Chapter 27
~Hudson~
I’m not sure exactly what I walked in on, but Riley sits on the bed, her legs crossed and her arms folded over her chest. Despite the defensive posture, she doesn’t really seem upset. In fact, her lips pull nearly into a smile as Hannah leaves and her eyes fix on me.
“Congratulations on your skate. You were fantastic today. The technical judge was blind. The Axel didn’t look under-rotated to me.”
It didn’t feel under-rotated either, and my coach has filed an appeal. The camera angle is inconclusive. But even with the deduction, I’m in fourth place after the short program compared to Trevor’s fifth, so I can’t complain too much.
And as much as I appreciate her encouragement, I didn’t come to talk about skating.
“Thanks, but I’m here because of what happened when I got off the ice.”
Her head cocks to the side curiously. “What do you mean? What happened?”
Keeping my tone as neutral as possible, I relay the conversation I overheard between Trevor and whoever was on the other end of the phone.
Riley’s quiet for a long moment after I finish, and all my earlier doubts come rushing back about whether I’m doing the right thing in interfering.
By the time I got back to the hotel, I convinced myself that I would tell any friend if I overheard something concerning them and it has nothing to do with me wanting a chance with Riley.
The longer she stays silent, however, the less confident I feel about that. What if she thinks I’m just trying to cause trouble?
Eventually, though, her head slowly shakes. “So, that is why he’s so determined to get me back. I really am an idiot.”
“No, you’re not,” I quickly assure her as I sit down on the edge of the bed so that I’m eye-level with her. I kind of feel like an idiot myself, though, since I have no idea what she’s talking about. “What does it mean?”
One hand comes up to her hair, her fingers twirling one of the chocolate-coloured waves around them as she speaks in a voice that sounds strangely detached.
“Trevor came to the club in California on a scholarship that covered one year of his training costs. By the time the next summer came around, he didn’t have the money to cover the next year’s costs, and he was going to have to leave.
We’d been dating for almost a year by then and I didn’t want him to go, not to mention the talent he’d be wasting.
So, I covered his costs. By which I mean, I put it on my credit card and my mom paid for it. ”
My eyebrows shoot up before I can stop them. “And she was okay with that?”
We’re not talking about a small amount of money here. My parents manage to pay my fees, but they go without a lot of stuff for themselves. People like Ryder have to work part-time jobs in addition to whatever money they can get from grants and sponsorships. Others go into debt.
Nobody ever said being a skater came cheap.
Riley, however, simply shrugs. “Technically, she didn’t know. She never asks what I’m using my card for. My relationship with my mom is complicated, but money is one thing she’s always been happy to give me.”
She rarely mentions her family, and I want to know more, but for now, I stick to the subject at hand. “So, you paid his fees last year, and this year too?”
She nods. “It’s all paid in advance at the beginning of the year.
He’s fine for this year, unless I call and demand a refund, but next year, it needs a new authorization and he’ll be in trouble.
He must figure the only way to keep the bills paid is to get me to forgive him.
And here I believed that he actually missed me. ”
Although I’m the last person in the world who wants to defend Trevor, I hate seeing her down on herself. “I’m sure he does miss you, but it sounds like the money is on his mind too. We’ve all got layers, some good and some bad.”
She offers me a pained smile. “I’m not sure about you. I’ve only seen the good stuff.”
There’s a reason for that, and sooner or later, I’ll need to let her see the ugly parts too.
But again, this isn’t the time.
“Does this change anything for you?” I ask. As much as I’m trying not to push her, I’m also desperate to know what she’s thinking.
When she shakes her head, my chest tightens. “No. Hannah and I just had a good talk, and I think I’d already made up my mind before you got here.”
Now I’m confused again. “Made up your mind about what?”
“That I’m not in love with him anymore, and that staying in a relationship out of guilt isn’t fair to either of us.”
As those words sink in, it takes all my self-control not to leap off the bed or whoop in joy. These past 24 hours of believing she was going back to him have been torture, but the relief I feel now almost makes the suffering worthwhile.
Almost.
“You’re going to break up with him, then?”
Somehow, I manage to keep the glee out of my question.
Unlike me, she doesn’t seem thrilled at the prospect.
“I’m going to have to, which sucks. I’m so bad at confrontation.
” Her teeth pull her bottom lip into her mouth, and she chews on it in agitation.
“And obviously, I’ll have to wait until after the long program tomorrow.
I can’t do that to him right before a big skate. ”
Of course she can’t. She’s way too nice to do something like that, even after he ended up in bed with Evelyn right before her big skate.
Riley’s eyes suddenly go wide. “Speaking of which: you have a big skate tomorrow too! You should go to bed.”
“Well, if you insist...”
When I move to the top of the bed and begin to pull the covers down. Riley’s laugh fills the room, and my chest swells with delight. It’s fucking fantastic to see her looking more like herself rather than the nervous, unhappy woman I saw after she spoke to Trevor last night.
No sooner does he cross my mind than a knock sounds at the door, followed by Trevor’s voice.
“Riley? Are you in there? It’s me.”
Her smile vanishes in an instant. “Shit. He’s going to freak out if he finds you in here.”
Good, I think, but outwardly, I shrug. “Why? You told him we’re friends.”
“Yes, but…” She grimaces as Trevor knocks again. “Would you mind going into the bathroom? I don’t want him to see you and get distracted by it.”
Honestly, I don’t feel like I should have to hide, but it also doesn’t seem like it’s worth arguing about. If it makes her happy, I’ll do it.
There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for her.
“Alright, but if you guys start making out, I’m out of here.”
The way her nose wrinkles at the thought brings me way too much satisfaction. “I’ll find out what he wants and get rid of him. It’ll be quick, I promise.”
With that assurance, I head into the bathroom and close the door while Riley goes to see what Trevor wants.