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I shook my head. “The only thing I’m admitting is how big of a mistake calling you tonight was to see if you wanted to eat with me. Jesus. Will you lay off the conspiracy theories already? Please. I don’t even see how staging a breakup so she could move in with me could throw me off my game.”
He sent me a dry glance. “Got you kicked out of Saturday’s game, didn’t it?”
I opened my mouth, though I didn’t have a ready rebuttal. Thank God the door flying open saved me from having to answer, because I had no idea what to say.
“You will not believe what just happened,” Haven started, bulldozing her way inside and slamming the door behind her, fury practically steaming from her ears as she came to a mighty halt just inside the entrance like some kind of Amazon warrior in high heels, a short skirt, and small fists balled at her sides.
“Holy shit,” Cannon said in wide-eyed awe from the chair where he’d been kicked back with his legs thrown carelessly over the armrest.
As Haven jumped and whirled toward him, I asked, “What happened?”
“I…” Domineering stance dissolving, she shrank into herself and self-consciously tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Glancing between him on the chair and me stretched out on the couch, she demurely answered, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you had company.”
“No worries. It’s just Cannon,” I said, trying to ease her concerns.
Cannon shot me a glare. “Wow, thanks. I feel so important right now.” Then his attention moved to her. “So that’s what you wear out for drinks with the girls, huh?”
“Hey,” I growled, throwing a pillow from the couch at him. “Don’t be a dick.”
But Haven’s quiet voice said, “No, he’s right.” I turned my attention back to her, only to find her hugging herself and curling her shoulders in like a cold, lost child. “I thought wearing this would make me feel powerful and strong for my first night out without him, but I just look like a whore, don’t I?”
“No, you don’t—”
Except she cut me off, mumbling, “Excuse me.” Tears filled her eyes as she raced past the couch, wobbling on her heels and disappearing down the hall.
Silence filled the front room after she fled.
Slowly, I turned toward Cannon, who cringed. “Whoops.”
“Way to go, asshole,” I growled. “You still think she’s putting on an act?”
When I got to my feet to go check on her, Cannon rushed to his as well.
“I should probably head out,” he answered, motioning toward the door.
“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea,” I agreed stonily.
He shuffled his feet uneasily. “So… See you tomorrow?”
I shot him a glare. He knew I’d have to see him tomorrow, at practice if nowhere else. Not feeling like giving him any reprieve, I left him in the front room to see himself out, and I turned down the hallway.
Haven had retreated to the kitchen, not her room, which made me think it was safe to approach her. If she’d gone to her room, it would’ve sent more of a keep out, I want to be left alone vibe. But since she’d come to the kitchen… Meh, it was hard to tell.
So I paused cautiously in the doorway and leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb as I watched her hands tremble while she unscrewed a bottle of tequila and poured it into an empty glass.
Without looking up, she asked, “Where’s your friend?”
“He had to go,” I answered.
She lifted her face, looking defeated and apologetic. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to chase him off.”
“You didn’t. I wanted him gone.”
Tears glistened in her eyes as she gave a derisive sniff and lifted the glass, before pinching her nose and drinking heartily. “Great,” she rasped after finishing half the cup, more moisture pooling in her lashes. “My living here is going to cause you to lose your friends too. That’s just…lovely.”
“I’m not going to lose any friends,” I told her steadily as I watched her drain the rest of the tequila.
“Well, that makes one of us,” she muttered, trying to pour more tequila into her highball. “Because I’ve lost all mine.” Except she missed and splashed the countertop. “Shit.”
