Wicked Games (Denver Rebels) (46 page)

He opened his eyes but didn’t look at her, staring at the muted television in brooding silence.

“If we’re going to be together,” she gently prodded, “we can’t have any secrets between us.”

His lashes flickered downward and he clenched his jaw. “I know.”

She bit her lip, anxiously waiting for him to continue.

A full minute passed.

“Four years ago,” he began in a low voice, “my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.”

“Oh, no,” Nadia said quietly. “I’m so sorry, Reid. I had no idea.”

“Only our family and close friends knew. Mom’s always been a very private person. She didn’t want the public prying into our lives, and she was afraid of becoming an object of pity. So we kept the story out of the media.”

Nadia nodded, listening intently as he went on.

“It was a very difficult time for her. After years of running a busy household and tending to her family, she’d gotten used to neglecting her own health. By the time her doctor detected the cancer, it was pretty advanced. She needed a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. The treatments…they were brutal. Some days she would be so weak she could barely talk on the phone.”

He paused, closing his eyes against the painful memory. “It was so fucking hard to be away from home during that time. I felt guilty for not being here to drive her to her chemo appointments. I should have been here to sit with her and talk to her and hold her hand. Ryder felt the same way. He was stationed on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, so he only came home twice a month. It was hard for me to focus on playing hockey when my mother was suffering and my family needed me. I wanted to take a leave of absence and come home to help look after Mom, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She said she’d never forgive me if I stepped away from hockey after all the sacrifices she’d made to get me where I was. When we talked on the phone, she told me that watching my games was one of the few things that cheered her up and got her through her chemo treatments. She encouraged me to keep the end goal in sight and not lose focus. So that’s what I did. Every time I stepped out onto the ice, I played lights-out hockey because I knew Mom was watching, and I wanted to make her proud and give her something to smile about.”

His words tugged at Nadia’s heart, making her ache for him.

“My father was a wreck,” he continued grimly. “Sometimes he’d call me when I was on the road, and I could hear the tears in his voice. He was trying so hard to put on a brave face, but I knew he was terrified of losing her. We all were. She was our rock, the glue that held us all together. We couldn’t imagine…” He trailed off and shook his head, nostrils flaring with emotion.

Nadia reached over, gently laying her hand on his rigid forearm.

“After the mastectomy,” he went on quietly, “Mom didn’t feel beautiful anymore. Without her breasts, she felt like less of a woman. Avery was at the house one day when Mom had an emotional breakdown. She was getting dressed and caught a glimpse of her body in the mirror. She burst into tears, then started screaming and throwing things at the mirror. Avery said she’d never seen her so out of control before. She had to help her into bed, then hold her until she finally calmed down and fell asleep. Shortly after that episode, Dad told me that Mom wouldn’t let him touch her anymore. No kissing, no hugging, no intimacy whatsoever. He was devastated. The more he tried to reassure her that she was still beautiful, the more she pushed him away. This went on for months before he finally reached his breaking point.”

Nadia stared at Reid, a knot of dread forming in her stomach. “What happened?”

His jaw was clenched tight. “He’d met this woman through his consulting work. Over a business lunch one afternoon, she started flirting with him. He was feeling lonely, vulnerable, rejected by Mom. He looked across the table and saw this beautiful, vibrant woman who wanted him, who didn’t flinch away from his touch. And he found himself flirting back. One thing led to another and they wound up at the hotel next door.”

“Oh, Reid,” Nadia breathed, stricken. “I’m so sorry.”

His fingers tightened into a fist on his thigh. “Unbeknownst to Dad, there was a sports columnist having lunch at the same restaurant. Dad’s a local celebrity, beloved by the media and hockey fans who still remember his glory days at the University of Michigan. Every time he attends a Red Wings game, the sideline reporters approach him to ask questions, usually about me or the Wolverines. He enjoys the attention, but it came back to haunt him that day at the restaurant, because the reporter recognized him and was planning to stop by his table to chat him up and get a few quotes. Before he could get the chance, Dad and his lunch date settled the bill and left together. Of course, the super sleuth reporter decided to follow them to see what they were up to.”

Reid shook his head, anger and bitterness hardening his features. “I had been in the league almost two years, long enough to establish a reputation as a playboy. So I was used to reporters and gossip bloggers tracking my every damn move. But I never thought they’d start stalking my family members. I guess it was a slow news day in Detroit, or that sports columnist just felt like tapping into his inner paparazzo. The next day, his paper ran a sleazy hit piece on my father, complete with pictures of him and that woman checking into the hotel together. I’ll never forget the fucking headline: ‘The Rocket Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree.’”

