Hands held in front of him, Bash nods. “I’m not saying she is, just that I get why it was triggering for you.”
Huh. I suppose triggering is an accurate way to look at it. “Yeah, I guess. I just need to be patient with her and show her I’m all in and I’m not going anywhere. Be the man she needs, you know?”
“I think that’s great, as long as she’s also the woman you need.” My friend studies me, watching as my face crumples into a frown.
“Of course she’s the woman I need.” She’s perfect. I’ve fallen for women before, but none of them have also been my best friend. What I have with Mira is everything.
“I’m not suggesting she isn’t, but I am saying that love needs to go both ways. It should never be all on one person to bend for the other. She has to be willing to bend for you, too, Griffin. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. Mira cares about you, and I think she cares a lot. But at some point, if she’s not willing to show you she’s all in, you’ll have to make some hard decisions.”
I don’t realize I’m rubbing my chest until the server places our plates in front of us and I have to stop to pick up my fork. “I don’t want to lose her.”
My friend’s brown eyes soften at the corners. “I know, man, and I hope things work out between the two of you. I really do. All I’m saying is that you deserve to be loved just as much as she does, and if this becomes more painful than life-giving, I hope you choose yourself.”
I don’t want to choose myself. I want someone else to choose me, for once, dammit.
Still, there’s wisdom in what he’s saying, so I nod. “I will. And if I don’t, you can call me on it.”
With a mouth full of eggs, Bash nods his promise, and I can only hope he never has to make good on it.
I throwmyself into practice with a vengeance. Not only do I want to make it to the cup this year, but the burn of my muscleshelps take my mind off Mira. If I push myself hard enough, I won’t have the energy to overthink things.
“Good, Wright,” Coach Fry calls out as I snap the puck past Navarro’s mitt.
Feet crossing over one another, I swing around the back of the net and speed toward the stack of pucks at the blue line.
“You’re focused today,” Maddox observes as we wait our turn to charge the net again.
I grunt an acknowledgement. His eyes burn a hole in the side of my head, but I don’t look his way. Part of me is worried that if I do, he’ll see right through my bullshit and realize I’m fucking his sister. That’s not a revelation I want to have happen on the ice while he’s wearing blades on his feet.
I don’t have a death wish.
“Isla wanted me to ask if you could come over for dinner when we get back from our next away series. She’s been doing some wedding planning and wants to have the best man and maid of honor over to discuss stuff.” He puts an emphasis on the wordstuffthat tells me he’s not as excited as his fiancée is about the planning.
Me? I always thought it would be fun to plan a wedding. And someday, if Mira agrees, I want to have a big one. I want to see her in a fluffy white dress, pick out fun suits, and celebrate our love with a huge-ass party filled with everyone we love. Maddox is lucky as shit.
“Yeah, man, of course. You know I’m excited for you, and I’ll help however you need me to.”
He places a gloved hand on my shoulder and gives me the carefree grin he’s been sporting more and more often since meeting Isla. “I know you will. You’re a good friend, Wright, and a good man. Isla and I wouldn’t be where we are without you.”
“You’d have found your way back to each other, eventually,” I say with a shrug.
He shakes his head. “I’m not so sure about that.”
It’s our turn to run the puck down the ice again, and this time, Bash manages to block both shots.
“Oh, I meant to ask you, did everything get settled with Mira’s car?”
Well, shit. I should have seen this question coming. Should have been prepared with an answer, but I’m not. “Uh, yeah.”
Madds eyes me with a raised eyebrow. “And? What was the damage? Do I need to call the shop and pay it for her?”
“No…” I clear my throat. “Uh, her car wasn’t safe to repair. The owner advised she junk it.”
My best friend’s eyes widen. “Shit. I knew that thing wasn’t in great shape, but I didn’t realize it was a death trap. I’ll talk her into letting me buy her a car. Hell, I’ve been trying to talk her into letting me help her since I got my signing bonus, but she’s so stubborn. Determined to make her own way. And I know her business is doing well so far, but I doubt she has enough saved to buy a car.”
“Actually, I already helped her out.”
Maddox stills, turning his whole body to face me. “What do you mean, you already helped her out?”
