22. Drake

The weight of recent revelations lingers in the air as I sit in my office at the rink, a heavy silence engulfing the room. Emma"s words echo in my mind—Zane manipulated, a dark secret from my past haunting me. The realization hits me like a tidal wave, leaving me in shock.

I can"t believe that someone is playing such a dangerous game, using Zane as a pawn. The thought sends a shiver down my spine. The rink, the team, and the legacy we"ve built are hanging by a thread, and I feel an overwhelming responsibility to protect it all.

I run a hand through my hair, my mind racing with thoughts of how to unravel this tangled mess. My past, my former partner Toby, and the secrets that still haunt me—they"ve all come crashing back, threatening to dismantle the life I"ve rebuilt. I can"t escape the fear that everything I"ve worked for is on the line.

I exhale slowly, the words heavy on my tongue. "Toby and I were stupid, immature twenty-year-olds who became rich before we had any right to be. We lived fast and hard, it's the only thing we knew. Both of us were struggling with addiction, but Toby was gambling too."

"Drugs?"

I nod. I go back through everything in detail about the night Toby committed suicide and walking in to find him. Emma is clearly fighting every urge she has to race to me and hold me.

Her eyes widen, a mix of shock and sadness reflecting in them. "Oh, Drake. I had no idea. Why didn"t you tell me?"

I look down, unable to meet her gaze. "I blamed myself. For not seeing the signs, for not stopping him in time. It took me a long time to accept that I couldn"t change what happened. I buried it, thinking I could leave it behind. But now, it"s all resurfacing."

She reaches for my hand, a comforting gesture that grounds me. "Drake, you don"t have to face this alone. We can get through it together. And we need to find out who"s behind all of this and why they"re bringing up your past."

I nod, gratitude filling me for her unwavering support. "I need to be transparent with you, Emma. If our relationship is going to thrive, I can"t keep hiding the difficult parts of my past. I need you to know the complete truth."

She squeezes my hand, encouraging me to continue.

"I took a long time to forgive myself for what happened with Toby. I blamed myself for his death, for not being there when he needed me. It"s a burden I"ve carried for years, and I want you to know that I"m working through it, that I"m not that person anymore. But with this threat looming over us, I can"t escape the shadows of my past."

Emma"s gaze softens, understanding and compassion in her eyes. "Drake, we all have our demons."

A wave of gratitude washes over me, and I pull her into a comforting embrace. The weight of my past feels a little lighter with her by my side.

"Who do you think could be doing this?"

"Well," she sighs. "Did Kade come up to see you today?"

"No, why?"

"He said he had a meeting, I assumed it was with you."

"It wasn't."

"I think Loughlin is behind all of this."

"But why? He stands to lose so much if the team goes under."

"Think about it, if he makes you look bad he could buy your share of the team at a really cheap cost. And then he can put any puppet he wants in here to make all of the money."

"He mentioned selling to him way under cost. But who would his puppet be."

"Lily overheard Kade call Loughlin grandpa."

"Shit. I knew that he recognized Kade when he and Zane got into the fight."

"I'm wondering if he didn't send Kade to push us apart, trying to expose you more."

"Maybe? I don't understand why he would do this though. He's making a substantial amount from the team as it is."

"I did a little digging. Kade isn't actually his real name. Kade, by birth, is Kaden Jacobs not Kade Jefferies like he introduced himself. It's incredible how easy it is to track someone down on social media. I went to Loughlin's Facebook profile and saw where his daughter and tagged him and Kade in pictures.

When I searched that name I was shocked by what I found. Kaden was a stellar center in high school with a lot of records shattered as well as being All-State all four years. He played on a winning junior Olympic team. He was being scouted to immediately go pro, but there were red flags showing up after his team took second at the Olympics, after having a five-point lead.

Kaden received a full scholarship to Boston College where he was a starting freshman. He was killing it on the ice, but there were more allegations about him taking money to throw games. Suddenly, Kaden's name was no longer mentioned at Boston College or in the sports pages until an investigative journalist uncovered that Kaden had been expelled and that the NCAA had banned him because the allegations against him were true.

Afterward, all I could find were a lot of pictures of Kade with an obvious drug habit. There was some jail time for possession and attempt to distribute as well. On his social media profile, he made numerous posts about getting an incredible job only to lose it a few months later.

Gathering information from Loughlin's profile and Kade's makes me think Loughlin wants to sell to Kade so he can run things and make all the money, while also helping his derelict grandson out. I don't know how to prove it."

"Let me take care of that. I have a friend who just got out of the Marine Corps and has set up a private detective agency. I'll forward the information and see what turns up."

"What do we do with the information though?"

"I'll take it to the league and let them know. They won't force me to sell and they won't pull the team from Willow Creek if they realize what Loughlin's doing."

"You can't tell them about Zane taking the money."

"I don't know that we can get them to believe us without that information."

"I understand that he may not ever play again," she sighs. "But I can't … he did the right thing and came clean about it and has realized his mistakes. I can't let him take the fall and risk losing everything."

