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Bryce speaks first. “It goes without saying that I want the name of that douchebag dad from when you were in college so that I can cyberstalk him and make his life miserable.”
Shayna and I laugh and it goes a long way toward lightening the mood.
“How are you feeling about things now that some time has passed?” Shayna asks.
“Good question. I don’t know really. He hasn’t tried to contact me, so I guess that’s my answer. He wasn’t ready for anything serious either, so there’s nothing for me to even consider. I don’t know if I could take that leap of faith if he asked me, but he’s not asking.” I shrug with a nonchalance I don’t feel. “What I know is that we couldn’t go on pretending it was just a casual fling anymore.”
“It’s a shit or get off the pot moment, and Brady is constipated,” Bryce says.
Shayna playfully smacks her arm. “Stop!”
“What? It’s true.” She shrugs and brings her drink to her lips.
“How is he?” I ask Shayna, looking at her from under my eyebrows.
She frowns. “Miserable. Not focused. A bear to be around.”
If I thought knowing that he’s suffering too would bring me any sort of pleasure, it doesn’t. I nod slowly.
“If you’re both miserable, maybe you should have another conversation and see what will come of it?” Shayna tilts her head and gives me a hopeful expression.
“It may not matter what I want anyway.” I lift my martini glass to my lips and take a healthy sip.
“What do you mean?” Bryce asks.
“The agency received another job offer for me. They’ve asked if I’d be willing to relocate to Florida. They have an agency on the East Coast.” I can’t manage to inject any enthusiasm into my voice.
“Florida?” Shayna says in a panicked voice.
I nod. “They have a player on the Florida Fury hockey team who needs someone. I don’t know exactly who—they don’t tell you that until you have the job—but I guess my work with Theo and the glowing recommendation Hannah gave after I left helped get me the offer.”
“Are you going to take it?” Shayna lifts her wine spritzer to her mouth and gulps down a bunch.
I shrug. “I really don’t know. Part of me thinks it would be good to get away from here for a while. Clear my head, be in an environment that doesn’t remind me so much of Brady. I mean, I pass that damn stadium every day. The billboards with his damn cocky smirk. Not to mention the jerseys. Seriously, how many men and boys and women wear his number with his name on it? I can’t go five feet on a game day without seeing one.”
Both women cringe.
“I’m not sure what I’m going to do, but I’m considering it,” I say.
Bryce’s shoulders sink. “When do you have to decide?”
“I have a week to figure it out, then they need to move on to someone else.”
“Damn,” Bryce says.
“Pretty much.” I give them a sarcastic smile.
“I still think you should talk to him again,” Shayna says. “He’s clearly not happy without you.”
“Well, he’s not miserable enough to reach out to me. And anyway, I don’t think he’s ready for a serious relationship and all that would mean when it comes to Theo. I’m not ready to take the risk of being his guinea pig since he’s never had a serious relationship since having Theo. It is what it is.” Bryce opens her mouth to say something, but I raise my hand. “Can we change the topic? I know you guys mean well, but if this is my last night out with you ladies for a while, I’d really rather hear all about the amazing things going on in your lives.”
They both look disappointed and like they want to say more, but Shayna nods and tells me that she and Lee are starting to talk about when they should have the wedding. Then Bryce tells us all about the horrible date she went on the night before. After a while, I almost push all thoughts of Brady and Theo to the back of my mind.
Well… almost, but not quite.
Thirty-two
Brady
