Mara nodded against Lindsey’s shoulder.
“You deserve to be celebrated and loved on for your last season, Mara. It’s a big deal. Your retirement. Your last Olympics. Have you seen the Instagram posts? So many people are posting tributes and memories for you. I love KB. She’s fun and a great teammate, but don’t let her drag you into drama either. Don’t let her ruin this for you. Focus on your Olympics, and lock in.”
“She didn’t drag me.”
“All right.”
“I wanted these Olympics to be fun.” That comment fell between them like a lead balloon.
Lindsey laughed. And that made Mara laugh too.
Mara pulled back. “I sound so unhinged right now. I feel so unhinged.”
“You’re not known for being fun.”
“No.”
Lindsey smiled. “It’s a good thing to want, though. I’ll tell you what—let’s watch figure skating tonight. It’s the men’s free skate. That will be fun.”
“You’re sure?” Mara wanted that. “Don’t you have training?” She was calming down. All the defense mechanisms clicking back into place.
She had fucked up with Kirby. Mara had started it, but Kirby had proven why she was so good on reality TV by finishing it.
“No, it was optional. Let’s go,” Lindsey said before ushering Mara back to their room. Mara was in a daze and let herself be led.
Somehow, Lindsey magicked up grilled chicken, pasta, salad, and cannoli, and Mara ate it without thinking about the nutritional content.
“This might be the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth,” Mara said, after demolishing the cannoli.
“That sounded so dirty, but I don’t feel like I can make a joke about it,” Lindsey said.
“Why not?”
“Because you’re about to cry.”
Mara sighed. She wasn’t about to cry, but it felt like she was viewing the world through static.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Lindsey asked. “I’m all ears. I won’t tell anyone.”
“Not even Apollo?”
Lindsey glanced down at her phone. “He’s with KB. He texted earlier. Said she needed him.”
“Is she okay?”
Lindsey smiled. “He keeps Kirby’s secrets.”
Mara set her plate aside and fell back on the bed. “Ugh. What a melodrama we have going on here.”
“At the worst time too. Poor judgment by all of us.”
Mara laughed, but it came out more like a dry cough. “Yeah, what were we thinking?”
“Well, I was thinking that I couldn’t keep leading Apollo on without being honest about my feelings because he’d eventually fall in love with Kirby, and then I’d be super sad.”
“Oh.” Mara knew Kirby and Apollo had hooked up before. Kirby had told her as much, but it had never occurred to Mara to be jealous about it. Mara and Kirby’s chemistry had been so explosive. Addictive almost. It had been the ultimate distraction. And Kirby had seemed just as affected by it. So no, Mara hadn’t been worried about Apollo.
“What were you thinking?” Lindsey asked.
