28. Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Cameron
“The last game of the season is tomorrow, boys!” Blaze shouts from the couch, a drink in hand. “Then it’s time for the playoffs. Ya’ll ready?!”
“I’m definitely ready. But I think after the playoffs, we should take a massive freaking vacation,” Dylan calls out from the armchair, where his feet are propped up on the ottoman.
“Let’s focus on winning first.” Blaze remarks. “But I’m definitely down for some off-season fun afterwards.”
“Yay,” Addy grunts from beside him. “Nothing like off- season fun.”
“You’re just bitter because you still have to work.” He chuckles, shooting her a wink that makes her blush.
“Sorry for being a normal human being.”
I’m not sure exactly what’s going on with the two of them, but there’s more beneath the surface. I’m not going to press the issue. If Blaze wants to talk about it, he can come find me.
“I’m just tired of us hanging around here all the time. We need a break, and I vote somewhere tropical,” Dylan adds.
“Sounds like a sunburn,” I mutter, plopping down on the couch beside Blaze and Addy. “I don’t like sunburns.”
“You’re just saying that because you’ve already been on vacation this year,” Kade jokes. “You could definitely use a break. You’ve been so moody lately.”
“More like broody,” Dylan muses with a smirk.
“Maybe it’s just his time of the month,” Addy calls out. “I read somewhere that men get them, too.”
“Inappropriate.” Blaze pokes her arm. “But we all know when—”
“Don’t you even dare,” she cuts him off with a glare.
He cringes. “Sorry.”
“Anyway.” Dylan clears his throat. “I seriously think we should plan a trip. We can do an island vacay with the senoritas and margaritas.”
I curl my lip in disgust. “Why are you the way that you are?”
“Because he’s gross,” Addy offers up, rolling her eyes. “He’s yet to learn that no one likes a guy who talks like that. ”
“She has a point,” Blaze agrees, dropping his arm around the back of the couch behind her. They might be best friends, but there is so much to unpack there.
“You always side with her.” Dylan rolls his eyes and then downs the rest of his drink. “You think we’re gonna win this one, Cam?” He throws a look over to me, and I shrug.
“We better.”
“I guess it kind of depends on whether or not our center can get out of his head,” Kade says from the other side of the room. He leans against the wall, his eyes on me.
“What do you mean?” I ask him.
“You’re in your head right now, man.”
“I’m not,” I argue, glancing around the room.
Everyone is silent.
“Just pretend like her face is the puck,” Dylan suggests. “It’s worked for me so many times.”
“That’s messed up,” I mutter, shaking my head and tearing at the label on the bottle. “I’ll be fine. I was good at practice this morning.”
“That’s debatable,” Kade comments. “Like, I love you, dude, but you gotta stop being heartbroken over something that didn’t work out. It’s getting a little excessive to grovel to this extent.”
“Grovel?” I laugh. “I’m not groveling. I’m just tired of letting myself get hung up on people who don’t care. ”
“Riiiight.” Dylan draws out the word. “You don’t actually mean that. You just think that’s what you’re supposed to say. I’m telling you, man. Just picture her face on a puck, and then just slap the—”
“That’s ridiculous,” Addy cuts him off sharply. “That’s not what you should do—and I don’t even think that’s okay to joke about.”
“Don’t get all in a twist about it,” Dylan inserts. “It’s just a joke.”
“It’s a bad one,” she levels, her eyes jumping back to mine. “I know Nila was a cool girl, but she left you cold in the airport. You have to let it go. And if you continue to close yourself off and become miserable, you’ll probably blow a fuse one day, and then bam! You’re punching another fan.”
“That’s a jump...” I say, narrowing my gaze at her.
But I guess inwardly, maybe I am a little touchy.
But I’ve been really trying to work on being less reactive lately.
“Just focus on the game,” Kade says, giving Addy a weird look. “You know how to play hockey. You’ve always been one of the best players on the team. Let’s just leave it at that. Side note: is your dad’s new girl coming to the game?”
“Okay, don’t refer to the woman my dad’s dating as a girl .” I nearly gag. “She’s in her sixties—she’s a lady . And yeah, she’s coming. I really like her. ”
“You do?” Dylan jerks around in the chair to look at me. “How much?”
“That’s a weird question, but she’s nice. I think she and my dad get along really well. I’m happy for them. I really am.”
Low voices catch my attention and I turn toward the couch where Blaze and Addy are talking to each other, their focus on her phone screen.
“That’s Garrett Norris,” she tells Blaze.
The words instantly knot my stomach.
“Are you creeping on Nila right now?” I demand, shooting both of them a glare. “I thought we were supposed to let this go.”
“I am, but I still follow her account.” Addy shrugs. “And she apparently went to some Gala. There’s a bunch of pictures of her with—”
“Let me see,” I cut her off, lunging for the phone.
“No...” Addy shakes her head as my fingers connect with it. She pulls it away. “I’m not going to be responsible.”
“Fine,” I huff, digging into my pocket. “I’ll just see for myself.”
“It’s not really a big deal,” Addy says quickly. “I don’t think they’re together.”
I don’t really hear her words as I search for Nila in the app. I pull up her profile and immediately see the post that Addy was referring to. There are tons of pictures from what I assume was last night .