“Oh my God,” Nadia whispered, aghast.

“Yeah.” Reid’s mouth twisted into a parody of a smile. “But here’s the kicker. Had that crack reporter stuck around another five minutes, he would have seen my father rushing out of the hotel practically in tears.”

Nadia’s eyes widened as she stared at Reid. “You mean he didn’t…?”

“Cheat on my mother?” He shook his head tightly. “Once he and the woman got to the room, Dad came to his senses. He realized that having an affair wasn’t the solution to his problems. It wouldn’t cure Mom’s cancer or make her feel whole again. It would only destroy her and their marriage. So he apologized to the woman, told her he’d made a big mistake by coming up to the room. And then he got the hell out of there as fast as he could.” Reid’s lips twisted bitterly. “Little did he know it was too late.”

Nadia shook her head slowly. “Your mom saw the article.”

Reid nodded, his eyes blazing with grief and fury. “One of her friends told her about it, asked her if she knew Dad was having an affair. Mom was totally blindsided. She couldn’t believe Dad would cheat on her, especially at a time like that. I’ll never forget answering my phone that day and hearing her hysterical sobs. I was scared out of my mind. I thought she’d received more bad news about her prognosis. Avery had to take the phone away from her and tell me what the hell was going on.

“I was so furious I could have killed Dad with my bare hands. I hung up on Avery, called Dad and ripped him a new one. He broke down in tears and explained what had really happened. As livid as I was, I believed him. I knew how much he loved Mom, so I knew he was telling the truth about not sleeping with that woman. But Mom refused to hear him out. He’d hurt her and betrayed her trust at the lowest point in her life, and she couldn’t forgive him for that. So she threw him out of the house. Two weeks later, she shocked the hell out of everyone by filing for divorce.”

Nadia’s lips parted on a soft explosion of breath. “
Divorce?
On top of everything else she was dealing with?”

The nerve along Reid’s jaw tightened. “We all tried to talk her out of it. We begged her to give it some more time before she made such a drastic decision. We suggested that she and Dad go to counseling. But she’d made up her mind, and no one could get through to her.” He blew out a ragged breath and shoved both hands through his hair, scraping it back from his face.

Nadia instinctively tensed, bracing herself for the story to take an even sadder turn.

“Dad fought the divorce for a while,” Reid continued grimly. “He wasn’t ready to give up on Mom or their marriage. But the more he pushed for reconciliation, the further Mom retreated until one day she snapped and called him over to the house. When he got there, she was sitting in the living room. On the table next to her were a bottle of pills and a glass of water. He could tell she’d been crying, but her demeanor was icy and composed. Before he could say a word, she looked him calmly in the eye and told him she would kill herself if he didn’t sign the divorce papers.”

Nadia gasped. “Oh my God...”

Reid pressed his lips into a grim line. “Dad was stunned and devastated. Then he got mad and started shouting at her. He told her he wouldn’t have been tempted by another woman in the first place if she hadn’t shut him out. He called her a coward and a selfish bitch and told her to go to hell before he slammed out of the house. Later that day, the signed divorce papers were delivered to her doorstep.” Reid paused. “Their divorce was finalized three years ago today.”

Nadia’s heart constricted with sorrow. “No wonder you seemed so sad tonight.”

He nodded slowly. “I saw my parents today, and I could tell they both remembered the significance of today’s date.” He stared blindly at the television for a long moment. “In hindsight, I realized that Mom’s decision to file for divorce had very little to do with Dad’s infidelity. I think she knew, deep down inside, that he didn’t sleep with that woman. His actions that day hurt and humiliated her and severely tested her faith in him. But that wasn’t the main reason she pushed for the divorce. I think ending their marriage was her way of letting him go before he was forced to say goodbye to her. Because her cancer was so advanced, she honestly didn’t think she’d make it through the year. But she did,” Reid said with a small smile. “She beat the odds and survived like the badass I’ve always known her to be.”

Nadia smiled, gently stroking his arm. “How’s she doing now?”

“She’s doing much better. Her cancer’s in remission and she had breast reconstruction surgery, which really helped restore her confidence. She has a lot of friends and keeps herself busy with charity work.”

“That’s good,” Nadia murmured.

“It is. But I know she’s not happy. Neither is Dad. They still love each other. But they’re both too stubborn to admit it. And, honestly, too much damage has been done to go back. All we can do as a family is move forward and continue being there for one another.”

