Chapter 20
TWENTY
You may find yourself acting as a mediator between two people you care about. Don’t feel obligated to take sides, and do remember that words said in the heat of the moment can have an impact far beyond the immediate disagreement. In short, watch your damn mouth!
Numbly, I walk downstairs to find the girls in the kitchen. We went a little overboard at the grocery store on the way to Ginny’s mom’s house, and the counter is littered with bags of chips and candy, booze, and other things that we randomly threw into the cart.
“Red or white?” Ginny asks as she holds up two bottles of wine.
“I don’t care.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Dakota asks as she opens a bag of chips.
“I think Adam and I just had our first fight.”
“Oh, honey, what happened?” Ginny asks. She sets the wine on the counter and then proceeds to open both. She must read on my face that it’s going to be a two-bottle night.
I slump onto a barstool. “We were talking about Rhett and Carrie. Carrie went to their game tonight so she and Rhett could talk.”
“She did?” Dakota’s eyes widen.
I nod. “Yeah. Adam is totally against them talking or reconciling in any way. I don’t get it.
It’s like he thinks everyone should be able to break up with someone they love and move right on to the next.
He said Rhett didn’t know what a good relationship looked like, and I kind of threw that statement back in his face.
” I bury my face in my hands. “It just slipped out. I didn’t even realize I was thinking it until the words left my mouth. ”
“That is sort of his thing.” Ginny gives me a small smile.
“How did Adam react?” Dakota asks.
“I apologized immediately, and he acted like it was fine, but then he said he needed to get off the phone.” Me and my big mouth. “I feel like such an ass.”
“You two will work it out,” Ginny says, sounding so sure, but she didn’t hear the hurt in his voice.
“Words said in the heat of the moment have an impact far beyond the immediate disagreement,” I grumble.
“What?” Dakota asks with a laugh. “You sound like a fortune cookie.”
I wave her off. “It was in my horoscope this morning.” I look between them. “What do I do? Do I call him back now? Wait, and hope he forgets?” If only I could be so lucky.
“Give him the night,” Ginny says. “They’ll be back tomorrow night. I’m sure by then all will be forgotten, and if not, you make it up to him.”
“You realize you’re talking about your brother, right?” Dakota grins.
“Gross. That isn’t what I meant.” Her face scrunches up, and she tosses a chip at Dakota.
I know that waiting is the right call, but tomorrow sounds so far away. I don’t know how I’m going to make it through the night worrying about it. “Okay. Yeah, that sounds practical.”
“Unless…” Dakota starts.
“Yeah?” I ask, hopeful she has a genius idea. Screw practical.
“We could go to the game.”
Ginny and I share a confused look, and Dakota shrugs.
“You want to go to the hockey game?” Ginny narrows her gaze at our friend.
“I thought you wanted to spend time just us girls.” I study her closely. This feels very unlike Dakota.
“And I do, but we can do that in Tempe. I love a good road trip.” She avoids eye contact completely. Her phone buzzes on the counter, and she jumps for it, and then she smiles.
“Who’s that?” I ask.
“No one.” Her thumbs tap on the screen.
“Are you texting one of the guys? Is it Mav?” Ginny asks.
“What?” Dakota looks up. “No, I told you, it’s no one, okay? So, are we going or what?”
“Your mom won’t mind?” I ask Ginny. “We just got here.”
“She has to work, and it isn’t like I’m here to hang out with her anyway.” She grins. “I’m up for it. Heath will lose his mind.”
“I’m not so sure Adam will be as happy to see me.”
“He will,” Ginny reassures me. “Now, let’s go watch the movie and drink all the wine.”
The following afternoon we arrive at the game and find seats behind the Valley bench. I sent Adam a text this morning wishing him luck on the game, but his response was a one-word, Thanks.
Needless to say, I don’t feel great about how he’s going to react to me coming to the game. Heath spots Ginny right away. He gets this goofy grin on his face anytime she’s around. I love them together.
Adam’s slower to spot us. Maverick nudges him, and he looks up and scans the crowd until he finds me. One side of his mouth pulls up, and he lifts a hand. I wave back and try to communicate how sorry I am and how much I don’t want this thing between us to end before it’s even really started.
I doubt he gets that from my meek wave, but I send it out into the universe anyway, hoping he feels it.
Valley won the game last night, but today the guys look sluggish. Or that’s what Ginny says after the first period when Valley is down by two. I’m watching, but really only seeing Adam.
“They can’t lose,” I say. That would feel like a seriously bad omen for the night ahead.
When the guys take the ice to start the next period, Adam looks up at me. His smile is bigger this time, and I feel just a little bit hopeful that we’re going to be okay.
Adam wins the face-off, and Heath chases a long pass.
Ginny’s on her feet, yelling and clapping.
Heath and a guy from State are up against the boards fighting for the puck.
He manages to kick it out, and Maverick is close enough to take possession and send it to Adam, who is waiting on the right side.
