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“Emma,” I say carefully. “Didn’t know you were in town.”
“Yeah, I’m visiting my dad for the weekend.”
The reminder of her father brings a clench of frustration, because would it kill the man to reach some sort of decision about the national team? It’s taking ages and I’m getting impatient for news.
“How wild is it that he took over Team USA?” she gushes.
There’s genuine pride in her eyes, and it succeeds in disarming me. Just slightly.
“Amazing news,” I agree, nodding. “He’s a great coach. He’s going to do well there.”
“How about you? Are you doing well?”
“Yep, you know, keeping busy as usual. I heard you got a role in a television pilot? That’s cool.”
Her eyes flash for a second. “It didn’t get picked up.”
“Oh, sorry to hear that.”
“Are you?”
I smother a sigh. Here we go.
Her tone becomes chilly. “Because I’m sure it makes you happy to hear that.”
“Okay, don’t put this on me,” I say, taking a step away. “I don’t care what you’re doing in LA. I was just being polite.”
Her cheeks redden. One thing about Emma, she doesn’t like to feel dismissed. And that’s precisely what I’m doing right now.
“I have to go. My mom’s waiting for me.”
I’ve barely taken two steps when her voice bites at my back. “You know, you’re a real bitch.”
I turn, baring my teeth in a cheerless smile. “Oh, I am, am I?”
“You don’t need to talk to me like I’m a piece of gum under your shoe. We were best friends, Gigi.”
I stalk over to her. “Yes, Emma. We were best friends.”
“We were supposed to have each other’s backs,” she spits out, eyes glittering. “And you just let your brother humiliate me.”
I stare at her in disbelief. “Seriously? Tell me, how did he humiliate you? Did he dump you in front of everyone at a party? Did he tell you he loved you and then bang somebody else? Like how? Because if memory serves me, he was considerate enough to sit you down in person and tell you he wasn’t interested in a commitment. You’re the one who couldn’t handle it and decided to try to destroy my entire family.”
“Okay, now you’re being melodramatic. I didn’t destroy shit.”
“Really. So you were doing me a solid when you got naked and crawled into my dad’s bed?”
She has the decency to look embarrassed. “Look, I apologized for that.”
“Actually, you didn’t,” I say with an incredulous laugh.
“Yes, I did,” she insists.
“No, Emma, you didn’t, and no amount of rewriting history will change that. You didn’t apologize for anything. You went batshit on us. Shared personal messages, things that I told you in confidence, with everyone at school. Trashed me on social media. And now you’re standing here telling me I’m somehow to blame for it? Not once did you show any remorse.”
I’m so fucking frustrated. I force myself to draw a deep breath, suddenly realizing I don’t want to do this. I don’t owe her this conversation. I owe her nothing. Ryder’s voice fills my head, reminding me I’m allowed to feel what I feel, even if it’s hatred.
And the truth is, I don’t want to make amends with Emma because some things just aren’t mendable. She clearly hasn’t matured at all in three years. Still trying to brush her own actions aside and make me feel crazy for being pissed at her.
“We’re not friends, Emma.” I let out a drained breath. “So, please, just leave me the hell alone. You do you and I’ll do me. And let’s keep our friendship where it belongs: in the past.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
GIGI
Hat trick
IT’S WEIRD BEING OUT IN THE OPEN WITH RYDER, ESPECIALLY IN the arena. Sometimes we show up together if our training aligns. We hold hands, and I don’t miss the looks from his teammates or mine. Cami thinks it’s fantastic. Whitney’s always asking me what we talk about, refusing to view Ryder as anything other than the silent bad boy from the beginning of the year.
Then there’s Case, who’s not quite giving us the silent treatment, but not gung-ho to start a conversation either. If I see him, he nods. Says hello, how ya doing. Other than that, he’s shut me out. I haven’t seen his name on my phone since December. Not that I want him to be texting and calling constantly, but I was hoping maybe one day we could be friends.
And while his friendship with Ryder was short-lived, at least they’re still performing on the ice.
We’re definitely going to win our conference and make it to the championship. The Briar men probably won’t win the conference, but they’re in good shape get a bid for the tournament.
It’s February and blisteringly cold outside when we leave the Graham Center gloved hand in gloved hand. I’m griping because despite what Al Dustin said, there’s still no word from Brad Fairlee.