Nadia shook her head sadly. “I’m so sorry, Reid. So sorry you and your family went through such a devastating ordeal.”

He nodded slowly, acknowledging her sympathy. “So now you know why I stopped talking to the media.”

“Yes. And I don’t blame you at all. I probably would have reacted the same way.”

His expression was grim. “Was my reaction fair? Probably not. That sports reporter wasn’t responsible for my parents’ divorce. But that piece of trash he wrote…” Reid’s jaw hardened with renewed anger. “It was vicious, exploitative and pretty fucking reprehensible. I had a game the day after the article was published. We won that night, but after the game, all the reporters wanted to talk about was my father’s extramarital exploits. I was so disgusted by their questions that I got up in the middle of the press conference and walked out on them. And that was the last time I spoke to the media.”

Nadia gave him a soft smile. “Until Nelson came along.”

“You,” Reid countered, meeting her gaze. “Until you came along.”

They stared at each other in the flickering glow from the television.

“I love you,” Nadia whispered feelingly.

“I know,” he said quietly, “and I probably don’t deserve it. But I’m so thankful you do.”

Holding his gaze, Nadia sat up on the sofa and straddled his lap. As he stared up at her, she took his face between her hands, her thumbs resting on his cheeks. Then she leaned down and kissed him tenderly—his forehead, his eyebrows, his eyelids, his nose, his cheekbones, his jaw. When she reached his mouth she paused, her eyes flicking from his lips to his glittering eyes.

He was watching her intently, barely breathing.

She dipped her head lower, letting him feel her warm breath on his lips. She felt him shiver before his arms encircled her waist, pulling her closer. Then she pressed her lips to his, kissing him so sweetly and thoroughly he trembled and melted beneath her.

“I love you so much,” he told her in a husky whisper.

“I know.” She kissed the words onto his mouth, smiling into his eyes. “I wouldn’t be here if you didn’t.”

27

A
fter returning from
practice the next morning, Reid took Nadia sightseeing.

Because she loved music so much, their first stop was the Motown Historical Museum. Upon arriving, they joined a small group of visitors on a guided tour that began in Berry Gordy’s humble apartment and progressed through the business office, the control room and the studio. Their tour guide was a spirited black man with the soaring alto of a songbird and a head full of knowledge about all things Motown. During the tour he frequently burst into song, much to the delight of the group.

For Nadia, it was a surreal experience to retrace the steps of all the Motown legends whose music she’d grown up listening to. Her skin erupted in goose bumps when she saw the desk, phones and typewriter that Diana Ross had used when she’d worked there as a receptionist before landing her big break. Reid, who’d visited the museum a few times before, took pleasure in Nadia’s girlish excitement as they viewed memorabilia from the Temptations, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, the Jackson Five, the Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, the Pips and many others who came through the doors of Hitsville U.S.A.

The hourlong tour ended in the legendary Studio A, where so many Motown hits had been recorded. The studio boasted all the original microphones, instruments and music stands that still had the old sheet music on them. After demonstrating how the echo chamber worked, the tour guide led the group in a lively rendition of “My Girl.” When Reid kissed Nadia at the end of the song, everyone clapped and cheered, and the grinning tour guide serenaded them with “Ebony and Ivory” by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

Afterward several people asked Reid for his autograph and took pictures with him. Then he and Nadia stopped in the gift shop, where he bought her a ton of souvenirs to share with her family.

After they left the museum, Reid took a circuitous route to his childhood home in Allen Park, a blue-collar middle class suburb of Detroit. When they passed the giant Uniroyal tire along the interstate, he slowed down so that Nadia could take a picture of the iconic landmark.

Allen Park was located in an area known as Downriver. It was home to many corporate offices and testing facilities for Ford Motor Company, where Reid’s father had spent his career. The Detroit Lions’ headquarters and practice facility were also located in the small city.

As they drove along, Reid pointed out various places of interest such as the Fairlane Green Shopping Center and Allen Park High School, his alma mater. He took Nadia to the outdoor ice rink where he’d learned to skate. As they sat in the parking lot staring out the window, warm nostalgia softened his expression.

“Seeing this place always brings back memories of the day I laced up my first pair of Bauers and stepped onto that ice to play in my first hockey game,” he reminisced. “I remember how nervous and excited I was. And my dad was so damn proud he couldn’t stop grinning.”

