“He’s truly an awful human and never deserved you. You know that, right?”
I stifle a sob. “Yeah, I guess. It’s been hard because I haven’t told my family all the details either. It’s just so cringeworthy and embarrassing.”
“I bet it has, but you can’t let him rock your confidence. You did nothing wrong.”
My fingers curl around my coffee cup, lifting it up to my lips to take a much needed sip. “I guess I’ve been having a hard time believing anything these past few months. It’s made me feel really low. Maybe that’s why I went a little off grid at the bar withJay, it made me feel sexy the way he wanted to dance, the way he moved and how he found me attractive.”
“He is sexy.” she points out. “And I think you two have more chemistry than you care to admit.”
I blink up at her, taking another sip of my coffee, cradling my cup in my hands. “I honestly don’t know much at the moment, everything is a little blurry.”
“Then why don’t you stay a little longer and see how you feel?”
I smile over my cup. “Maybe I will.”
Her eyes light up. “Really? Do you mean it? You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, and not just because you have connections to the Seattle Hawks players.” She winks.
I laugh just as our server comes back with our lunch. “Are you sure about that?”
“Deadly.” She gestures with her best Girl Scouts honor salute. “But if you are talking to Jay about me at any time in the future, feel free to drop my name in the hat with Jake.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
She smiles and reaches across the table to squeeze my hand again. “Will you really think about staying?”
“You know I’d love to. But I think it’ll be more like a case of me coming back when I’ve sorted my shit out and got the rest of my things from California.”
“Sounds good to me. And you’re going to talk to your folks about you quitting your job?”
I press my lips together, taking half a beat to contemplate what I’ve been dreading. “Yup,” I say,
inadvertently popping the ‘p’.
“Excellent. Then you’ve got nothing to worry about, so have some fun for the last few days you’re here and let your hair down.”
I smile at my friend warmly. She really is an amazing person. Next to Eve and Leila; my friends from San Diego, she’s the bestest friend I could have. And admitting what happened with Aaron has made me feel like a weight has been lifted. I know I should have done it sooner.
“Thanks, B. That sounds like a good idea.”
CHAPTER 8
Jay
“Finally got hold of you,” Tanner says when I call him back after dropping Jade at the botanical gardens. “I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.”
A sharp pang of guilt washes over me because, for one, I have secretly been putting a bit of distance between kissing and groping Jade at the bar that night and talking to Tanner. I guess in my mind, avoiding the facts and ensuring some space between it all would make it better somehow. And two, I should have called him the other day when he first texted me. “Sorry, things have been a little hectic here.”
“I see you guys have come in stronger than ever from winning The Cup.”
“Yup. Coach wouldn’t have it any other way. All eyes are on us after our win.”
“It was an epic victory,” Tanner concedes.
“Let’s hope we can replicate it this season without injury.”
“The game in Vegas will be epic.”
It’s right before the wedding and everyone will be there. “There’s no love lost between us and Vegas Heat.”
