Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“Of course,” Maven said, rounding the kitchen island until she was slipping her arms around Vince’s waist. “For as long as she needs.”
Vince nodded, blowing out a breath and kissing Maven’s forehead. He seemed to relax with her embracing him, but my muscles were coiled tight.
Carter tried to lighten the mood with a joke, and then our goalie walked in, breaking the tension of the moment as he grumped about it being too hot to play golf.
He was always grumping about something.
I mumbled a quiet lie about needing to use the bathroom before we left, excusing myself down the hall.
Then, I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one was watching, and I made my way up the stairs two at a time.
You are an idiot.
Turn around.
She doesn’t want to see anyone right now, least of all you.
She’s fucking crying, bro.
Leave. Her. Alone.
I heard every word my common sense was trying to scream at me, but it was like I had plugs stuffed into both my ears, like I had no choice. My body moved without me wanting it to, mind powerless to stop me.
Vince’s new place was massive, with so many rooms I wasn’t sure which one he would have put Grace in. But I heard her sniffling through a cracked door toward the middle, and I paused just outside it, rapping my knuckles lightly on the wood.
“Come in,” she said softly, pathetically, her voice hoarse.
I pushed the door open just enough to see her, for her to see me, and then we both froze.
I wasn’t sure what I expected. Maybe it was for her to tell me to fuck off and leave her alone, because when she lit up with a smile, it twisted my gut — like I didn’t deserve that, like it was dangerous for me to want every smile she ever had to give. Her cheeks lifted, eyes crinkling, and two more tears slid down in perfect unison, like the smile had set them free.
“Hey,” she said, and it was just one word, just a greeting. But that smile, the way she watched me, it made me feel like I had the power to make everything okay.
“Who do I have to kill?”
She choked on something between a sob and a laugh, wiping her nose with a bunched-up tissue in her hands. She swiped the tears away next. “He’s not worth the jail time.”
My chest ignited then, the spark turning to flame.
He.
That confirmed my suspicion.
That night in Austin, she’d told me in the most adorable, but firm way that she was taken, dating some guy she’d met camping. Even then, I had a feeling he was a fuck boy. In fact, I was pretty sure she knew it, too.
Judging by her tear-stained face now, the guy had blown it.
Idiot.
“You okay?”
Her smile waned. “Yeah, yeah,” she said quickly, waving her hand in the air like she was swatting a gnat away. “It’s his loss, right?” She shook her head, her voice fading, and I had a feeling she was just repeating something a friend had said to try to make her feel better. “Nothing a little sunshine and saltwater can’t fix.”
She forced another smile, and I frowned, stepping more fully into the room.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Do what?”
“Pretend to be fine. Pretend like you’re not hurting. Pretend like the bright side is all you’re thinking of.”
Her eyebrows slid together, but then she looked down at where her hands still clutched the balled-up tissue, and she shrugged.
“It’s easier than admitting the truth.”
Carter called my name from downstairs, and I cursed, stepping out of the room and down the hall a bit before yelling, “Be right there!”
Then, I slid back into the doorway, chest aching at the sight of Grace so small on that large, four-post bed. It was pretty much the only thing in the room so far, other than an empty bookshelf, a few pieces of art on the floor leaning against the wall, a half-dozen plants, and a TV mounted but not hooked up yet.
“Go,” she said with a weak smile. “I’m fine.”
But her eyes said differently.
"What are you doing now?"
The question blurted out of my stupid mouth before I even thought about it — which was obvious, considering if I had thought about it, I would have kept my mouth shut. I would have listened to her when she told me to go. No — I wouldn’t have come up here at all. I would still be downstairs, pretending like I didn’t care that my teammate’s sister had swung back into my orbit.
Grace arched a brow, and then sat up straighter, painting on another fake smile. “Hosting a ball. Isn’t it obvious?” She splayed her hands, waving them out over herself and the room.
The corner of my mouth twitched up. This girl was heartbroken, and yet she was making jokes.