“This complicates things,” I mutter.
Her mouth curves faintly. “Everything was already complicated.”
I huff out something that might almost be a laugh.
Her smile grows just a fraction.
Then fades. Her eyes drop. Sadness settles over her like a shadow.
My chest tightens before I can stop it.
“You okay?” I ask.
She’s quiet for a moment.
Then she shakes her head.
“No.” She stares at the floor. “We’re in such a mess.”
Her fingers twist tighter in the towel.
“I keep thinking about my dad finding out.”
Her voice trembles. “I don’t know how we’ll be able to hide this from him. And if he finds out we got married on a whim in Vegas… it’ll be really bad.”
My jaw tightens.
Because I know exactly how Coach Petrov looks at people who disappoint him.
“You’re not the only one who made that choice,” I say quietly.
She looks up at me.
Her eyes search my face like she’s trying to find something there. Something I’m not sure how to give her.
“He’s going to hate me,” she whispers.
“No,” I reply automatically.
She shakes her head. “You don’t know him like I do.”
A humorless laugh almost escapes me.
I know him better than she thinks.
“He won’t hate you,” I say.
He’ll hate me, but I don’t say that part out loud.
I shift slightly, turning toward her. “You’re not alone in this,” I say.
She looks up immediately.
Really looks at me.
Like she’s trying to decide if I’m lying.
“I mean it,” I add. “I signed the same marriage license you did.” I exhale slowly. “This isn’t just your mess. We’ll figure it out. We’ll get divorced. People do it all the time. What is it now, more than half of marriages?”
