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He nodded. “Of course. I’ll text Had right now.”
“Thanks.”
We had about thirty minutes of downtime before our pregame skate, but I couldn’t even look at my phone. I had a feeling there would be a text from Jolie, and I couldn’t bear to see it.
I liked her. Really liked her, more than I’d liked anyone in a long time. But I had no choice. I had to stop seeing her.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Jolie
I spentall day Saturday working on revisions for my dissertation, trying to keep distractions to a minimum. I hadn’t heard from Boone in a couple of days, and though I understood he was busy with hockey, I knew from experience there was a lot of downtime on the road. A tiny part of me wondered if I’d been too forward with him or if I’d been nothing but a convenient sex partner since I’d been so involved in helping with Joey.
That line of thinking just pissed me off, though.
Boone could sleep with anyone. From what I’d heard through the grapevine, he did sleep with anyone and everyone. He didn’t have to sleep with his coach’s daughter, especially when my father would undoubtedly be furious if he found out.
So what the hell was going on?
I itched to call and ask him, but I also didn’t want to be that girl, the one who chased a guy who didn’t want to be caught. I’d played that game in the past, and it just made me feel bad about myself.
I’d thought this thing with Boone and I was different, thathewas different, but now I wasn’t sure. Technically, I was on the rebound, so it hadn’t occurred to me that I might start to feel something for him. Something that went beyond mind-blowing sex and a mutual love for Joey. The truth was that I’d never loved Jarvis, so there really hadn’t been a mourning period or any emotional pain to get past. I’d been ready for something—someone—new.
It made no sense that he would blow me off without a word, and there was no way he was that busy. The guys had tons of time on the road, especially when they were on planes and buses.
I decided to text him before I left for my parents’ house for dinner.
JOLIE: Hey. Just wanted to say hi. I haven’t heard from you in a few days. Everything okay?
He didn’t respond, so I changed into jeans and a sweater and headed out. I’d put in eight hours editing and reworking my dissertation, so it would be good to spend the evening with Mom and Grandma G.
I picked up Grandma on the way and we chatted as I drove.
“I feel like I should move to an island in the Caribbean,” she said. “Somewhere warm and sunny and on the beach.”
“What about hurricanes?” I asked.
She shrugged. “You gotta go sometime, right? Live a wonderful, relaxed life on the beach and die happy, or stay here and freeze to death.”
I laughed. “You have a lovely, warm apartment. What’s up with this sudden need for change?”
“I’m old but not dead. And I’m in a rut. I need an adventure.”
I glanced over at her. “Then go on a cruise. I’d be sad if you moved away.”
“You were going to move to Chicago.” She pointed out.
“I don’t know that I was,” I admitted. “I know that was the plan, but somehow, deep down inside, I’m not sure I believed the wedding would ever happen. I think there was part of me waiting for him to dump me so I wouldn’t have to deal with my father. When he didn’t, I had to do something drastic.”
“It was certainly drastic.”
“I’ve been dating Michael Boone,” I blurted out.
“Well. Now it all makes sense.”
“What makes sense?” I asked, frowning.
“Your father was on a tear the other day. I was over at the house and he was talking to your mom about you and Jarvis, asking her what she thought he should do to get the two of you in the same room together.”
