My eyes catch Chloe’s across the room. This is it. I step out of the box and make my way over to her.
“Chloe.”
She doesn’t look at me. “I’m busy.”
I lean in close enough that only she can hear. “Dance with me.”
“No.”
I reach for her, my fingers brushing her waist, begging her to look at me. To understand. “Please.”
She finally looks at me. Her eyes are red-rimmed, mascara smudged. Beautiful and breaking.
“Come dance.” It’s practically a whisper.
“Brody—”
But I’m already pulling her toward the dance floor. I feel her pulse jumping under my thumb. She could resist. Could pull away. Could make a scene right here.
But she doesn’t.
She follows me to the dance floor.
We reach the center, and I pull her into my arms. Chloe melts into me, hiding her head in my chest.
“You need to do this,” I say quietly, my mouth near her ear.
“Stop.” Her voice is tight. “Just stop.”
“Chloe—”
“Why?” She pulls back to look at me. “Why are you pushing this so hard? If you love me like you said you do, why do you want to break up so badly?”
Because I love you. Because I’m trying to protect you. Because the NHL will sue you into oblivion if we don’t, and I won’t let that happen to you.
But I can’t tell her that.
“It’s complicated.”
“Complicated.” She laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “That’s your answer?”
“You know why—” I lower my voice, glancing at the nearby couples.
“Forget about that!” Her voice rises before she catches herself. “I don’t care about any of that. I care about you. About us. Why can’t that be enough?”
“It’s not that simple?—”
“Then explain it to me!” Tears are streaming down her face now. “Make me understand why you’re doing this. Why you’re so desperate to end this.”
I can see her mind working. See the moment something clicks.
“It’s your contract, isn’t it?” Her voice gets quiet. Careful. “Your NHL contract. That’s what this is about. You don’t want to lose your renewal.”
“What? No—” I reach for her.
“Hey.” Maya is there, stepping between us, her voice low over the music. “Is everything okay?”
Of all the terrible timing. “We’re fine,” I say.
