“Then what made it so bad?”
“He totally missed the toilet.”
“Ewww,” all three of us say in unison.
I sigh. “Thanks for trying, but it’s a long and complicated story.”
Sophie slides my wine glass back to me. “We have all evening.”
For the next hour, I tell the story of how Chase and I reconnected when I started working for the Texas Stars, and how things progressed to us secretly dating and the resulting toxic relationship. I gloss over some details because I’m still too embarrassed.
Sophie squeezes my arm. “Wait. Let me wrap my brain around this. He basically used your relationship to manipulate you into handling his social media to make him look better for sponsorships and to get the attention of the Dallas Stars management?”
I nod, leaving out how I willingly went along with it until I quit my job and tried freelancing until I could figure out my life.
“And he cheated on you, too?” Mia jumps in.
Heat creeps up my neck and into my face, which I cover with my hands. “I know. I was so stupid. When I questioned things,he would reassure me that he loved me and that it was all for our future. But the more I did for him, the more he asked until I was just in too deep.” I drop my hands. “I ended it the minute I found out he was cheating on me, though.”
Adding that last part does nothing to lessen my extreme embarrassment. I didn’t intend to share all the sordid details, including my mortification, but between the wine and their compassion, the spew just kept coming.
Lily’s the one who reaches out and squeezes my wrist this time. “Do not blame yourself for what he did to you, Bree. He gaslighted you. That’s worse than the cheating part in my book.”
Mia nods her agreement, and I think she has tears in her eyes. “He sounds like a sociopath.”
Sophie takes my other hand into hers and holds it. “We’re here for you. Whatever you need to move past this, okay?”
A burn starts behind my eyes, more out of gratitude. I expected a little judgment, considering how irresponsible I feel for allowing myself to wind up in such an awful situation, but these women are completely on my side.
The massive weight I’ve been carrying sloughs off my shoulders and joins the fried crumbs on the floor. Talking about what happened and opening up feels so cathartic. Like, I can finally move past this and get on with my life.
Later that evening, we parted ways, saying our goodbyes in the parking lot. As I head toward my car, Sophie calls out to me.
I stop and turn around to find her walking toward me at a fast pace.
She stops in front of me, glances down, and pushes her hair behind one ear. “Listen, I hope you’re not mad at Luke for asking me to do some investigating.”
So that’s how Wade found out. I let this bit of information sink in, trying to decide how to feel about it. I’m not mad atSophie, but I am very curious as to why Luke would ask her to do that.
She must take my silence as a sign that I’m upset with Luke because she suddenly looks bereft. “Luke takes his captain duties to the extreme sometimes. He said Wade was concerned about what happened to you in Texas, so he thought this might help.”
“No, it’s okay. I understand. I haven’t talked to Wade about it yet. But I will,” I add, but I don’t know if I’m saying that for her or for me.
After sharing more than I intended and then being affirmed that it wasn’t all in my head, I feel ready to talk to Wade. And I should before he hears any more rumors and does something ridiculous like ask one of his hockey buddies to rough Chase up. Or does it himself.
He wouldn’t do that, would he?
A hesitant smile forms on her face. “Wade really cares about you a lot, Bree.”
I let out a weary laugh. “Maybe too much sometimes. You should see how protective he is of his sisters, too.”
She studies me for a moment. “Somehow, I don’t think it’s the same.”
What is she talking about? “Why do you say that?”
“I saw the way he looked when he stormed over last night.”
Stormed? I had my back to him, so I missed that, but he did drag me into the bedroom like a Neanderthal. Funny thing is, I kind of liked it.
