Chapter 24
My insides are a jumbled mess. All I’ve been thinking about since the All-Star Game is Ava and her words.
Break up with him or the world finds out the truth.
After everything that Cash has done to rehab his image, the very last thing I want is for the world to find out that this was all fake. There is so much goodness inside of him. I want them to know the real Cash.
The one that he is with me. The one he doesn’t hide from the world.
“Piper, are you okay?” Claire asks me.
“What?” I jump, turning around to face her. “Why?”
She points to the stack behind me. “You’ve been folding those towels for every bit of thirty minutes now.”
“Oh, sorry.”
Folding is generous. They are all piled up in a one big heap. No crisp lines to be seen.
“Do you need a break?” Claire casts a wary eye on me.
“Would you mind? I’m sorry. I didn’t sleep well.”
“Sure. Twenty minutes and then I want to go over some plans for the next few weeks with you.”
“Sounds good.” I nod at her before escaping the training room.
It’s mercifully empty this time of day. The entire team is out on the ice, letting me escape to the biting, Denver air. I lean against the brick wall, letting it hold me up.
The cold stings my eyes, tears welling almost immediately.
How could I have gotten myself into this situation? Nothing about this plan with Cash was supposed to be permanent. A few months for him to restore his reputation and then we’d quietly go our separate ways.
I didn’t plan to fall for him.
I didn’t plan on letting him see all my vulnerabilities.
And I definitely didn’t plan on giving him my heart.
I thought it hurt when I ended things with Duncan. I don’t know if my heart will ever recover from what I know I have to do.
A stray tear slips free and I brush it away with more force than necessary. I don’t know how I can possibly break up with Cash. To let him slip free from my life.
The team is gearing up for a playoff push now that the All-Star break is behind them. How can I possibly do this to Cash now? But the warning text from Ava this morning made it crystal clear.
Break things off with him by Friday or she plans on telling the world everything.
How could I have ever been friends with someone so vile?
“Piper?” I jump at the sound of the voice I’ve fallen in love with.
“Cash? What are you doing out here?”
In two strides, he closes the distance between us. Being this close to him, smelling him, makes my nose tingle with emotion.
“I had an issue with my skate that the equipment guys needed to look at. What are you doing out here?”
He’s still in his pads, practice jersey stretching across his chest.
“I…”
This is going to be so much harder than I thought.
“What’s going on? Are you okay?”
His warm hand cups my cheek, and I can’t take it.
I can’t take this man and his tender touch when I’m about ready to kick him to the curb.
“Look, Cash.” I suck in a deep breath and force out the words I don’t want to say. “This thing is over.”
He looks stunned. Like I slapped him across the face.
“What in world are you talking about, Princess?”
“I’m not your Princess anymore,” I snap.
The words taste like bile on my lips.
“Piper.” Cash’s brows draw tight as he looks down at me. “What in the world is going on?”
“Cassie said this thing could end after the All-Star Game.” I look around like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Well, All-Star Game was last week.”
“So that’s it? This is over?”
I nod, crossing my arms over my chest. Hoping like hell it’ll keep my heart in my chest and not let it bleed all over the sidewalk.
“You can’t even say the words, can you?”
The look in Cash’s eyes could tear down a weaker man. But they can’t tear down someone protecting the person they love.
I put as much force behind my words as I can to get them to land.
“We’re done.”
Cash sucks in a breath and takes a step back from me. “That’s it? No discussion about continuing this thing?”
“What’s there to continue?”
“What’s there to continue?” he parrots back at me. “I don’t know; I thought this thing was built on a lot more than Cassie needing to fix my reputation.”
I shrug a shoulder, trying to play off his words. “And that’s exactly what we did, Cash. What’s left to do? You’ve told me you don’t need anyone, so why do you need me?”
Cash scrubs an angry hand across his jaw, turning his back to me. I take my fill of him. Because it will be the last time I ever get him like this.
Cash Williams is the most striking man I’ve ever met. Sharp jawline. Deep, brown eyes. Shoulders that carry too much weight for any one person.
A heart that’s so big, he doesn’t know what to do with it except keep it locked up away from the world.
I only got to see it for a short time, but I know the man he is. I only hope that he won’t be bitter because of all this.
“You know,” Cash starts, dropping his hands to his hips as he paces in front of me, “I thought we had something here. Something more than just Cassie hooking me up with you. For the first time in my life, I let someone in. I let you in, Piper. Told you things I’ve never told anyone.”
I bite down on my lip to stop it from quivering. If Cash gets a whiff of how I’m feeling, he’ll try to come up with a better plan. But how can he stop Ava from going to the press? She’s a narcissist and gets what she wants.
God, I hate her.
“I guess I’m a really good actress.”
Cash draws to a stop in front of me. “Well, congratulations. I guess you get the award for being the best fake girlfriend out there and making me fall in love with you.”
He storms off in a haze of anger and sadness, not turning around as he pulls open the door to the arena. Cash doesn’t spare a backward glance as he heads inside.
Maybe if he did, I’d collapse into his arms and try to make this right.
The clatter of the door slamming breaks my hold. Every emotion I’ve been holding inside escapes in a rush. Heaving sobs escape me as I try to get everything under control. It’s still early in the day. I have a full day ahead of me that I need to push through.
Except, I didn’t plan on breaking Cash’s heart today. Or destroying my own.
I pull my phone from the pocket of my team-issued uniform pants. I got this internship because of Noah. And now, the last thing I want is to be working for the Black Diamonds.
The thought of seeing Cash every day and not being able to touch him or kiss him is a hell of my own making.
I shoot a quick text to Ava.
Piper
It’s done.
Ava
Then your secret is safe with me
I stuffmy phone back in my pocket. Taking one last deep breath, I steel my spine. It’s going to take everything I have to make it through the day.
Because Cash Williams is no longer mine.
And that is the saddest thing in the world.