She hit back with a face-palm emoji.“If you just stop and think about what I’ve already told you, you’d be able to figure it out … it’s really obvious …”
“If it was that obvious and easy to figure out, then you’d just tell me.”
“I can’t tell you, Dakota.”
“Right. All I know is, you’re in SOME kind of situation with him but don’t want to tell me what it is,” I texted back. “Either way, it doesn’t really matter, because the truth is, for the sake ofmy hockey career, I shouldn’t be messing around with you in the first place. Your dad warned me to stay away. And I think that’s probably smart. For both of us.”
“Wow. Okay. So that’s it then?”
I tried to end on a civil note. “Thanks for trying to help me today. I’m still willing to pay you the money we agreed on earlier, just let me know how I should get it to you.”
I stared and waited for a reply.
It never came.
I knew she was pissed at me, and ignoring me, but it still left me with a feeling that we had unfinished business—and with it, some small shred of hope.
I can’t see her, though,I thought, setting my phone aside.I gotta stay away.
14
More Alone Than Ever
Ottavia
Dakota left the suite and a deafening silence fell between Leo and me.
“You are free to do what and whom you want, Tavi,” he said, his voice calm but with a hint of irritation. “All I ask is that you be smart about it. Hideit. Please don’t do it so blatantly out in the open.”
“But we’renotout in the open,” I countered. “We’re in a private hotel room. It’s not like we’re out in public where everyone can see us.”
“So not a single soul saw you two coming up here together, I take it?”
I rolled my eyes. “Am I not allowed to be seen in public with other men now?”
“Don’t be silly; I didn’t say that. But if Icome home and find you with another man, that’s a big, flashing warning sign that you’re not hiding it very well.”
“I wouldn’t have brought him back here ifyouhadn’t told me not to expect you back here. You told me I had the place all to myself! But now I’m not being careful enough? That’s bullshit, Leo, and you know it.”
With a sigh, Leo stuck a cigarette between his lips. He went into the kitchen and poured a glass of wine. “I’m going to have a smoke and clear my mind,” he said, and slithered out through the balcony door.
Leo was out there for a while. I took the opportunity to text Dakota and apologize for what had happened. I feared I must look like a crazy, lying, psycho bitch—but I couldn’t tell Dakota the truth about me and Leo.Definitelynot in text or any other medium that could come back to bite me in the ass if it ever leaked. Dakota was a smart boy, though I’m sure he’d tell you differently; I was hoping he’d put two and two together and figure it out for himself.
But after texting him, I quickly learned he didn’t figure it out. Or maybe he simply didn’twantto, because things were easier that way.
Regardless, Dakota had made it clear that he thought Iwasa crazy, lying, psycho bitch, and he didn’t want anything more to do with me.
I won’t lie. It hurt. I was starting to like Dakota.
It was a good half hour before Leo returned from his smoke.
“I’m back,” he murmured, pulling the glass balcony door shut. He approached sheepishly, knelt at the couch by my feet, and took my hand into his. “I owe you an apology, Tavi.”
My eyebrow arched, surprised. “Oh?”
“You’re right. I told you I wasn’t going to come back here. You were right to not expect me here. So, I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too. I should’ve sent you a text, just in case,” I said.