I blow out a breath. "I will crop the screenshots so his information isn't anywhere on them. I'll tell them it's an anonymous source that has nothing to do with the team and see how that goes. It could be that I have to come fully clean."

"And if we do, we do, but at this time I want to protect him if we can."

"I will do my best," I say.

She nods slowly and exhales. "Okay, let's do this."

"One thing," I sigh. "I think you should go to Kade and pretend that things are falling apart between us. I want Loughlin to think he's winning."

"What?"

"Don't sleep with him obviously but turn to him as a friend. The vibes I get from Kade and the things you said about him make me think that he's going to brag to you about what he's been doing."

"Okay," she breathes.

"I have some things to take care of in the meantime. Will you be okay babe?"

"Yeah."

"Stay in the solution," I smile. "I'll get a hold of my friend and then figure out what next steps are."

She wraps her arms around me and gives me a hug. She reaches on her tiptoes and brushes her lips against mine.

"I'll text you in a bit."

She's gone a few minutes later and I sit back down to make the call. I will get to the bottom of all of this. I won't go down without a fight.

"Hey Drake," Hank greets me as he walks into my office carrying a bag of to-go containers.

"Hey Hank, what a nice surprise, what are you doing here?"

"I heard some stuff. I thought I'd come check on you."

"Small town gossip spreads like wildfire."

"Always has," he laughs.

He sets the bag down on my desk and then begins unpacking it.

"I appreciate this more than you know."

Hank nods, understanding etched on his face. "I"ve known you for a long time, Drake. I"ve seen you go through highs and lows. I can"t pretend to know everything, but I do know that whatever happened with Toby isn"t the sum of who you are."

I look at him, gratitude and uncertainty mingling in my gaze. "Hank, I appreciate your support, but sometimes it"s hard to see beyond the mistakes of the past. Toby"s death—it changed everything."

He leans forward, his eyes locked onto mine. "It took me a long time to realize and accept this, but your past doesn"t define you. It shapes you, but it"s your actions in the present that truly matter. You"ve done a lot of good since that incident, not just for the team but for the community. You"ve turned the rink into a place where people come together, where the town finds joy and unity. Don"t let the shadows of the past obscure the light you"ve created."

I take a deep breath, absorbing Hank"s words. "It"s hard, you know? To forgive myself for what happened. Toby was my friend, my partner, and I couldn"t save him."

His expression softens, understanding evident in his eyes. "Blaming yourself won"t change the past. You"ve grown, you"ve learned, and you"ve built something meaningful out of the pain. It"s time to let go of the guilt and focus on the positive impact you can still have."

I nod, a mix of gratitude and vulnerability settling within me. "You"ve always been there for me, Hank. Through thick and thin. I don"t know how to repay you for that."

"You don"t need to repay me, Drake. We"re family. You gave me a chance, you gave me a loan and you came on a silent partner to the restaurant. No one else in town believed I was capable of change, but you did. That means more to me than anything."

"Everyone deserves that chance."

"You have to extend that same kindness and grace to yourself."

I nod. "You're right. I've been working on that, but sometimes I slip backward."

"We all do. As long as you don't get stuck there."

"You're wise beyond your years, old man," I laugh.

He leans back in his chair, his gaze filled with sincerity. "I"ve seen the way you and Emma are together. It"s something real, something good for both of you. She sees the best in you, and you bring out the best in her. Don"t let the challenges we"re facing overshadow that. Make sure she sees the side of you that I see—the side that"s committed, compassionate, and determined to do right by the people around you."

A warmth fills my chest at Hank"s words. "Emma means a lot to me, Hank. I don"t want my past to jeopardize what we have."

Hank nods knowingly. "Then don"t let it. Show her the person you"ve become, the person who"s built a thriving community around the rink, who"s been a mentor and a friend to so many. The world needs to see that side of you, and most importantly, Emma needs to see it."

I appreciate Hank"s perspective, his ability to see beyond the flaws and mistakes. "You"re right. I need to focus on the positive, on the good we can still do. And I won"t let anything tarnish what I have with Emma."

"That"s the spirit, Drake. We all have our struggles, our battles, but it"s how we face them that defines us. And from where I"m sitting, I see someone who"s come a long way and has the potential to go even further."

As we continue to talk, the weight on my shoulders begins to lift. Hank"s words are a reminder that redemption is possible, that the past doesn"t have to dictate the future. With Emma by my side, I feel a renewed sense of purpose and determination.

"Have you and Emma been able to talk?"

He shakes his head and looks down at the ground. "I've reached out to her. I can't force her to listen or to hear me. Hopefully, she'll be ready some day."

"I'm sure she will be. She came back for you and I think she's learning not to run from her problems anymore."

"She came back for me."

"She did. She and I hadn't spoken in years when she returned to town. She came into the rink to see you only to learn that you sold it to me."

"Shit," he breathes. "I didn't know."

"Why would you?" I chuckle.

The conversation with Hank serves as a turning point, a moment of clarity in the midst of uncertainty. I am reminded of the impact I can have on those around me, on the town that has become my home. As we part ways, Hank"s words echo in my mind, and I am filled with a renewed sense of hope.