Page 138 of The Shot You Missed
“I’m sure it’s nothing to be worried about,” Griffin offers.
Unsurprisingly, saying that only makes me worry more.
“Right. There’s no way anything he’s saying is true.” Maddox looks at Logan and Ryder. “Right?”
“Right,” Ryder agrees. It’s a little too emphatic.
“Someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on. Right now.” My hand shakes when I hold it out, palm up, demanding the phone.
“Maybe we should wait until after the game.” Logan tries to pull the phone back, but I snatch it out of his hand before he can. “Seriously, man, I’m not sure you should read that right now.”
Based on their reactions, I’m not sure I should, either, but we have five minutes until we’re expected to be on the ice, and I won’t be able to concentrate if I don’t find out what has all of them looking so panicked. My mind will conjure progressively more disturbing scenarios as the game goes on, and that won’t help me protect the net.
It’s an online article, and the headline immediately has me on edge.
Trouble off the Ice? Is local hockey star embroiled in a love triangle, or is it all for show?
What the fuck?
Heart hammering, my eyes race across the screen as I try to make sense of what I’m reading.
The sports world has been abuzz with talk of the relationship between Rogues’ goalie Sebastian Navarro and Indigo Bloom—the daughter of movie stars Robert Bloom and Vivian Marsh—after Bloom was spotted multiple times with the star goalie. Interest blew up after the pair were seen at a local Minneapolis restaurant with Navarro’s parents, sparking speculation that their relationship is more serious than anyone previously believed.
But is the relationship real, a love triangle, or simply a PR stunt to create hype for Bloom’s writing career?
When Sports News Daily reached out to Bloom, she declined to comment, but we were able to connect with former boyfriend, Ryland Howell, who had some interesting things to say about the pair. Howell, who dated Bloom for a little more than a year prior to her move to Minneapolis, said that she was an avid hockey fan during their relationship, with the Minnesota Rogues being her favorite team. He told us that, while she never came out and said it, he suspected Navarro was her favorite player.
When we asked Howell why he thought their relationship may be a PR setup, he pointed to Miss Bloom’s writing career. While Bloom has not confirmed that she is the writer Violet Quinn, Howell speculates she may be feeling pressure from her publishing company to distance herself from her famous parents’ recent divorce and sex tape scandal. As Howell said, “What better way for a romance writer to do that than to be seen dating a famous athlete?”
What better way, indeed? Especially when readers have uncovered a decade-old fan fiction allegedlywritten by Bloom that features a hero remarkably reminiscent of Rogues goalie, Navarro?
A low growl builds in my throat as I read this bullshit. Who the hell does this asshole think he is? Is he so insecure about himself that he has to tell people Indie’s dating me as a PR stunt to make himself feel better about losing her, or does he actually believe she can’t pull a famous athlete?
I’m not sure which is worse.
Breathing deeply through my nose to calm my raging heart, I force myself to keep reading.
Howell is in the Twin Cities visiting with Bloom, and while he admits they had been taking a break from their relationship, he told us it was never meant to be permanent. The LA native claims he was unable to leave Hollywood, due to his position as Robert Bloom’s personal assistant, so he suggested the break to make things easier for Indigo.
Howell claims he was unaware of Bloom’s plan to create public interest in her pen name with a relationship but that he’s in town to bring her home.
Sports News Daily has reached out to Navarro’s agent for comment, but we were not able to connect.
This is an evolving story, and we will update it when we hear from Bloom’s or Navarro’s representation. Whether fake, complicated, or genuine, one thing is certain: the public is invested in this unlikely pair. So SND wants to know, do you think Sebastian Navarro and Indigo Bloom are really dating? Or is this all a PR stunt to help Bloom’s writing star rise?
It takes every ounce of my self-control to keep myself from hurling Maddox’s phone across the room. All the calm I worked so hard to build shatters like glass. My heart races, pressure builds in my chest, and my hands shake. “What the fuck?”
“You all right, man?” Ryder places a hand on the back of my neck, since my shoulders are covered in protective gear and squeezes.
“Not really.” I’m fucking pissed. How dare that selfish piece of shit do this to her?
“There’s no way she’s faking anything,” Griffin says seriously.
“Of course she’s not.” I shake my head. “That’s not what I’m pissed about. I know all of this is bullshit.” The gear I’m wearing usually feels like a second skin, but right now, it’s oppressive.
“Do you think she’s seen this?” Logan asks, taking the phone from my shaking hands with a deep frown.
“I don’t know. I should call her. She’s going to be so hurt that he did this. Doesn’t the asshole understand how much she hates this kind of attention? And here he is, creating speculation about her private life. It’s exactly why she left LA.” I’m going to beat the shit out of Ryland Howell if I ever have the misfortune of meeting him.
