I still feel guilty that I didn’t tell her as soon as I found out that he was the man from that night, the hot stranger I gave myvirginity to, the one we’ve spent so much time screaming about, but there were just so many reasons why I shouldn’t.
Because in doing so, she would have to keep something huge from her boyfriend. The man she shares her entire life with.
Because ifanyoneever found out, then Wilder would lose his job, and I’m not even sure what would happen to what’s left of his reputation.
But now, since that night in his office, something shifted. Something that has confused me and turned my brain into actual shambles, and I just need my best friend.
I can’t do it a literal second longer.
I blow out an uneven breath, peeling my eyes open. “So… um, it turns out that the man I gave my virginity to… It’s, uh…” I trail off, my nose scrunching. “Wilder. I mean…Coach Hawthorne.”
Lennon’s mouth falls agape, her eyes so wide they’ve turned into giant green saucers, and I’m worried they might actually pop out of her head.
And she says nothing.
Not a single word.
Obviously, in shock.
“Saysomething, my God, Len,” I groan. “Don’t just stare at me like that.”
“I…” she says and then snaps her mouth shut before opening it again and broken syllables fall out. “Yo— He,what?”
I nod. “Yes.”
“Holy… hell.”
I’ve spent the last few weeks thinking that he regretted the night we met, that he was no longer interested and wanted nothing to do with me after the day we met at the rink.
But that other night, after the game, I learned just how wrong I was.
Wilder Hawthornewantsme, and it’s taking every ounce of his threadbare restraint to pretend that he doesn’t.
That he isn’t interested.
That he isn’t attracted to me.
That he made a mistake by touching me that night.
Except now I know that he’s a liar.
A big, fat, stupid, insanely hot liar that I think probably wants me just as much as I have wanted him since the night he took my virginity.
Even after I found out he was the Hellcats’ new assistant coach and acted as if he wanted nothing to do with me.
“Maisie… Oh my God,” Lennon says. “You lost your virginity… to…Coach Hawthorne?”
She keeps repeating the same thing back to me, the shock not having worn off in the slightest yet.
“Yes. Trust me, that’s exactly how shocked I felt when I found out too. I still can’t believe that he’s the same person. I mean, he’s actually probably not the man I met that night. He’s a grumpy dick who’s borrowing his body.”
Lennon throws her head back and laughs, and I do too.
At the very least, we can laugh at the situation.
“Oh my God,” she says suddenly, her eyebrows shooting up nearly to her hairline. “I can’t believe you’ve known for weeks now and haven’t told me!”
I groan with a short nod. God, I wish I hadn’t kept it from her, but I hope she understands more when I explain it wasn’t just my secret to keep.