Nadia smiled softly, watching Reid’s face as he stared at the deserted ice rink. Sitting there beside him while he took a nostalgic stroll down memory lane, she couldn’t help feeling even closer to him.

“Did your team win?” she asked.

He grinned. “Nah. We got destroyed.”

She laughed. “Sorry to hear that.”

“It’s all good.” He winked, shifting the car into drive. “Sometimes in sports, a good ass kicking can be the best motivation.”

They left the ice rink and continued on to his old neighborhood. The streets were lined with trees, bare in winter, and most of the homes they passed were made of brick. Before long Reid turned onto a quiet residential side street and parked at the curb in front of a modest brick rambler.

“Here we are,” he announced.

Nadia smiled, staring out the window in fascination. “So this is where you grew up.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He fondly rattled off the address.

“It doesn’t look like anyone is home.” Nadia’s face was pressed so close to the glass that her breath formed a perfect circle of fog. “Can we get out and take a closer look?”

“Sure.” Reid chuckled. “Just don’t go peeping through windows. I’m not trying to get arrested before tomorrow’s game.”

Nadia laughed as they climbed out of the car, then stood at the end of the driveway staring up at the old brick house. A faded Red Wings banner flapped on a pole bracket mounted on the front of the house. The large front yard was decorated with an inflatable Santa, snowman, candy canes, a sleigh with reindeer and a Nativity scene. The homeowner had also hung Christmas lights and placed a large wreath on the front door.

Nadia grinned. “No one can accuse this family of not getting into the holiday spirit.”

Reid chuckled. “It looked even more, ah, festive when we lived here.”

“Really?”

He laughed at her incredulous tone. “Dad was competitive and wanted our house to be the best in the neighborhood. So he went all out on holiday decorations. Everything would be strung with lights—the roof, windows, trees, shrubs, all the decorations in the yard, you name it. He always came up with the most elaborate light displays that had people coming from miles away to look at our house.” Reid grinned. “Aria absolutely loved it, but Avery was embarrassed. Ryder and I didn’t care one way or the other; we just dreaded having to help Dad take down the decorations. It was a pain in the ass and usually took half a day.”

“I’ll bet.” Nadia grinned, snuggling against Reid as he curved an arm around her waist and kissed her temple. She sighed contentedly. “I like your old house. I can totally picture you growing up here.”

He smiled softly. “It was a good place. I have nothing but fond memories of living here.”

An elderly white couple walking by suddenly stopped and stared at Reid. As their eyes widened in recognition, he smiled and called out a warm greeting, identifying the man and woman as Mr. and Mrs. Walcott. The couple’s faces lit up with smiles as they hurried over to exchange exuberant hugs with Reid. When he introduced Nadia as his girlfriend, she thought she detected a hint of surprise and disapproval on the couple’s faces before they smiled and shook her hand.

They asked Reid about his family, and he asked about theirs. As they all stood around laughing and chatting, Mr. and Mrs. Walcott regaled Nadia with funny stories from Reid’s childhood. Her friendly laughter and demeanor apparently put them at ease. Before they parted ways, the elderly couple urged Reid to bring Nadia to dinner the next time he came home.

After leaving Allen Park, Reid and Nadia headed to the community center he’d founded on the East Side. As they drove along, it was hard to ignore the signs of urban decay that marred the landscape. Staring out the window at the passing scenery, Nadia was struck by the abundance of vacant houses and lots. There were gaping holes where empty auto factories once stood, communities overrun by decrepit buildings and weed-choked land.

As Reid navigated the familiar streets, he spoke frankly about the economic hardships that had ravaged the Motor City. He told Nadia about various planning initiatives and proposals to salvage Detroit, and he expressed both frustration and optimism about the city’s future. But no matter how grim his words, there was no mistaking the deep pride and affection in his voice. For better or worse, Detroit was, and always would be, his beloved hometown. And that made Nadia love and appreciate him even more.

To lighten the somber mood, she asked casually, “So where did Eminem grow up?”

Reid shot her a narrow glance. “Seriously?”

“What?” She blinked, fighting the urge to laugh. “I’m just curious.”

“He grew up on the East Side,” Reid grumbled. “His childhood home was demolished two years ago. Just in case you were thinking about asking me to show you where he lived.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Good,” Reid grunted.

Nadia slanted him a teasing grin. “Why, Mr. Holden, I do believe you’re jealous of Mr. Mathers.”

“Please,” Reid said with a snort. “Why the hell would I be jealous of him?”

