"Terrified. Angry. Guilty for feeling angry." Mac stepped onto the ice. "I told her I thought it was a bad idea. That I was worried. She said she understands but needs to do it anyway."
"Did you tell her not to go?"
"Kind of... She said she still needed to." Mac skated slowly. "And she's right, you know? She's an adult. She gets to make her own choices. I can't tell her what to do."
"But you wish she'd chosen differently."
"Yeah." Mac's voice was hollow. "I wish my feelings were enough to make her reconsider. And that makes me feel like shit because I know that's not fair."
Cole skated over. "Mac, be honest with me. Are you worried Brad's going to hurt Rachel? Or are you worried she still has feelings for him?"
Mac stopped. "Both. I'm worried Brad's going to manipulate her again. That Derek orchestrated this whole thing to destroy what we have. But yeah, I'm also scared she's going to see him and realize I'm not enough."
"That's honest."
"Brad was her first serious relationship. They were engaged." Mac's voice cracked. "What if seeing him again makes her realize she never got over him?"
"Then she wasn't ready for you," Cole said gently. "But Mac, I don't think that's what's happening. Rachel's not meeting Bradbecause she still loves him. She's meeting him because she needs answers. There's a difference."
"What if getting those answers means wanting him back?"
Cole didn't have an answer for that.
They skated in silence for a while, both working through their anxieties.
"Did I do the right thing?" Mac asked finally. "Telling her I was scared and then leaving anyway?"
"I don't know," Cole admitted. "But you were honest about your feelings. You didn't try to control her. That's something."
"Doesn't feel like enough."
"It never does."
Jamie arrived an hour later, looking troubled.
"Why is everyone at the rink on our day off?" Jamie asked, dropping his bag.
"Cole's stressed about Ellie. I'm stressed about Rachel meeting her ex." Mac skated over. "What's your excuse?"
"Leah texted me this morning. She's coming to visit next month." Jamie pulled out his skates. "Sophie saw the text at the café and got weird about it."
"Weird how?"
"Short answers. Snippy. Then she left without even bringing me my coffee." Jamie laced up aggressively. "I don't get it. Sophie's made it clear she's not interested. But every time I mention Leah, she acts upset."
Mac and Cole exchanged a knowing look.
"What?" Jamie asked.
"Nothing," Mac said. "... maybe you should talk to Sophie. Actually talk. Not assume."
"And risk making things awkward? No thanks." Jamie started skating. "I'm with Leah. Sophie will get over whatever this is. Everything will be fine."
Mac and Cole watched him go.
"Everything will not be fine," Cole said.
"Nope," Mac agreed. "That's going to explode."
