Riley wasn’t letting me off the hook, but she wasn’t walking away either. She was standing beside me. No angle. No agenda.
I don’t know what to do with that.
I’m not sure what flipped the switch, but something did. I don’t trust it’ll last, but right now? I like how it feels.
"Hey," I said quietly. "Sorry, I snapped earlier. That wasn’t about you."
She nodded. "I know. But thanks."
I am not sure I deserve her help. But one thing’s clear—I’d be a complete idiot not to take it.
She tilted her head, like she was weighing whether to say more. Then she did.
"Have you told Ryan you're skipping practice?"
I winced. "No."
"Okay, that’s the first thing you have to do."
I shook my head. "Seriously? What am I even supposed to say to him?"
She didn’t flinch. "Tell him the truth. What do you really feel?"
I opened my mouth, then closed it again. My jaw tensed, and I looked away.
She didn’t press. Just stood there. Still. Quiet.
The silence didn’t feel like judgment. That’s what is throwing me. I am not used to people giving me space without filling it with noise, or walking away.
I shifted my weight. Scuffed the toe of my shoe against the gravel. Anything to avoid saying what was sitting in my chest.
I looked down at the gravel. "I don’t know. Tired. Pissed."
She raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"
I shifted my weight. "Embarrassed, I guess."
She didn’t say anything. Just waited.
"I know I should be at practice," I said finally. "But I can't bring myself to walk in there. Not today. I feel like if I do, I won't just let myself down—I’ll drag the whole team down with me."
She nodded slowly. "Okay. Then tell him that. And tell him you came here. Tell him you’re with me. I’ll text him after you do to confirm. I’ll even tell him I think you should spend the day here, with me and the dogs."
I looked at her, stunned. "Why would you do that?"
She gave a small, crooked smile. "That’s what a sounding board does, remember? Helps you make the next right decision."
She reached out, fingers brushing my arm. "I’m heading back to the kennels. Come find me there."
I didn’t move. Not right away.
I don’t know how to respond to that. Or maybe I just don’t want to mess it up by saying the wrong thing
She was still looking at me. But she wasn't hovering. She turned back toward the kennels like she trusted me to follow through.
For once, I didn’t try to come up with a line or deflect. I just nodded and pulled out my phone.
Chapter seven
