Teagan
She found Cam outside Coach Hayden’s office. He looked up, gave her a half smile.
“Cam… I’m sorry I thought it was you.”
“I’m sorry you did, too.”
Yeah. Not her best move. She’d known in her gut that it couldn’t have been him, but with everything so topsy-turvy, she’d screwed up. Big time. “Are we okay?”
He looked at her like she’d just asked another question she should’ve known the answer to.
“I don’t know? Are we?”
At this point? She had no idea.
She waited a few minutes before going into the Great Room where the rest of the guys were going through the same exercise. Saying they couldn’t believe the team had doubted them. Getting an apology. Accepting it. So… not quite the same thing as her and Cam.
Suddenly, Noah launched out of the sofa and stood in front of the whiteboard holding his phone aloft. “There’s news afoot!”
Quaid dropped Perry from the piggyback he’d been giving him and joined the group.
“The rankings have come in after today’s race,” Noah announced. “We’re going to the Haverford Cup!”
Everyone went bananas. High fives. Backslaps. More piggybacks. Crabby even asked Baloo if he wanted to lift him up like a barbell, but Baloo said he’d take a rain check.
Perry tinged his pinky ring against a glass to get their attention. “Do you know what this calls for?” They didn’t. “A murder mystery! Noah, where were we? What’s the next clue?”
Noah’s face split into the hugest smile any of them had ever seen. “Seriously?”
“Yeah,” Quaid said. “Can’t leave the dowager’s murder unsolved.”
“I’ll give you a hint,” Noah said, leading the guys off to another room. “The oyster shucker isn’t the real murder weapon…”
Teagan’s phone buzzed while she was tugging on her sweatshirt. Josh, asking her to meet in the boat store. No explanation. Like Cam, he probably deserved an apology. She’d figure out whether to give him one when she got there.
“I’m guessing you didn’t text me so we could pick up on this morning’s make-out session?” She gave him a light smile.
“No.”
Shouldn’t have bothered trying to lighten the mood.
“You know you’re right about me,” he said.
He had her attention again.
“I don’t do what’s best for the team.”
“I didn’t mean for it to come out so harsh.”
“It’s true, though,” Josh said. “I’m selfish and I hurt people. Almost everyone on the team had a legitimate motive to get back at me.”
“Everybody was just shocked. They all wanted someone to blame.” Herself included. Teagan stepped closer. He looked like he needed a hug. Raising his hand, Josh stopped her.
“You shouldn’t be with me.”
“What? Because I said Cam should be in stroke?”
“No. Because I’m not a good person. You know that. From the first day you met me, you thought I was an asshole.”
“I don’t think that anymore.” She didn’t. Not at all. Conflicted? Difficult? Really, really annoying sometimes? Yes. But not an asshole. “It’s different now.”
“I’m not different,” he said.
“What are you talking about? Can you just be honest with me, Josh?”
“You want honest?” He was talking fast now, almost desperate, like if he didn’t say what he’d planned to say he might change his mind and that would only make things worse. “We’re both on the rebound. Let’s just cut our losses.”
Teagan felt like she’d been slapped. “Wow. Okay. Thanks for the honesty.” She turned and walked out, calling over her shoulder, “Good to know how you really feel.”