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“Maeve’s not—”
“Yes, she fucking is, and you of all people should not have let that happen!” I’m quickly losing my temper.
“What are you insinuating, Cole?”
“You know there’s a reason Maeve doesn’t drink, right?” I ask Liam.
He pales. “She told—”
Thankfully, Maeve finally decides to be agreeable. “It’s fine, Liam,” she tells her twin brother. “I’ll see you at home.”
She whispers something to her friend and then starts toward me. She stumbles slightly as she does, and I automatically reach out to steady her. Rather than move away, she leans into me. Liam’s gaze bounces between us.
“I thought you were in some big rush, Wes?” she adds pointedly when I don’t move.
I snort. Normally I appreciate Maeve’s spirit, but I’m not in the mood right now. “Don’t start, Stevens.”
She rolls her eyes at me and starts toward the doorway, swaying slightly.
“Jesus Christ,” I follow her, placing my hand on the small of her back to help steady her. “Where’s your jacket, Maeve? It’s freezing out.”
“Don’t have one.” Maeve smirks up at me as the material of her thin sweater slips further down her shoulder. I sigh before pulling off my suit jacket and settling it on her shoulders.
“Let’s go.”
She comes with me willingly, and no one else in the house says anything as we head out the front door and down the walkway.
“Nice parking job,” Maeve comments as we reach the curb. My car is crookedly angled against the cement divider.
“I didn’t think I’d be here for long.”
“You should have known better,” Maeve replies.
“Yeah, probably,” I admit. She’s stubborn sober.
Maeve heads toward the passenger side and fumbles with the handle. I sigh and follow her, opening it easily. She doesn’t climb right inside, though. She leans against the side of the car and stares at me.
“I’m sorry. I know I said some shit in there I shouldn’t have.”
“You’re drunk. That makes people do stupid stuff.”
“Yeah, it does,” she replies sadly, and I know we’re not just talking about her anymore. We’re talking about me, too. “I just wanted to try to forget for a while. But I didn’t. All I thought about was my dad… wondering what he was trying to forget. And you. I think about you a lot.”
“Maeve…” I start, not sure what to say. Not sure what to even think anymore.
“Do you still not believe me?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper. But I think I do know, and that’s terrifying in its own way.
Maeve nods and finally climbs in the car. It’s been my goal all along, but suddenly it’s the last thing I want her to do. I expected her to fight my words, to force me to tell her why I still think she cheated on me when everything since I saw that photo has pointed to the contrary. But she doesn’t. She just accepts my half-answer.
I guess it’s true what they say. The opposite of love isn’t hate; it’s indifference. And that’s exactly what Maeve’s blank face conveys as she pulls the door shut, leaving me standing on the street. Alone. I walk around the car and climb into the driver’s seat, shutting my own door to block out the cold chill of the night air.
We sit in silence for a moment. I feel like I need to say something else, but I don’t know what. I don’t know how much I can give her.
“I thought you were in a big rush? I’m assuming it’s to get to some party?” Maeve finally asks. Her voice is quiet and emotionless.
She’s right, that was my primary goal in dragging her out of there as quickly as possible. And if the amount of buzzing my phone has been doing is any indication, my absence has definitely been noticed. But the thought of drinking beer with my teammates, dodging questions about the blonde sitting next to me, and shrugging off eager girls has rapidly become an unappealing one.
