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“Funny.” She moved past me. “Since I can’t take another Sunday without you in New York, I wanted to bring Manhattan and a new season of my latest soap opera obsession to you.”
“Wow.” I stuffed the glass into a drawer. “I’d love that.”
“I figured.” She opened her bag on the coffee table, pulling out champagne flutes, custom pajama sets, Rainy Day wine, and aSailor MoonDVD. “I also have the latest issue ofSkate World. You have to read what the new chair of the ISU is saying about the new costume rules. She’s out of her mind.”
I moved to the couch and watched her pull out more treats.
“What’s that?” I asked, pointing to a glittery purple box.
“My memory box.” She handed it to me. “I remembered the one you made for your mom, so I decided to copy. I’m only halfway done, though.”
The images featured her standing atop the podium at all her previous competitions while Hayden sat in the front row.
Travis starred in a few. I did, too.
Her mother’s image was super-imposed next to her during her win in Sochi, and they looked utterly identical.
“You think my mom cares that I never made it to twenty-eight championships?”
“Not at all. I’m sure she’s beyond proud of you.”
“Thanks.” She smiled. “She’s probably still mad at Travis for missing out on Sochi, though.”
“If I’d known ahead of time that he was going to use his money on me instead of coming to see you there, I would’ve stopped him. I swear.”
“Well, it’s not like he ever—” She paused, tilting her head to the side. “What do you mean you would’ve stopped him from spending his money on you?”
Shit.
“We weren’t friends back then,” she said. “Outside of the mean voicemails he left for you ever so often, when would he have even talked to you?”
“I misspoke.” I shook my head. “I’m mixing it up with that new show,The Grumpy Alpha Spice Diaries. I watched a few episodes this week.”
She stared at me for several seconds, and I swallowed, selfishly hoping that her memory would falter in this moment.
“Did you sayGrumpy Alpha Spice Diaries?” she asked. “You gave it a try?”
“I did.” I let out a sigh of relief. “It’s as terrible as the other show we’re watching.”
“It’s a freakin’ masterpiece.” She laughed, dumping the last of the snacks out of her bag. “Ugh! I forgot the plastic garnishes. I’ll be right back.”
She left, and I downed an entire glass of wine, cursing myself.
That was close, Tati. Too damn close.
Fifteen minutes later, she knocked on the door again.
“I forgot to leave it unlocked!” I called out. “Hold on.”
I opened it and ushered her inside, but she stood as still as a statue. Her face was beet red, and there were tears in her eyes.
“Travis told me he missed Sochi because of a Gatorade contract,” she said. “I didn’t believe that was true then, and I know it’s not true now. What do you know that I don’t, Tati?”
“Nothing.” I swallowed, caught off guard. “I really did misspeak.”
“I don’t think you did.” She narrowed her eyes. “You and I were the worst of enemies back then, so why would Travis ever hurt me tohelp you?”
I could see the wheels spinning in her head, churning in search of the truth, so I made a last-ditch effort to derail them.