The puck sails toward the goal, and the lamppost lights up.
Dakota and I join Ginny, and the three of us scream so loudly you’d think he just won them the game. Adam skates toward the Valley bench and points. At first, I think he’s pointing to the guys—it’s kind of hard to tell with the big gloves he wears, but when he winks, I know it’s for me.
Valley ekes out a victory, and as soon as the game’s over, we head to the parking lot behind the arena where the Valley bus sits, waiting for the guys.
“Is that Carrie?” Ginny asks, looking toward a girl standing next to a shiny red car.
“I think so,” Dakota says. “Things must have gone well.”
“Should we go talk to her?” I ask. I’ve only met her once, and it was brief, but she’s important to Rhett and therefore indirectly important to us.
Before we can decide, the guys start filing out of the arena.
Adam’s one of the last, like usual. I’ve noticed it’s a thing with him.
He doesn’t just lead by example; he knows when he needs to follow.
I don’t run to him, but it’s only because I have on heeled boots, and tripping seems likely.
Neither of us speaks at first. He hugs me and lifts me off the ground, squeezing me so tightly I can practically feel his forgiveness.
“I’m sorry,” we say at the same time.
“You were right. I don’t know shit about their relationship.”
“You just want what’s best for him. For everyone.”
He nods. “But he’s a grown-ass man. He’ll figure it out.”
“Did he say that to you?”
“Yeah.” Adam chuckles. “Verbatim.”
“You want to protect the people around you. It’s one of the things I like most about you. And I didn’t mean what I said about you. I think I just got freaked out being in your room and realizing if this doesn’t work out…” My voice trails off. “I don’t want it to end.”
“I get it. I don’t want it to end either.”
All around us, the guys are heading onto the bus and the managers are loading up the equipment.
“Can we hang out later?” I ask.
“Definitely. I want to take you somewhere. Dress warm. I’ll come by to pick you up as soon as we get back.”
“Okay,” I say with a smile.
“I’ve heard about this place.”
Adam pulls into the drive-in movie theater. It sits on top of Mount Loken. I’m giddy with excitement. We haven’t been on a real date since the night I babbled through dinner. And this is official playbook date material.
“You have?” He looks guilty. Probably because it’s a known fact this is Adam Scott’s favorite date location.
Someone once told me there’s an Adam Scott special on the menu—two drinks, one large popcorn, and a bag of candy.
I’m pretty sure they were making that up, but it’s also not entirely out of the question considering how many girls he’s brought up here.
“Yes. It isn’t exactly a secret you bring all your girlfriends here.”
“Okay, yes, that’s true. But it’s because it’s my favorite place. Wanna see why?”
“Oh, I know why.” I glance to the back hatch of his Jeep.
He laughs a deep-throated chuckle that makes my stomach flip.
“You think I bring chicks up here to get laid?” he asks as we get out of the vehicle.
“Yeah. That’s the whole point of drive-in movie theaters, right?” I don’t actually know since I’ve never been to one, but I always assumed.
“I’m not saying I’ve never felt a girl up in public or slid my hand up her skirt,” he says as his hand slips under the hem of my dress.
I’m wearing leggings, but his fingers trail all the way up to my ass, and then he palms one cheek.
“But no, I’m not banging my dates at the drive-in.
” He looks at me like I’m a crazy person for even thinking it.
And now I really want to have sex in the back of his Jeep to see why it’s such a bad idea.
“Okay, well then, why?”
He leads me past the concession stand. It’s dusk, and the temperature is much cooler up here. It feels like winter instead of the warm February weather in Valley.
I’m forced to walk behind him as he heads down a narrow path. I’m looking at the ground, watching my step when he stops, and I finally glance up.
“Oh, wow,” I say. All of Valley opens up below us. Dots of light litter the dusk sky.
He holds my hand as we stare down. Everything looks so small. Something about being on top of the mountain reminds me of how insignificant we are. We’re just two people in a world of billions. It’s reassuring and scary all at the same time.
“This is amazing.” I pull my gaze from the view and drape my arms around his neck. “You’re good at being a boyfriend. And this is a good date. I’m glad you brought me.”
“Yeah, maybe,” he says. “I feel like an ass now that you mentioned I bring all my dates here. It’s a cool spot. Everyone should see it. Especially you.”
“You’re always thinking about other people. Do you like coming here because you enjoy seeing it so often or because you think your date will like it?”
He hesitates. “I’m not sure. Both, maybe.”
“Do you come here alone?”
“No.”
“Hmm.”
“What?” he asks.
“What’s your idea of a perfect date? Something you would want to do.”
“I don’t really care. I like being with you, any old where.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“I don’t know. Me, you, the rest doesn’t matter.”
“Well, come on then. I want the full Adam Scott drive-in experience with the Reagan twist.”
“Do I even want to ask?”
“I’ll give you a hint, stud,” I say as I cup him through his jeans.