Page 79 of Out of Bounds

“Then there is no one who knows her better.”

* * *

"Finish what you got,” Link said, tapping his all but empty pint glass against Felicity’s mostly full martini.

“That’s the worst drinking game ever,” Saxony snarked from the other side of him. “I really would have thought y’all on Somerset Island were classier than that.”

“High school kids in small towns are the same everywhere,” he pointed out, gulping down his last sip of beer and flagging down Devlin for another one.

“I’m not trying to get drunk, just numb the pain,” she told him, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. She, Link, Saxony, and Heather were lined up along the bar, each with a drink in front of them.

“Cheese fries and artichoke dip will be out in a minute,” Devlin told her, pouring Link another beer. “I held off on putting in the wings for now, figuring you might want to space it out, so just let me know when you’re ready. And don’t forget the pie.”

“Nobody forgets about pie…” Saxony muttered.

“You know,” Felicity said, turning to Heather on her other side. “When I created the ‘Achy, breaky heart combo,’ I didn’t exactly think that the first time we busted it out that it would be my heart that was achy and breaky."

“If it makes you feel better, you’re not the very first. We had a Nashville Fury cheerleader in here opening weekend who had just been dumped,” Heather told her.

Felicity nodded, surprised by the fact that she did actually feel better after hearing that. She hadn’t thought there was much that could brighten her spirits right about now, but apparently a professional cheerleader getting dumped was just the ticket.

"That’s still only martini number one. I think you need to be on at least number three before achy and breaky start to fade,” Saxony commented.

“Well then, bottoms up,” she said, raising her glass and taking a big gulp. The cool liquid sent a rush through her but did little to actually change the way she was feeling. Even surrounded by those she was closest to, those she knew wouldn’t judge her for any of this, she still felt raw and hollow.

It was moments like this that she wished her mother was still alive the most. There was no doubt in Felicity’s mind that ShariLou Sutherland would know exactly what to do in this situation. She would have the perfect answer all ready to go, tied up in a pretty little bow. It may have even included a cookie. Of course, if her mother were still here, this problem wouldn’t have even existed in the first place.

She glanced down at her phone, touching the screen to bring it to life, seeing once again there were still no new messages. Dalton had called her earlier, but she let him roll into voicemail, not interested in whatever it was he had to say. The person she wanted to hear from was Gunnar. A part of her loved that he respected her space and the fact that she had told him not to call her, but another part of her hated it. It was because he respected her wishes, right? The doubt was starting to creep into her mind that maybe it wasn’t—that maybe he was relieved that he no longer had to put up with her.

“You’re my chosen one, got that?” Those words played over and over in her mind, making her heart ache even more with every new loop around them. It was the greatest thing anyone had ever told her but was now doomed to forever remain in the past.

“So what’s the plan?” Heather asked, cutting into the broken record of her thoughts.

“Cheese fries, artichoke dip…”

“I meant after tonight.”

“I’ll get up tomorrow and go to work just like I always have. Season opener is on Sunday, home opener next weekend. The auction is in six weeks. I have a lot to do.”

“So, just like that, right back to work? Like nothing has changed?” Sax asked, grabbing a fry off the plates Devlin was setting in front of them.

“The only change is that now Tripp is owner and CEO. I still have a job to do.”

“Well, you do now have thirty percent of your father’s personal assets, on top of that already massive trust fund from your mother. So, since you’re, like, basically one of the richest people in the city, you don’t have to work,” Link pointed out.

“It’s not about the money. None of this was ever about the money. It was about proving that I had it in me. We always knew Tripp would get Southland. I guess I thought I would get a portion, but my father was an ass and gave it all to ‘the heir.’ As much as it hurts, it’s not a shock that my father did what he did. Besides, what would I do if I quit my job? Run away and join the circus?”

“Oh, what’s the island up in the Pacific Northwest we always talked about visiting? Westmount Island? You could go there! Or go visit those strippers in Vegas that we keep seeing the videos for on Facebook,” Saxony said.

“But if you aren’t at Southland, you and Gunnar could be together, right? Isn’t that what you want?” Link asked.

The mention of Gunnar’s name sent a pang through her. Fuck, she missed him.

“It’s not that simple. I mean, yes, then we wouldn’t have the whole work conflict of interest thing going on, but he has Talia to worry about. She was really, really hurt, and he needs to focus on being a dad. Being the dad that she needs. One who is going to help her and support her. The kind of dad I never had. I can’t be the reason he’s not there for her.” Felicity sighed. Her heart was heavy from all the pain she’d caused these last few weeks. She’d hurt someone who she had thought was becoming a friend, and she’d stood in the way of a father/daughter relationship, the same way her own stepmother had. She hated herself for it, and she hoped that one day she’d forgive herself for it. “I just hope word about the Director of Team Services sleeping with the head coach didn’t make the rounds too fast and I can still show my face. I can probably never set foot in Archer’s Green again.”

“People are still too busy gossiping about the mess that Bradley Hawthorne got himself into and that GeorgiaGrace is now in Vermont making cupcakes. I don’t think you and Gunnar even rank,” Heather said. “Also, Talia is twenty-two. She’s not a little girl who needs protecting. I’m not saying that she doesn’t have the right to be hurt by finding out the way she did, but you being in a relationship with her long-lost biological father is not a capital offense.”

“And speaking for the men folk,” Link chimed in, “Gunnar can handle you both. We might be mostly singularly focused creatures, but men have been balancing significant others and children for decades now.”