“Yeah,” I say, climbing up to meet her glare. “I know. I was there. I watched you crash, I watched you get hurt, and I was the one that got blamed.”
Her eyes blaze into mine, but she doesn’t say a word.
“So let’s not do that again,” I press. “Let’s get you checked out so none of us have to watch you fall apart. Sounds good?”
Her laugh is bitter. “Sorry my falling apart was such a pain for you, Sterling.”
I growl in frustration. “It wasn’t just me, Maisy. Your family, your friends—we all watched you shut us out after that accident.”
“I’m not having this conversation,” she snaps, spinning away from me.
“Will you ever?” My voice follows her as she comes to a stop, back still facing me. “It’s been three years and you still won’t have a real conversation about what happened.”
“I told you, I felt like our relationship was distracting me from my career.”
“Oh, you and I both know that’s a load of bullshit.”
She whirls back, eyes cold as ice. “Fine. You want the truth? You were the perfect fuckbuddy, but a terrible boyfriend. I was so focused on being the perfect girlfriend that I stopped paying attention to my training. I broke up with you because if I’d been single—if I’d been focused on skiing—I wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”
The words make my chest ache.
“Maisy—”
“I broke up with you because—” Her voice cracks, her words cutting off as she stares at me with tears in her eyes.
She doesn’t have to finish because I already know what she’s going to say.
“You broke up with me because you didn’t love me anymore,” I whisper. “That’s what you were going to say, wasn’t it?”
She doesn’t answer, but her silence is confirmation enough.
My chest aches as I take a few steps back, needing distance from the truth now burning between us. I reach for my walkie talkie.
“Ski patrol, come in. It’s Sterling. I need medical transport.”
“Copy that, Sterling. Snowmobile’s on their way. Where are you?”
“West side, just where the trees start.”
“Got it. Hang tight.”
I clip the walkie back, avoiding her eyes as I crouch to strap into my board.
“What, you’re just going to leave me here to wait for them alone?” Her voice sounds like she’s seconds away from crumbling.
“No.” I keep my gaze on the slope below. “I’m going to wait until they get you. Then I’m heading into town. Don’t wait up.”
“Don’t wait up? What—are you planning to stay somewhere else tonight?” she asks, voice shaky.
I close my eyes. “No, Mais. I’ll be back. I just need some…space.”
The snowmobile arrives minutes later, and I stand aside while they help her on. As promised, I push off, carving down the mountain alone.
Away from Maisy. And away from the truth.
FOURTEEN
STERLING
