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“Yeah. While you were off doing pictures with the groom and your teammates.” He released my hand and raked his fingers through his hair. “She came up and…” He gestured dismissively. “It doesn’t matter. Point is, she thought I was a waiter, and I just…” He met my gaze again. “Look at me, Tanner. Your entire team is either dating or married to models. I’m the guy people mistake for thehelp.” Shaking his head, he whispered, “We both know you can do better than me.”
Anger surged through me as hot as it did when I was about to throw gloves on the ice. It wasn’t directed at Isaiah, though. Not in the least. I was fuckinglividwith all the people who’d chipped away at his self-esteem and self-image over time until he actually believed—genuinely fuckingbelieved—that he of all people wasn’t good enough for anyone.
What the fuck is wrong with you people?
“Jesus. I’m sorry. I don’t… I will never understand people.” I touched his face. “Look, I genuinely don’t care what someone else has decided I deserve or who’s in my league. I don’t give a fuck.” I brushed a tear off his cheek with my thumb. “What I want isyou,Isaiah. Full stop. And yeah, I’m younger than you. I’ve never done this with anyone, so I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. I’ll probably fuck it up at some point, assuming I haven’t already. But ever since we started this, I’ve been trying like hell every day to be someone who’s worthy of being with you. And I don’t know if I’m pulling it off or not. I just know I don’t want to lose you.”
The disbelief in his eyes hurt like hell. Not because I thought he didn’t believe what I was saying. No, it hurt to realize the people who should’ve loved him had convinced him he was unworthy of… hell, ofanything. Did these people evenknowhim? Because I did, and it was still hard for me to get my head around the fact that we were together.
My voice almost broke as I whispered, “They don’t think you’re worthy of me. I think I’m the luckiest man on the planet.”
Again, the disbelief.
Again, the ache in my chest.
Who the fuck looks at someone like this and decides to make him feel like that?
I mentally scrambled for some way to break through the wall everyone in his life had cruelly erected. Finally, I said, “You remember what I told you about Buckley? How I can always tell when he’s texting with Emily?”
Chewing his lip, Isaiah nodded.
“Okay, well… What I didn’t tell you was that all my teammates tease me constantly because I do the exact same thing whenever I’m texting with you.”
“You…” He straightened a little. “Really?”
“Yes. They’ve…” I thought fast. Then I took out my phone. “Hang on.” I pulled up the Yellow Jackets group chat and scrolled frantically, praying the resort’s WiFi didn’t fail me now. Finally, I found the image I was looking for, and I held out my phone to him. “Bens took that on the flight home after we were eliminated.”
Isaiah glanced uncertainly at me. Then he took the phone, and as soon as he looked at the screen, his breath hitched.
“Keep reading,” I said.
He hesitated, but then started slowly scrolling, his eyebrows climbing as he took in the conversation.
Blood pounded in my ears. I knew the conversation by heart, and I just hoped that if he wouldn’t believe me, he might believe them.
Nilsson:OMG Tans. Does he know you’re such a dork for him?
Adamo:Your inviting us to the wedding, right?
Davis:Dibs on best man
Adamo:bro stfu goalies get to be best man. not wingers.
Bens:nah I got dibs. I was his wingman.
Me:You were not.
Bens:Who told you to finally meet him? Hmm? HMM? Yeah that’s what I thought.
Adamo:wait is this that guy you were chatting with since forever? Ok that explains a lot.
Me:WTF does that mean?
Davis:act like you weren’t on another planet whenever you were chatting with him.
Adamo:ok but this shit’s new. Tans getting all googly eyed is weird. Knock it off bruh.
Me:Why? Jealous?
