The flight to Bostonfor game one of a four-day road trip involves two and a half hours of travel and a lot of glares from Matt. He’s avoided speaking to me outside his official role as my captain. At some point, he needs to move on. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.
Matt’s been a critical part of me adjusting to playing in the NHL and feeling at home in Palmer City. Matt and Gemma include me in every holiday celebration and countless family dinners. They’ve helped me figure out adult shit more times than I can count. They gave me a family.
I don’t want to think about the possibility of Matt never forgiving me.
I wait until we’re off the plane to approach him. His clenched jaw should send me in the opposite direction, but I know he won’t come to me. If I want a chance to repair this relationship, I have to make the first move.
“Hey, man.”
Matt doesn’t look up from his phone.
“I want to apologize. It’s not cool that I didn’t talk to you first and went behind your back. You’ve been a great friend and a kickass captain… and honestly, my family. I don’t want to lose that, to lose you.”
Matt slips his phone into his back pocket and regards me with cool eyes. “Let me get this straight. You’re sorry because you lied, but you’renotsorry for fucking my sister?”
“I told you it’s not like th—”
He raises a skeptical eyebrow. “So you didn’t have sex with my sister, Zach? After I told you she wasn’t in any place to date.”
The first name stings. He’s never called me that before, ever.
How much easier would it be to tell him no? But since I’m asking for forgiveness for lying, it’d be a stupid fucking move to lie.
“No, I did, but—”
Matt throws up a hand. “I don’t want to hear it!”
“I love her. I’m in love with Finley. I’m… serious about her.”
He scoffs. “You’re not serious about anything.”
“Come on, dude. We’ve playedprofessionalhockey together for three seasons, and you see me take it seriously. I work my ass off day in and day out. It’s fucking insulting to say I’m never serious.”
I turn on my heel but hesitate to walk away. If this is my one shot, I need to make it count. “And I’m serious about your sister. I love her. She’s my opposite in so many ways, but it’s the exact ways I need. She’s strong and beautiful and has such a good heart. She’s driven and so talented. How could you want to keep her away from what she loves to do? When she’s in the gym, Finley lights up more than anywhere else.”
“You have no idea what she’s been through. You’re not the first guy to take advantage—”
“I’m not fucking Garrett. Give me more credit than that.”
Matt’s eyes widen. “She told you about him?”
“She told me everything, including about her return to gymnastics. Think about why she’d do that, why she’s been keeping secrets from you.”
He doesn’t say a word as I walk away.
Most of the team heads to dinner after our decisive win against Boston, extending our win streak. But I’m in the backseat of the car service I ordered yesterday, on my way to Finley after Gemma gave me the Harris’s address.
It’s one in the morning when I reach Finley’s childhood home, dark except for one room on the second floor, where dim lights illuminate the window. I’d bet anything it’s her room and she’s awake binge-watching the show she keeps telling me I need to watch from the beginning with her.
I slip my winter hat on and tighten my coat around me. The North Carolina weather has thinned my blood in the limited time I’ve lived there. If my family and friends saw me now, they’d petition to revoke my Canadian citizenship.
Me
I’m outside and don’t want to ring your doorbell
I wait a few minutes for a response, but like my other messages, it isn't marked as read. Ringing the doorbell and announcing my presence to her parents is out of the question. I pick up a pebble from the driveway, rear back, and toss it in the direction of the window, praying I’m not wrong about it belonging to Finley.
I snatch another pebble, readying to throw at the window again when the curtain flutters, and Finley appears there. Her mouth falls open, and one hand clutches her chest. I wave toward the porch until the curtain flutters shut and Finleydisappears from view. I approach the front door, hoping she’s on her way to me, otherwise I’ll have a miserable drive back to Boston, brokenhearted.
