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I shrug. “Like she said, I get into fights all the time.”
“It’s different, and you know it.” A pause. “And sending your photos to everyone when I know you don’t like Scarlett out there like that—” she presses her palms into her eyes. “I just keep messing up.”
That comment I made. I don’t know why I said it. I didn’t mean it. It just came out.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you about that,” I say, honestly.
“No, you were right to be upset.”
“I’m not upset. I’m just . . .” this is a revelation to me as I say it, “rude when I’m processing things.”
She looks up at me, and I’m struck by how beautiful and soft her skin is. This entire day has been me trying—failing—to process things.
“It’s not a big deal. I promise,” I tell her.
“It is,” she says. “It’s classic Eloise.”
“Classic Eloise is punching guys in the face? Should I be worried?” I don’t often crack jokes, but it feels like the right option.
She offers a pained smile. “Maybe. Better stay on my good side.”
I heard what that guy said to her, and it’s obvious he got under her skin. Does she really believe those things? That she’s just a pretty face?
“I’m not going to fire you,” I tell her. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
She looks down at our hands. “I didn’t know who you were on New Year’s Eve. I want to make sure you know that. This wasn’t some play to try and—” she looks away. “I’m not a gold digger.”
“I never thought that once.” I frown.
“Jay made it sound like I orchestrated that whole thing so I could get a job and . . .” Her voice trails off, and she sighs. “But that’s not why—” She looks away.
“It’s fine.” I shift the ice on her hand. “Are you . . . uh . . . still hung up on him?”
“Oh my gosh, no.” She laughs and sniffs at the same time. “I feel so dumb for falling for his crap in the first place. Raya always says I wear my heart on my sleeve. That I believe everyone is good, no matter what. I really need to stop doing that.”
My instinct is to stay quiet, but my instincts are wrong a lot. So, I decide to say what I’m really thinking instead.
“You could,” I say. “But it would make you a little less you.”
She stills.
“You believe in people,” I say. “That’s a good thing. It makes you who you are.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because you believe in me,” I say. “I mean, you actually believe that I could be more than a hockey player.” I bring my eyes to hers. “I’ve always been just a hockey player. But you? You make me want to find out if there’s more to me than just that.”
Her shoulders drop so slightly I almost miss it. “Really?”
“Poppy said you’d want a Dr Pepper.” Selena is back. She sets the drink down in front of Eloise, but neither of us acknowledges her, our eyes still locked like a missile on a target. I feel the waitress pause and look between us, then walk off, and I swear the heat between me and Eloise is melting this ice.
Finally, she clears her throat and pulls her hand back into her lap. “Thank you. I, uh, I think it’s better now.”
I nod, setting the bag of ice off to the side, wishing I knew how to tell her that giving that guy any more real estate in her mind is pointless.
“I am really sorry I let Jay get the better of me.” She straightens, almost like she needs to communicate that she’s moving past this. “I promise it won’t happen again.”
“Stop beating yourself up over it, because if you hadn’t punched him, I would’ve,” I say. “And he would’ve required a lot more medical attention than just a bag of ice.”
