Chapter 23
GINA
He won’t talk to me. My heart hammers in my chest, and I’ve texted, called… nothing. It’s all silent.
I want to be angry at Baxter, but it’s not his fault. Tears are in my eyes, and I ache to my bones.
How long had he been there? Had he even heard what we were saying?
I chased after him to try and explain, but he’d scored a hat trick that won the game. He was a superstar, and the excited crowd was a crush around him.
As much as I tried to jump and push through them and scream his name, in their minds, I was simply another adoring fan.
When it was clear I couldn’t get to him, I decided to give up, and instead, I’d meet him at his house and explain when he got there. I booked a rideshare and texted Haddy that I was leaving.
As soon as it dropped me off, I ran straight to his house to wait.
I sat on the porch steps in the dark studying my phone, counting the seconds, wondering how long it might possibly take. Eventually, Heather and Maddie pulled into the driveway, climbing out of the vehicle singing the Champions’ victory song, but he wasn’t with them.
My shoulders fell, and I couldn’t stand. I didn’t want them to see me this way, so instead I sat in the darkness, watching them enter through the side door. I laid my forehead on my arms as I listened to them laughing and chatting so happily.
I turned my phone over and sent another text.
Gina
Please talk to me. I don’t know what you’re thinking right now, but it’s clear you don’t understand…
It’s the tenth time I’ve sent essentially the same message. The status under the blue bubble goes from delivered to read, and then silent.
Tears coat my cheeks, and I exhale a moan. My thumbs move rapidly, and I text again.
Gina
Please, Owen
It’s all the same. No reply.
Pushing against my thighs, I walk slowly down the sidewalk in the dark, back to my house. It’s also empty. Of course, Maverick is out celebrating this win. It’s a huge night. They beat their old team in a game that was pure fire. I had so much fun watching them. I was so happy.
I take Spanky out in the backyard, waiting as he runs around and uses the bathroom. When he’s finished and trots back to me, we return to the house. I check his food and water, then I slowly climb the stairs.
I go through the motions of washing my face, brushing my teeth… I walk across the hall to my bedroom, take off my boots, take off my clothes.
When I take off my new jersey, though, I stop. I hold it in my hands reading the word Stone over and over. I remember his chin lifting and I could almost hear his proud laugh all the way up in the stands when he saw me wearing it.
I hug it to my chest, chewing my lip as hurt and angry tears burn in my eyes. Is he actually ghosting me right now? I crawl beneath my blankets, angry and sad. I didn’t do anything wrong.
They’re leaving in the morning for Tampa. They’re going to be gone for three days. I can’t live like this for three days, but what can I do? Why won’t he let me explain?
Taking out my phone, I send one more text. Then I drop my head against my arm and switch off the light.
“What happened to you last night?” I’m at Haddy’s house.
She’s sitting across from me at her kitchen table, nursing Lucy while I stare into my coffee cup.
The guys left this morning, and even though I set an alarm and got up when I heard Maverick moving around downstairs, it was too late.
My plan was to intercept Owen when the guys met up to ride to the airport together, but Maverick told me he left on an earlier flight.
He didn’t want to see me.
I didn’t say it out loud to my cousin. I only hugged him and made up an excuse for getting up early to see him off—something I never do. Then I went upstairs and crawled into my bed again.
For a half hour, I tossed and turned. Then, I got dressed and walked over to have breakfast with Haddy.
Now I hold my mug in both hands, gazing into the chocolate-brown liquid as if it can help me feel better.
“Did you and Owen have your own little private celebration?” She smiles curiously. “Come to think of it, I didn’t see him after the game at all.”
My throat closes, and I can’t take it anymore. Shaking my head no, I inhale a shuddering breath. “No… We didn’t do anything.”
I blink down, and tears fall onto my cheeks.
She reaches across the table, covering my hand with hers. “Gigi, what happened? Did that idiot Baxter do something to hurt you?”
A thick lump is in my throat, and all I can see is the anger burning in Owen’s blue eyes right before he turned and pushed away from me, into the waiting crowd.
“Owen saw us. He… he saw us, and he was so angry, he left. Now he won’t speak to me.”
Haddy’s brow tightens. “What were you doing?”
“Nothing!” I cry. “Baxter is an addict. He didn’t ghost me. He went on a bender and woke up on a park bench in another town. Far away. He has a real problem.”
My cousin’s lips press into a frown, and she moves the baby around to her other breast. “Well, that’s terrible. Did you have any idea?”
I shake my head. “I would never have guessed it… Although, thinking about how he acted in the beginning, how aggressive he was… He was always showing up to take me somewhere. It was a lot.”
“It was six,” Haddy notes. “You told him six dates, and he wanted to get in your pants.”
“True…” I nod. “Either way, he’s doing the steps. He came back to make amends.”
“How do you make amends for ghosting someone?”
“That’s exactly what I said. I told him just knowing was enough, but he actually offered for me to punch him in the nose.”
Her face lights up with a smile. “Did you?”
“Of course not. I gave him a hug.”
“You have got to stop being so understanding all the time,” Haddy groans. “People are not dogs. They’re not all good.”
“Well, Owen saw us, and he didn’t even let me explain.”
“Leave it to me. Next time I’ll punch Baxter in the nose. You don’t have to be there.”
Shaking my head, I exhale a whine, putting my hands on each side of my face. “I don’t care about Baxter. I care about Owen not talking to me.”
Haddy’s expression softens, and I put my head down on my arm, shoulders shaking.
“Easy, now.” Haddy squeezes my hand before putting a squirmy baby Lucy on her shoulder and patting her little back. “It’s okay, Lulu. Aunt Gigi is just having a crisis.”
“I am…” My stomach is in knots. “I don’t know what Owen is thinking. When I saw his face, he was so angry. Then he just walked away.”
“Why didn’t you go after him?”
“I did! He went straight into that crowd last night, and the harder I pushed to get to him, the more they pulled me away. So I tried to come here and meet him at his house, but he never came home. I’ve sent text after text… I’ve called…”
Bending my knees, I put my feet on the chair and wrap my arms around my legs. I hold myself tight as angry sadness twists in my chest.
With my eyes closed, I see so clearly the storm clouds in his pretty blue eyes, the tightness in his square jaw, the clench of his fists. His shaggy brown hair that I love to tangle my fingers in moving away from me, as he pushed straight into the crowd and was pulled further and further away.
He wanted to get away from me.
“Hey, now.” Haddy is at my side, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. “Don’t cry, Gigi. He can’t stay gone forever. He bought a house here.”
“I’m just so mad… and sad… and I don’t want to lose him, Hads.
” My heart beats hard, and I try to calm my breathing.
“We had this whole talk about Maddie and trust and not wanting to start anything unless we were sure… I can’t let him treat me this way.
At the same time, I can’t let him decide I’m too much of a risk. ”
I put my fists on the side of my head and exhale a frustrated growl.
“Hey, look at me.” My cousin shifts around in her chair, putting her hands on my shoulders. “He’s not going to decide anything like that. He just needs to cool off. All relationships have bumps, but you’re meant to be together. It’s in the cards.”
I lean my head on her shoulder, exhaling heavily. “It’s just all so new and fragile.” Lifting my phone off the table, I give it a shake. “And this stupid thing is useless. I’m sick of waiting for it to go off, and it never does. I want to throw it out the window.”
“Give it to me.” She takes my phone out of my hand. “You need a distraction. Let’s go through the charity show and see if we have everything we need. When the guys get back, we’ll have to move fast to have it ready before Christmas. They only have so many free days to practice.”
I’m not okay, but I let her drag me to her office where she has all the plans pulled up on her computer screens.