A flush sounded, the center stall door opened, and Harbor City Post columnist Maddie Peters walked out, a superior smirk on her face.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

This was big. Every media site in Harbor City would be all over it in a hot minute, and if all involved had been keeping it quiet on purpose, then having it blast out to the public now could really mess with team cohesion. That, in turn, could make their playoffs a disaster. None of that would matter to Maddie, though—the woman was all about getting the story no one else could, which was exactly what she’d been doing for twenty years in the ultracompetitive world of Harbor City media. She was a scary-ass legend in her own right, and she’d overheard everything.

Shelby gulped passed the oh-shit blocking her throat. “Mom,” she said, sounding a little panicky because any hope of her new job being a success was balanced on this moment like an elephant on a beach ball. “I gotta go.”

She hung up and tried to figure out her next move as Maddie washed her hands and then applied another layer of rose-gold lipstick. “Thanks for the scoop.”

“I’m sure it was just the Bellinis talking.” She gave her best impression of a chuckle, but there was no missing the edge of panic laced through it. “Tina’s always been full of shit.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Maddie said as she walked over to the door and opened it. “I’ll do my best to keep you out of it. Your shiny new place at the Ice Knights table will be protected.”

Then she walked out, leaving Shelby alone—really this time—in the bathroom as she tried to figure out if she was hyperventilating or having a heart attack. Either way, she was in deep shit. A few years ago, the answer would have been to find the closest bar with the cheapest drinks, and she’d be lying if she didn’t admit that the temptation was always there. And right now, it was humming in her ear like a song she couldn’t get out of her head. Sometimes it was louder than others, but after six years, she was starting to be able to block it out—at least a little. She looked down at the leafy tattoo climbing up her arm, counted the thorns, and breathed deeply.

Exhaling one last time, Shelby started for the door. As unlikely as it was that Maddie would be able to confirm the story Tina was slinging, Shelby had an obligation to her new employer to let the PR people know that trouble was brewing.

…

Two Weeks Ago…