“You have every female in this town wrapped around your little finger, don’t you?” Drew’s tone is almost accusing and definitely not friendly, but, hey, she’s at least looking at me now.
“All but one,” I breathe out, pulling off my cap and setting it on the table.
She looks really pretty today, and I wonder if she’s wearing any makeup. It’s the first time I’ve seen the faintest smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks.
Drew’s hair is pulled into a loose ponytail. It’s a relaxed look and a complete contrast to her tense shoulders.
I know her stress levels have everything to do with me, and I feel fucking terrible for letting emotions override my better judgment last night. The truth is, watching her leave with Tristan bothered me, and even though I regret making the post, I’m still desperate to know what happened after they left.
Did he just give her a ride home?
Did she invite him into her apartment for a drink?
Did he wake up in her bed and drive straight to morning skate with the same smug smirk he was wearing the entire time he was on the ice?
“Thanks,” Drew says, taking her coffee from the server, and I pull the glass of juice toward me, turning it around on the table. “Well, I’m pissed off at you for posting what you did.” Sheadjusts the collar on her white blouse. “Did you ever consider what would happen if Repeet saw it?”
No. I was too busy thinking about where Tristan’s hands were wandering.
I shake my head and rid myself of invasive thoughts.
“Did you go home with him?” The question leaves me before I can stop it.
Drew sits back in the booth and empties a sachet of sweetener into her coffee.
“If you’re asking if he took me home and then immediately drove back to his place, then, yeah, that’s exactly what happened.”
Frustration bubbles inside me, along with the same emotion I felt last night, but won’t acknowledge because it’s crazy for me to have a problem with Drew hooking up with any guy she chooses. When I was in college, I never even thought about what—or who—she was doing.
“I don’t understand why you have such an issue with Tristan. It doesn’t look professional.”
I hold up a hand because if I have to hear the wordprofessionalone more time, then I’ll lose my shit. On the ice, I’m the ultimate pro, but off it, I’m not, and it’s about time I accepted that I’ll never be the NHL’s golden boy.
“I have my reasons for not liking him, and part of me bringing you here was so I could explain my actions, even if they were wholly unjustified.”
Drew takes a sip of coffee. “What was the other part?”
I swallow and push my juice away. “I wanted to apologize. Away from your colleagues and boss and the bright lights of the office. I’m really fucking sorry. The last thing I ever want to do is hurt you or the career I know you’ve worked so hard on. Even in the weeks since we’ve been working together, I can seethe positive influence you’ve had on me, and I should’ve held it together, even when Tristan was goading me.”
Drew looks at me, blue eyes examining me carefully. I never realized how big they were until I started sitting opposite her more often, like in the restaurant that time she forced me to eat cheesecake.
“What happened between you two?”
I feel my shoulders slump. “If I tell you, then you’ll judge me.”
“Why don’t you try me before you assume how I’ll react?”
She makes a good point, although I know she’ll think I’m a piece of shit for what I did to Hallie.
“Back when I was in college, I unknowingly slept with Tristan’s younger sister and broke her heart. I thought she was looking for fun, like I was, only to realize that she was into me and wanted more than casual hookups.”
Drew quirks a brow at me. “Did you make it clear that you weren’t looking for anything more with her?”
I shrug. “I didn’t think I had to. Everyone knew about my reputation as a fuckboy who never dated seriously.” My eyes briefly connect with Drew’s. “But I think it was when I banged her best friend that shit got really messy.”
“Will,” Drew drawls, taking the plate of waffles from the server.
Picking up the syrup, she squeezes half of the bottle over the top.
