Outside, the lot is nearly empty. I spot the new cameras mounted out back, feeling relieved that if she refused to stay, at least I know I’d have eyes on her. Although she’d be pissed if she knew the lengths I am willing to go to make sure she’s safe.
I don’t care, though. Not when she’s quickly become the most important person in my life.
Before she can reach her car, I step over and check the handle.
She pauses. “What are you doing?”
“Making sure it’s locked.”
“It’s always locked.”
“I know.” My hand lingers on the handle a second longer than necessary.
I walk around it anyway. It probably makes me look paranoid, but I don’t care.
She watches me like she doesn’t recognize the version of me standing in front of her before unlocking the door to grab her backpack.
We get into my truck, and I don’t start driving right away.
“I truly am sorry about earlier. I don’t believe you took the photo,” I say finally.
She turns toward me.
“I questioned you because… I let those texts get in my head. I shouldn’t have. Not when it comes to you.”
“What is even in that notebook? I don’t even understand you’d think I care about hockey notes.”
“The photo wasn’t just hockey stuff. It was notes I’ve been keeping about your father.”
She goes quiet beside me.
“Last year, there was a huge scandal around money moving through the program. We’ve been suspicious of his involvement before you ever arrived here on campus. And with the article dropping and word getting out that you’re his daughter, it’s brought more attention to our team. Attention he didn’t want on him.”
I don’t tell her about him blackmailing me.
“So they were trying to make it look like it was me?”
“Yeah.” I glance over at her. “They wanted me to think you took the photos and gave them to Coach. The text came through right after he told me I was benched.”
I shift the truck into gear and pull away from the curb, the road humming beneath the tires as we head toward the hockey house.
“It sounds like whoever it is, they wanted you not to trust me,” she says after a minute.
“I shouldn’t have believed them, though,” I say. “I let them get in my head, and I won’t let it happen again.”
She nods once. “I believe you. I probably should’ve said that earlier too.”
She exhales and leans her head against the headrest, staring out the window.
“I guess it worked then, huh?”
She glances over at me.
I shake my head. “Not in the way they wanted.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’m not letting anyone get between us or turn me against you, just because someone tries.”
