone lit up with another call from Isa. When Lucia didn’t pick up, Isa texted her twice in quick succession.

Isa

Do you have Tim’s phone number? Send it to me.

This is serious. Call me! Or send me his number.

Lucia’s eyebrows knitted together as she saw the attachment Isa sent her. It was a video, and when she clicked it open, it was the screen recording Max had taken of their conversation.

She called Isa immediately.

When she picked up, Lucia said, “How did you get that?”

“The short version is that I went into the locker room during practice. Figured out his password—he’s so pathetic, it was the date Lincoln beat Crestview our junior year. Sent it to myself. Now you have it.”

Lucia sat on her couch, mouth open in shock. “That’s…” She didn’t know how to finish the thought.

“Brilliant? I know. I finally found a way to exact my revenge. Well, part of it at least. Anyway, get that to Tim and Coach Turner. And Colton. He needs his head clear if he’s gonna win.”

Lucia wasn’t sure she wanted to text the video to Colton. It was one of those things that needed to be shown to him in person. But she had no idea if she’d be given that opportunity before the game.

“Isa…I can’t even tell you how thankful I am for you. I really am.”

“Don’t you get sentimental on me now, osita. Get that to the Sabers so you can get cleared to work. I want to see you after the game on Sunday.”

She’d been so caught up in everything, she’d forgotten that her best friend would be in Charleston for the game. Vipers trainers always traveled with the team.

Isa clicked off the call before Lucia could say anything else. She forwarded the video to Tim and sat on the edge of her couch with bated breath.

Forty-five minutes later, Lucia’s ringer echoed around her house, breaking the silence that she’d been sitting in, staring blankly at the wall. She answered it on the second ring.

“Lucia Moretti speaking.”

Coach Turner’s kind voice answered. “Hi, Lucia. Glad I caught you. I just wanted to let you know that, as expected, you’ve been cleared to continue working. Legal will be in touch about a defamation suit in the case that The Richmond Herald doesn’t remove the article.”

She thought she’d be happier to hear the words, but she still felt the hole in her chest. She hadn’t heard anything from Colton, and she wasn’t sure if that was because he didn’t want to talk to her or because he wasn’t allowed to.

“Thank you so much. I’ll be in tomorrow morning before the game.”

She thought that would be the end of the conversation, but Coach Turner asked, “Do you know who might have leaked this information to the press?”

It seemed like the answer was obvious. Why was he asking something he knew the answer to?

Then, she realized. “No,” she lied.

A beat of silence. “You know that if you give me his name, it’ll make all of this go smoother. Legal action may be taken against him specifically, by us and the Vipers, and he’ll be formally reprimanded, potentially taking him out of the game.”

She shook her head despite knowing he couldn’t see the motion, certain of herself. Even if Colton had given up on her, she wouldn’t give up on him.

“Colton needs to beat him on the field Sunday. Anything else won’t be enough for him. He needs to prove to himself that he deserves to win. That he’s the best. I won’t take that from him.”

He sounded proud as he said, “See you tomorrow.”

She thanked him again. Just as she hit the sleep button, her phone buzzed.

Colton

I shouldn’t be texting you, but I can’t help myself. We should talk after the game.

She smiled softly, tension leaving her body. She knew it didn’t mean all was forgiven, but at least he was talking to her. Regardless of where their relationship stood, the last thing she wanted was for him to believe she would have done something that horrible.

Lucia

Whenever you want, I’ll be there.

And for good measure, she typed out one more.

Lucia

Good luck, Superstar. Kick his ass for me.