Page 5 of A Kind Wedding

Ileft the meeting and headed straight to the ladies’ room. I spent a long time looking at myself in the mirror, recognizing myself, and at the same time, I knew I wasn't the person I had been just over a year ago.

Back then, I’d been on top of the world with a great job and a fiancé. Today, not only was all that gone, but it seemed like everything I did had turned to dust. The latest interaction with my boss was proof of that.

I was livid at him for not remembering me from the library at Naomi's wedding. Granted, it was a hookup, but was I so forgettable? I was angry at myself for letting control go for one night and giving in to desire. Had I not followed Todd into that library, I wouldn't be standing in the ladies’ room feeling angry—and worse, insecure.

I wasn't a woman who went around thinking I was a raving beauty, but I knew I wasn't ugly. At least I hadn't been years ago when it seemed like I could attract a man easily, and they would remember me. But ever since I discovered my fiancé cheating on me, it was like I'd become an old, shriveled up spinster. Whatever mojo I had was gone.

The only thing good to come out of the meeting this morning was knowing for sure that Todd hadn't promoted me because I'd had sex with him at Naomi's wedding. That had to mean I got the job based on merit, or maybe it was just that I was the only choice. Mr. Weathers had been the head of marketing for the Silver Nugget hockey team, and I was hired to do publicity. When he retired, I was promoted, but nobody was hired to replace me. So basically, I was doing it all.

Not that I didn't have any help. At the corporate headquarters, there was a large marketing department, and I had access to people there to help me in executing marketing and publicity for the team. As a result, I often traveled between Henderson, where the team was located, and Las Vegas, to the corporate offices, to confer with the marketing team there. I was here today for the department meeting, as well as to work on the new campaign for this upcoming season.

I splashed water on my face and pinched my cheeks to bring color back into them. I had a job to do, and I was going to do it to the best of my ability.

I headed out of the bathroom and back up to the twentieth floor where the marketing department was located. I had a corner of the office that was ideal because even though it wasn't private, I had lots of wall space to hang up various ideas as well as a Kanban board on the progress of all the marketing campaigns I had going on.

Right now, we were working on a billboard to bring excitement to the team. We were only a few weeks away from preseason training. While the team won their division last season, this year, they didn't have their two star players, Max Blake and Big Ed Sampson, as both of them moved up to the National League. Further, it wasn't going to help things that their coach, Naomi Jackson, was taking some time off.

Newly married and with triplets, she would be dividing her time between coaching and her family.

That meant the team would have two coaches. While the new assistant coach seemed good, there was no doubt that Naomi was instrumental in getting the team to the championship and winning. Between Max and Ed’s departure and Naomi’s reduced schedule, repeating a championship win would be a challenge.

I completed my work for the day and then headed out, driving directly over to Naomi and her husband, Pierce's, home. Not long ago, our friend Ruby had come up with the idea of a monthly girl power hour where we would get together and drink wine and talk about everything except work, men, and children.

When I arrived, I joined the ladies with an extra full glass of wine. As I sat on the couch, I was still simmering with hurt and anger about Todd. Why couldn’t I just accept what happened for what it was? A hookup.

"Are you okay, Betts?" Ruby asked.

I looked up and nodded, only then realizing I was ruminating instead of participating in engaging conversation with my friends. "Yes, just a challenging day at the office."

Naomi did a large eye roll. "Oh, God, don't tell me Todd is trying to publicize something about your love life."

I flinched. Did she know? "You know I don't have a love life."

Analyn, my best friend since we were kids, looked at me with sympathy. I loved that she cared for me, but I hated the pity.

“I didn’t either at the time,” Naomi said. “I just happened to be photographed talking to Max, and that was all it took for the media to make assumptions. Todd thought it was a great idea to bring in fans.”

“Todd doesn’t know I exist,” I quipped.

Analyn arched a brow.

"For one, I'm not the face of the team," I said quickly to cover up my bitter sounding comment. "Besides, whatever interest he had in the team last year seems to be gone. Until today, I hadn't really seen him since I was hired.” Okay, so that wasn’t quite true. I saw him at Naomi’s wedding, but I wasn’t going to reveal that. “I walked into a meeting today, and he didn't remember that he’d promoted me."

Naomi frowned. "That doesn't sound like Todd. Last year, he was all about getting fans in the seats and making money."

I shrugged. "I guess he sees that goal as met. In fact, today, he got the report that indicated the team had made money. I guess now that he's achieved it, he doesn't care as much anymore. He hasn't been down to the rink since I started working there."

"That's so strange." Naomi's brow continued to furrow. It was almost as if we were talking about two different people. "I bet that's going to change. With Max and Big Ed gone, winning the league a second year in a row isn’t guaranteed. My guess is when the season starts and tickets need to be sold, he'll be in your office all the time."

My heart made a strange thump in my chest that I determined was indigestion. I didn't want Todd in my office all the time. I didn't need to see him and be reminded of how I gave myself over to him in passion and he didn't remember it. The man had flattened my self-esteem, and I didn't need constant reminders of it.

"Maybe that'll give Pierce, Bo, and Reed an opportunity to win this year," Ruby said. "Bo has been planning all sorts of new strategies and workouts for the team."

"Oh, yeah, I heard that Pierce was giving more rein to Bo,” Analyn said.

Everyone looked at Naomi, knowing she was likely the source of Pierce's stepping back from coaching.

"As Pierce tells it, he achieved all his career goals and now he wants to focus on the new things in his life, which include me and the babies and Porter."