“Because I’m a big fan of his music, and you can’t stand the thought of me liking any white boy but you.”

Reid grumbled something under his breath that made her throw back her head with a peal of laughter.

Soon they arrived at the community center, a modern two-story redbrick building with large multi-paned windows. A crowd of reporters and cameramen was camped out near the front entrance.

Reid glared out the window, his jaw tightening with displeasure. “Shit,” he muttered darkly. “I told Kyle to leak to the media that I was coming here tomorrow, not today.”

Nadia grimaced, surveying the large crowd. “Guess they didn’t take the bait.”

Reid scowled. She knew he’d been hoping to avoid the press and TV cameras, not wanting his visit to be turned into a three-ring media circus.

With a sigh of resignation, he pulled into a reserved parking space in front of the building, then got out and came around to open Nadia’s door. As she stepped out of the car, he grasped her hand and instructed, “Don’t let go.”

They’d barely taken three steps toward the building before the media hounds began running toward them, cameras flashing rapidly.

Nadia felt overwhelmed by the flurry and motion of the reporters shoving microphones into their faces and shouting questions at Reid. She ducked her head, clutching his hand as he pushed his way through the crowd.

Undeterred, the reporters continued firing their questions:

“How does it feel to be home again, Reid?”

“How’re you feeling about tomorrow night’s game against the Red Wings?”

“How do you feel about scoring your three hundredth goal in enemy territory? How do you think the crowd will react if that happens?”

“How long have you and Miss Warner been dating?”

“Any truth to the rumors that you’re getting engaged?”

“Will your wedding take place here or in Denver?”

At the entrance to the building, Reid turned to face the buzzing crowd, protectively shielding Nadia behind him. “Look, folks, I just came here to visit the kids and see how everything’s going. I’m not looking for a photo op. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting to see any of you here. But since you showed up, you’re welcome to stick around as long as you don’t get in the way.”

With that, he turned his back on the reporters and opened the main door for Nadia. She stepped inside, entering a soaring atrium flooded with natural light from the large windows. Beneath her booted feet, the gray marble floor was so polished it looked icy.

A banner suspended from the vaulted roof of the lobby showed a picture of Reid with hockey legend Bobby Orr. The two defensemen were wearing skates and holding hockey sticks as they posed together on the ice. Their bodies were bent forward in an attack position, poised and ready to seize control of the puck lying between them.

“Wow,” Nadia breathed, looking around in amazement. “This place is awesome, Reid.”

“Thanks,” he murmured distractedly, glowering at the reporters that had followed them inside the building.

“Hey! You’re here!” An attractive fortysomething black woman with short natural hair emerged from the front office and strode toward them with a welcoming smile. She bore a strong resemblance to the singer Jill Scott, but Nadia recognized her from the picture on the community center’s website. Her name was Dawn Legette, and she was the director.

When Reid saw her approaching, his face relaxed into an easy smile. “Hey, Dawn, how’re you doing?”

“I’m doing just great, Reid.” She greeted him with effusive warmth, giving him a hug as she welcomed him back home.

When he introduced her to Nadia, she beamed and eagerly shook Nadia’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Detroit.”

Nadia smiled, instantly warming to her. “Thank you very much.”

Dawn grinned at Reid. “The kids were so excited when they heard you’d be coming by today. That’s all they’ve been talking about for days.”

“Yeah?” Reid smiled fondly. “I’ve been looking forward to this visit too. It worked out great that today’s a school holiday.”

“Absolutely,” Dawn agreed, her brown eyes twinkling. “Many of the kids have been here since we opened the doors this morning.”

“Awesome.” Reid’s smile softened. “Listen, Dawn, I just want to thank you for all your hard work and dedication. I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about the job you’re doing here. You know how important the center is to me. Since I can’t be here all the time, it means a lot to know that the place is in such good hands.”

Dawn beamed, visibly touched by his praise. “Thank you so much for saying that, Reid. I appreciate your confidence in me. When you interviewed me for this position, I promised to carry out your vision for the community center. I love working here, and I’m honored to be part of what you started.”

When Reid bowed gallantly and kissed the back of Dawn’s hand, she laughed and placed her other hand over her heart. The whole exchange had Nadia smiling from ear to ear, filled with warm fuzzies.

A tall, dark-skinned black man walked up to greet Reid, shaking his hand and clapping him congenially on the shoulder. While Reid’s attention was diverted, Dawn leaned toward Nadia in a confiding manner and whispered, “He’s a keeper.”