She’s right, I know she would never do that. I don’t even know why I’m accusing her.
She shakes her head, her loose dark hair falling forward over her face and blows out a breath. “This isn’t me. I didn’t do this, and rational Savannah-llama knows that. So I’m going to just go ahead and pretend you didn’t just accuse me of stabbing you in the back, right to your face.”
“Quite the contortionist.”
“I don’t know who Tabitha is, Vannah. And after this, she’s made so many people so very fucking mad that I don’t know how she’ll recover from it. My brothers are out for blood.” She waves her phone at me. “They’re pissed. No one messes with their dumb hockey fam.”
Knowing the team has Justin’s back and isn’t believing the lies Tabitha wrote in her article warms my chest. Would Molly have done this? Would she have been so pissed at Justin for breaking her heart, and me for going out with him that she’d trash him online? Or send it to Tabitha to trash him? Does she even know he writes smut?
“I’m sorry. I know it wasn’t you. I do.”
“I know you do. You’re just reacting, and that’s okay. You’re going through a lot right now. Though I need you to know that no matter how hard you push, I’m staying right here.”
I swallow down the lump in my throat. “You live here, Hen.”
She rolls her eyes, and I can almost see her straining the muscles in her face. “You can deflect all you want, baby girl, but I mean it. I’m not going anywhere.”
Her reassurance that she’s with me hits hard. I know my parents said they’ll be there when I’m ready to talk to them again but a piece of me is scared they’ll give up waiting and just let me go. My stomach fills with lead. I don’t want my stubbornness to lose me my family, but at the same time I really do need some space to figure things out. Where’s the balance?
Hen whistles through her teeth. “I don’t know who Tabitha is, but someone definitely did her dirty at some point. This reads like a seething girlfriend.”
“That’s why I thought it could be Molly.”
I grab my phone and drop Molly a text, just to be sure.
Savvyanna: I don’t mean to be all accusatory, but is there any chance at all you told our local sports reporter about your history with Justin?
Molly: I was just texting you. I saw Tabitha’s article. You know I like to keep my pulse on the happenings in other teams and go a little further with my investigative journalism than the rest.
Molly: But no. This wasn’t me. Though I can see why you’d think it was.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask her if she knows who Tabitha is when my phone chimes again.
Molly: And no. I don’t know who the real Tabitha is.
Savvyanna: Thanks, Mol. And I’m sorry for accusing you, things are just a bit… tense here at the minute.
Molly: It’s all good, I get it. I heard you and Justin are together though. Does he make you happy?
My chest expands.
Savvyanna: He does. And I know you don’t want to hear it, but he isn’t who you think he is.
Molly: Let’s get together when you’re both in town. The four of us, a double date. We can clear the air between us, and he can tell his side of the story.
I like that idea a lot and tell her as much. I really hope the four of us can be friends, even if her boyfriend beat up my boyfriend a few years ago, over her. Oof. Okay, maybe friends might be a stretch.
“I could be wrong, but I don’t think this is Molly.” Athena takes a drink from her wine glass, but I’m pretty sure there’s something stronger swirling around in there. “I don’t even think this person has a grudge against Justin. She just feels…angry. It has to have been someone at the restaurant. I can’t even remember who we saw that night.”
Nodding, I agree. It’s not Molly. “I need to go to him, though, tell him this wasn’t me. That I didn’t spill his secret.”
Tapping her chin with her phone, she nods. “Agreed. Get out ahead of it instead of hiding out here and waiting for him to come to you. Meanwhile I’ll set the record straight with Tabitha.” She’s already pounding the screen with her thumbs. I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of whatever scathing email she’s penning right now.
I grab my purse and head for the door.
“Wait!”
Spinning to face her, I sigh. “What?”
