“You kept it secret. That’s lying,” Felix yells.
“We were protecting ourselves!” Jo screams. She’s crying again. “From exactly this! From you all looking at us like we did something wrong!”
“You did do something wrong,” Pierre says. “You’re a team employee. He’s the captain. There are policies.”
“I know about the policies! But fuck them right now. All I care about is him and if he’s ever going to wake up.”
“You could lose your job, Jo,” Felix adds.
“I don’t care. I love him.” Her tears fall onto Emmett’s face.
“You love him?” Sully asks. I’m surprised that this is news to Sully.
Jo looks up at his best friend. “That’s what the photo online is of us declaring our love.” His face softens.
“Fuck, guys, they love each other,” I say.
“Stay the hell out of this, Fish,” Pierre warns me.
“Yep. Sorry,” I say, holding up my hands and moving out of striking range. Because Pierre’s fists are still clenched, and I am very much on his future hit list.
“You think you know what love is after such a short time?” Pierre scoffs at Jo.
“I expect you to trust that I know what I’m doing. That I know my own heart. That I wouldn’t risk everything for someone who wasn’t worth it.”
“And he is?” Pierre gestures to Emmett. “He’s worth your career? Your reputation? Your family?”
“Yes.”
The word hangs in the air.
“Then you’re an idiot,” Pierre says.
“Pierre ...” Issy says sternly.
“No. She needs to hear this.” He turns back to Jo. “You’re throwing everything away for him. And for what? Some secret relationship that you’re too ashamed to even tell your own family about?”
“I wasn’t ashamed.”
“Then why hide it?”
“Gee, I wonder why?” Jo looks at her unconscious boyfriend. “Because I knew you’d react like this!” She’s shouting now. “I knew you’d make it about you! About the team! About everything except what actually matters. I’m in love with him and he loves me and we’re happy!”
“Happy?” Pierre laughs bitterly. “You think this is happy? He’s knocked out on the floor. The whole world knows your secret. Your job is on the line. The team is falling apart. Is this what happy looks like to you?”
Jo doesn’t have an answer.
“I can’t play with him anymore,” Pierre says quietly. “I can’t get on that ice and trust him to have my back when he’s been lying to my face for months.”
Oh fuck. This is serious.
“Pierre ...” Felix calls out.
“No. I’m done.”
The room goes silent.
“Pierre, that’s not ...” Sully tries.