And jeez, Nila looks stunning in her golden gown. It accentuates all of her curves in the best way. Her red hair hangs in breathtaking waves.
I try to catch my breath and process the man standing beside her. I know it’s Garrett Norris. I’ve seen pictures of him. They don’t appear to be getting all that close, but I don’t miss his hand on her back.
And I hate to acknowledge the jealousy coursing through my body.
I flip through the pictures, stopping on the one with her friend Brittany. She’s standing with Garrett as well, but this time, Garrett’s hand is wrapped around her waist. It’s a big difference from the way he was standing with Nila.
I let out a breath. I overreacted.
It’s just work for Nila. There’s nothing wrong with any of it—not like I could say anything about it, anyway. But still, as I flip through more and more pictures, I realize just how big of a deal the Gala was. The crowd is star-studded, and as Nila stands with multiple celebrities and business gurus, a sense of pride swells in my chest.
Good for her.
And without even thinking, I like the post and put my phone back in my pocket. For some reason, the minor moment brings me peace. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the fact that at the end of the day, I want Nila to be happy—and to succeed. I want all her dreams to come true .
Maybe I really do love her.
“You know, you could’ve invited her to the last game,” Blaze suddenly says, looking away from Addy’s phone and over to me. “I don’t really think that would’ve been all that crazy.”
“Uh, no,” Addy disagrees. “That would make him sound desperate.”
“Why?”
“Because he already shot his shot—and ultimately, she didn’t want him. I don’t think there’s a need to keep pressing the point. I find it unbecoming when men keep pushing once they’ve already been turned down.”
“She has a valid point,” I agree. “It seems messed up to keep trying for something that isn’t there. I have no intentions of being a creep.”
I’ve struggled for years to let people go. But I’m working on that now.
Even if it hurts.
“Well, that’s too bad, because you already are one.” Dylan bursts into a fit of laughter. Everyone makes a face—the kind we make when Dylan laughs at his own jokes that aren’t even funny. It’s excessive the way he does that.
And I have no idea how he attracts so many women.
“I could set you up with one of my friends,” Addy offers, her voice bright as she sets her drink down on the coffee table.
“I’m not interested in Cam, thanks,” Blaze teases, giving her a look .
“Oh stop. I wasn’t even talking to you.” She rolls her eyes. “But really, I know a few girls that would be all over the idea of going on a date with you, Cam. They totally swoon over that whole protective thing you do. I think it’s cute, myself.”
“Wait, what?” Blaze jerks up, his attention fixated on her. “You think Cam is cute?”
“Uh, no .” She folds her arms across her chest. “I think his attributes are cute. I never said I was interested in him. But my friends might be. Besides, I wouldn’t set up any of my friends with someone I’m interested in.”
“Touche,” he mumbles, dropping back down.
He’s so into her.
I nearly shake my head at the two of them but stop myself. Everyone wonders why the two of them aren’t together—and maybe it’s because they’re better off as friends—but man, it’s hard not to watch them and compare their dynamic to an old married couple.
“So? Would you wanna be set up, Cam? I have this super cute friend named Mattie. She’s literally the sweetest. I think she’d be a great fit for you.”
I sit quietly. I don’t want to be rude, but I have no interest in being set up with anyone.
“See?” Addy holds out the phone, and I take it from her. Carefully, my eyes scan the photograph on the screen. “She’s gorgeous, isn’t she? ”
The woman in the picture has long, wavy, dark hair, and her eyes remind me of the gulf, bright and blue. She’s pretty, sure, but she’s not like Nila pretty. She doesn’t take my breath away.
“She looks nice,” I say, handing back the phone.
Dylan swoops it up before Addy can grasp it. “Oh man, this chick is totally hot. Why not let her set you up? No need to be hung up on someone from the past when you can be set up with someone who looks like this. If you don’t wanna, I’ll gladly volunteer as tribute.”
“Ew, no.” Addy jumps up and walks over to Dylan, swiftly removing her phone from his grasp. “I don’t want to set her up for a trainwreck.”
“Oh, come on,” Dylan pleads, sticking out his bottom lip. “I’m a good guy, I swear. I’ll take her out, treat her nice, and then I’ll be the one who got away.”
“Exactly my point.” Addy turns back to Blaze, throwing her hands up. “He’s like a fifteen-year-old boy.”
“That’s being courteous.” Blaze chuckles, his eyes on Addy as she drops down beside him.
“So, Cam … would you want me to set you up with her?” Addy leans past Blaze, her blue eyes focused on me.
I hesitate, my mind filling with the image of Nila. The way she looks stunning in anything. The way the freckles splash across her skin like a painting. The way her eyes crinkle when she laughs. The way she looks at me when she’s challenging me.
Gosh, I miss her .
She’s so quick-witted and funny. But above all, she’s smart, driven, determined … and she continues to put on a smile and show up every day despite all the challenges she faced growing up. She’s just so … impressive. She checks every box and then some.
I realize no matter how I try to slice it, I’m not ready to go out and date someone else.
“Nah, no thanks.”
“Smart man,” Kade comments from the corner. “We’ll go have some fun after we win the final game of the season.”