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I blink, shaking the past off as best I can and realizing the girls are still waiting for a response. So I fall back on the one I give any time a reporter is looking for a more personal angle.
“Hockey’s where I’m focused right now, so I don’t have much time to think about women.”
The half-truth makes me uncomfortable, as always. And even knowing I don’t owe anyone an explanation, something about being back here… Hell, it’s like there’s this itch begging me to do now what I couldn’t do then. Trust my friends with who I really am and share that while I’m not dating now, until two months ago, I was in a serious relationship with a man I thought I loved.
Thing is, I’m so used to protecting my ex’s secret that even all these months later and with everything that happened with Leo, I’m afraid that sharing my own truth might shine a spotlight on his.
At some point, I’m going to have to figure it out, but as of now, Leo’s fear of people connecting the dots between us is enough for me to keep my heart to myself.
I take a swallow of my beer and search the crowd. Cataloging names and faces, I’m painfully aware of the one I haven’t seen yet.
Gail must notice I’ve checked out and waves her hand through the space between us like she’s brushing my worries away. “Forget next season.”
Mary nods, her smile spreading. “Who knows, Trev, maybe you’ll find a happily ever after right here in your hometown.”
She juts her chin toward the front door, and I nearly choke.
Because that’s Cam Dorsey holding it open.
Holy hell, the sight of him sends a jolt of electricity through me, straining my heart and seizing my lungs. Making me ache as I take in the hard-cut cheekbones and strong, square jaw, the dark hair with that still-damp hint of unruly wave. The T-shirt molded over painfully sexy shoulders that somehow look even broader than they did when he was captain of the swim team, and a chest so built it ought to come with a hard-hat warning.
Cam looks good.
But once my brain slingshots back from taking inventory of all the ways this man has improved with age, I realize Gail isn’t pointing to Cam at all.
She’s pointing to Laura Jansen, and that pleasure-pain overload in my system shifts into something uneasy.
“Laura’s back, huh?” The petite brunette was one of the few people I kept in touch with when I left. Or rather she kept in touch with me. For a while.
“Uh-huh.” Gail’s tone has my gut tensing. “And a little birdie told me she’s excited to see you too.”
Excited? Am I?
Laura is a great person. A sweetheart. I should be pumped to see her.
But there’s a history between us. A will-they, won’t-they past I was hoping four years apart would close the book on. Unfortunately, the gleam in Gail’s eyes tells me she’s hoping for a reunion on par with Bennifer 2.0, and that is not happening.
I look back to the door where Laura’s giving Cam a big hug. Both are smiling wide.
It shouldn’t make me jealous. It’s nuts to be jealous, but seeing those two so natural and easy together when it won’t be that way with me sucks.
Especially since one of them is the reason nothing happened with the other.
“Geez, stare any harder?” Gail sings as Mary nods enthusiastically beside her. “Trust me, there’s nothing between Laura and Cam. I know you’ve been gone a while, but—”
“Gulls, man, no way!” a gruff voice bellows, catching the attention of most of the party. One of the guys from the hockey team, I think, but my focus is still riveted to the front door. To the former state champ with the hair I remember sifting my fingers through, standing inches taller than anyone in the place.
Cam’s head snaps up, his brows buckling as our eyes meet across the room. And yeah, that look is not screaming happy to see me. Figured he wouldn’t be.
I’m the asshole who knows his secret. But then he knows mine too.
Still stings.
Before I can even acknowledge him, a couple burly, inked-up arms wrap around me from behind, hoisting me off my feet. “Gulls!”
“There’s only one fucker big enough to throw me around.” I laugh past my constricted lungs.
“Just sweepin’ you off your feet, Princess.” Chase Crane guffaws, setting me back on the ground and then hauling me into another bear hug.
