Chapter 3 Tate
three
Tate
So you dated Cam Bowman?” I toss a fry in my mouth as Maia slides into the booth next to Ember, setting another basket of fries onto the table.
“For basically all of high school.” Maia’s smile falters. “We, uh, broke up on prom night… well, I guess he broke up with me.”
“What an ass,” I respond, then look toward Ember, “no offense.”
“Oh, none taken. Total dick move. He’s heard it from me plenty of times.” Ember wraps her arm around Maia’s shoulder.
“So, what happened?”
“She doesn’t know,” Brinley says. “Totally out of the blue.”
“Totally a dick move. I’m surprised you still talk to your brother after that.” I continue. “I don’t know if I’d speak to him again if he hurt my best friend like that.”
“Trust me, I didn’t want to, but I also felt like there was more to the story. I don’t know. Cam hasn’t been the same since.”
“Maybe he realized it was the biggest mistake of his life and knew there was no going back.” I grab another fry. “And you have no idea why he did what he did?”
“Nope.” Maia pops the p, but there’s a look in her eye that makes me think she knows exactly why Cam ended things that night.
I can still see the pain in her eyes, like the event is still fresh, even though it’s been nearly three years.
“And remember, Cam has no idea she’s here. He thinks she’s going to a college across the country or some bullshit.” Brinley leans forward, and I can’t help but laugh at how invested she is in the situation.
You’d think she’s known Maia for years. I guess, in some way, she has. I have, too, since Cam’s played hockey with Declan and Fletcher for as long as I can remember. Our paths must have crossed at some point, but not to the point where I would’ve been able to tell you who she was.
“So that’s why we didn’t meet each other sooner,” I reply. “Because of Cam?”
“Yup. Don’t expect to see me at any event involving the hockey players. Or any event where I could possibly run into Cam. I’ve avoided him since that night at prom, and I plan to keep it that way.”
“Got it. So, whenever I’m around them, I’ve never heard of you.”
“Exactly. Don’t go tell your boyfriend that I’m here. If I learned anything from Cam when we dated, it’s that Fletcher has a big mouth.”
“I’m not dating Fletcher.” I stifle a nervous laugh. “What is with everyone thinking we’re together?”
“Seriously?” Maia’s eyes widen. “You’re not together. I could’ve sworn you were together back when we were all in high school. I’ve never seen friends that… comfortable with each other.”
“He’s family, basically. His parents practically raised me while mine were off, making a real difference in the world.”
My mom is the best criminal attorney in Illinois, and my dad is a world-renowned trauma surgeon.
It’s actually how he met my mom. When my older sister was eight, she was with her dad and his girlfriend, and they weren’t paying attention to her.
She loved climbing trees and climbed to the top of an old, rotting tree.
The branch she was sitting on broke, and she fell fifteen feet, hitting her head on a root sticking up from the ground.
My dad saved my sister’s life, and my mom met the love of her life.
My dad really wanted to have a kid, and even though my mom didn’t want to have another one since they were both so busy… she gave in, and they had me.
It didn’t take long for their work lives to get a bit too hectic, and suddenly, I was being raised by nannies. Until we moved next door to Fletcher.
My whole life changed when I met the Reeds.
It changed for the better.
I don’t know who I’d be without them.
“I don’t know many people who’ve made out with a family member,” Brinley says, and Ember’s jaw drops.
“Brinley!”
“What? It’s not like you’re actually related, but you’re sitting here telling us you and Fletcher are like family, but you made out in high school.”
“We kissed. Once. And we were drunk. It meant nothing,” I argue.
“That’s what you say, but no one believes you.” Brinley crosses her arms. “It’s only a matter of time before one of you gives in to the sexual tension. You’ve dated, what, one guy since that kiss, Tate? That says a lot.”
“I think all it says is that guys are trash.”
“I don’t know, you seem pretty defensive for someone who says the kiss meant nothing.” Maia scoots out of the booth, grabbing our empty plates.
“I will go tell Cam right now that you’re going to school with us, Maia. Do not push me.” My eyes narrow at her, and she grins.
We haven’t known each other for long, but she knows me well enough already to know I’m not actually going to go do that.
“Can we change the topic?” I stretch out my arms and look toward Ember. “Like if we’re talking about sexual tension, Ember and Declan seemed to have a lot of it tonight. You guys are totally gonna jump each other’s bones soon.”
“I’ve been saying that since the first time I saw them together.” Maia continues collecting dishes. “He came here with these two,” she points at Ember and Brinley, “and there was so much tension, I thought they were gonna jump each other’s bones right then.”
“Okay, first of all, that’s gross and unsanitary. Second of all… get back to work.” Ember stretches her legs across the booth so Maia couldn’t even sit back down if she wanted to.
“I am working.” She blows Ember a kiss as she grabs the last glass and finds her way through the double doors.
“He totally likes you,” I add, hoping this will get the whole third-degree thing off me.
“I don’t date,” Ember argues. “Especially not hockey players.”
“Oh, you so want him.” Brinley rolls her eyes. “And he wants you. It’s obvious. I’m his sister; I know when he finds a girl attractive, and he finds you attractive. When you’re around, it’s like you’re the only person in the room.”
I point at Brinley, “She’s right. He seemed to care more about your presence tonight than Jeremy being hurt.”
“That’s not true!” Ember hits the table. “I think we should actually talk about the guy Brinley’s talking to. She brings it up out of the blue and then just doesn’t talk about it.”
It’s almost like Maia has some sixth sense because, in seconds, she’s pushing Ember’s legs out of the way and sitting back down.
“Wait, I need to hear all about this.” Maia leans against the table.
“Is your boss okay with you taking all these breaks?” I raise an eyebrow.
“I practically run the place, so it’s fine.” Her attention turns to Brinley. “So, this guy.”
“We have a class together.” Brinley’s cheeks turn rosy as she tries to hide her smile. “And I don’t know. It’s nice to feel like a guy actually wants to spend time with you, you know?”
Brinley brushes a strand of hair out of her face.
“With Jax, I always wondered if he actually wanted to be spending time with me or if he just didn’t want me crying to my brother that he never wanted to hang out. But this guy doesn’t know my brother. Or any of the other guys. He talks to me because he wants to. It’s nice.”
“Where does this leave Jax?” Ember’s eyes soften. We all know Jax can be a sore topic.
“I don’t know.” Brinley shrugs. “Jax is the first guy I’ve ever loved. I don’t know if that just goes away overnight. All I know is, I really like talking to this guy in my class.”
“Good.” I nudge her with my shoulder. “You deserve to be happy, Brinley. You deserve to put yourself first.”
“Thanks.” Brinley turns to me, the nervousness in her eyes disappearing, being replaced with determination. “Now stop changing the subject. When are you gonna jump in the sack with Fletcher?”
I groan, my head falling against the back of the booth.
“You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about it!” she insists.
And she’s not wrong.
I’ve thought about it.
More than once.
The only problem is that he hasn’t.
And he never will.