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“Yes, that she’s an eighteen-year-old girl in love. You’d do the same thing.”
“You’re right. I wasn’t just eighteen, and I did for many years, waiting for you to come home and loving you when it was hard, Shea. You were gone more than you were home, and people loved writing about how Captain Shea Adler was sleeping with anything with tits. But I still loved you—”
“That’s beside the point, Elli. It’s about Ryan, not our marriage—which is fucking great, by the way.”
“Oh, it is. I love you more than I love myself, Shea. But my point is, do not doubt her love or the fact that this boy can be a damn fine trainer. Yes, he won’t be on the ice as a player. But he will be with the girl he loves and making kick-ass money while doing something he’s not only great at but that he also loves. I see it as a win-win.”
Another point for Elli.
“Well, I think he should turn it down. I would.”
She covers her face before yelling, “Because you had nineteen fucking teams wanting you, Shea. The situations are so damn different. And damn it, Ryan, I’m not saying you aren’t talented. You know that, right?”
They both look to me, and I’m just gawking at them, my mouth hanging open, unsure what the hell to say. “Yes, ma’am.”
“But you don’t have what he did. And I’m sorry, I’m not trying to hurt your feelings. But, baby, this is an amazing opportunity.” She glares at Shea when he scoffs. “It’s not our decision, though. It’s his.”
“You’re right. It’s his.”
They both look at me once more, and I just stand there. “Yeah, I got nothing.”
Elli’s face fills with compassion as she comes to me, cupping my face in her hands. “And that’s fine, sweetheart. You have a week to make a decision. At the end of the day, it’s what you want.”
“She’s right, Ryan. It’s your life, and you have to be happy with it.”
“Yeah,” I say slowly. “Sorry, information overload over here.”
Shea chuckles as he pulls Elli into his side, looking down at her. “Yeah, we’re kind of passionate.”
Elli’s lip quirk. “Just a bit.”
They stare at each other for so long, it becomes very uncomfortable. Clicking my tongue, I hold up my hands. “I’m gonna go.”
They both nod, yet they continue to gaze into each other’s eyes like Sofia and I do right before we rip each other’s clothes off.
That’s my cue to leave.
Even though I have no clue what the hell I’m going to do.
I didn’t expect Sofia to be at the gym after she went to drop her mom off at the airport with my mom. I was supposed to take them, but DJ called about the meeting, so my mom offered. I thought Sofia would be at her dorm, all upset, and I’d come in to comfort her, but that girl keeps on amazing me. She seriously trains all the time. It’s all she knows, but she’s already so focused on her path to getting what she wants. Meanwhile, I have no clue what the hell I am going to do.
I just want her to make it better.
When I walk into the gym, Sofia’s on the beam. She’s wearing a solid black leo, unlike her warm-up one or her team ones that are both teal and black. Her hair is up in a no-nonsense bun, and she’s focused. Amelia stands at the end of the beam, her camera up and recording as Sofia does a flight series without even the smallest of bobbles. She looks determined and a little angry, which I find totally hot.
When she runs down the beam, back handsprings off before doing a lot of twists and sticking it to the mat, I slow clap as I come toward them. She whips her head toward me, and a smile covers her sweet lips.
“That was cool.”
“Yeah, I want to compete it next week,” she says as I come up to her, kissing the side of her mouth.
“Did your mom get off okay?”
She smiles. “Yeah. She made you some food, loads of rice and beans. Told me to tell you that you should have enough for months.”
I grin. “She rocks.”
“And she made you some coconut pudding and a cheese flan.”
I moan, letting my head drop back. “She loves me, doesn’t she?”
“She does.”
I kiss her once more. “I love you more, though.”
“More than coconut pudding and cheese flan?”
“So much more, ’cause I’ll just smother you with all of that and eat it off.”
Amelia groans before doing an obnoxious gagging thing as Sofia snorts. “Mm, that sounds like fun.”
“And really messy,” I say with a wink.
“Sticky for sure,” she teases as she pulls me with her and heads to Amelia. “Come here. Watch the video.”
I go willingly, wrapping my arms around her as we watch her murder the beam. I don’t even understand how judges give her anything less than a damn ten. She’s brilliant. “Ten,” I say, and she beams up at me.
“I wobbled during that triple back.”
I wave her off. “No way. It was the camera.”
Amelia laughs at that. “Ryan wears ten goggles when you go, Sofia. And he’s like, eh, my sister is okay.”
I make a face, pulling Amelia into my side. “Whatever. I have ten goggles for both of you. My favorite gymnasts ever.”
They both like that, hugging me from each side, until Amelia looks up at me. “So, why are you stalling? Did you get the A?”
“Oh, yes! I’m so sorry,” Sofia says, smacking my chest. “I’m a dingbat. I cried the whole way home, which embarrassed me ’cause your mom was fussing over me. And then I got here, ready to burn off my emotions. I didn’t forget. I just wasn’t thinking. What happened? I’m sorry.”
I laugh as Amelia makes a face. “You didn’t need to tell him all that. Just a simple, ‘Yes, what happened?’ would have worked.”
“Shut it, Amelia,” Sofia snaps at her, but they both smile as I roll my eyes.
Leaning into the practice beam, I nod. “Yeah, I got the A. All high marks.”
They both grin with excitement as Sofia says, “That’s so wonderful. Though we all knew it would happen.”
“For sure. You’re, like, the best,” Amelia gushes with a grin. “So proud of you, bro.”
