That’s another thing I won’t feel bad about. I’m a single twenty-six-year-old woman. I can have a glass—or bottle—of wine if I want.
“Wasn’t sure if the girls were still here,”he says as he sits beside me.
“Oh, so you came up to hang with Savannah and Josie?”
His blue eyes remain locked on mine for a beat too long, like he’s trying to figure out where the attitude is coming from.
But I’m past the point of being diplomatic.
“No, I wanted to talk to you, actually.”
“Avery already asleep?”
With a hum, he nods. “She could barely keep her eyes open through her bath. She wanted to say good night to you, but I told her you were busy.”
“I’m never too busy for Aves.”
“You sure? It seems like you’ve been running in the opposite direction when she and I are around.”
“I have not.” I take offense to the idea that I’d want to take any space from her.
He arches a brow. “So you haven’t been avoiding me since Avery begged us to sleep with her?”
“No, JJ, I’ve been avoiding you since—” I snap my mouth shut. I can’t even put into words what happened between us, and chalking it up to Avery begging us to sleep together is so infuriatingly wrong.
“Since I held your hand? Is that what this is about? Is that why you’ve now agreed to be the poster child for dating?”
My body ignites with annoyance. “Jesus, you really are full of yourself.”
He pulls on his dark hair, clearly as aggravated as I am. “No, what I am is confused. We had a moment, Adeline, and rather than discussing it, rather than talking about where we go from here, you go off and becomeBoston’s Bachelorette.” He says the last few words with a scowl, like it disgusts him.
“I’m not doing this with you.” I snatch the bottle of wine off the table. Then because I can’t help myself, I go on. “Before Avery was born, you dated any woman you wanted. I had to sit on the sidelines and watch as you slept with one puck bunny after another, and then youmarriedone of them. I never so much as went on a single date, and you damn well know why.” Tears sting my nose, but I inhale deeply. I will not cry. “I’m sorry if your life with Tabitha didn’t pan out like you hoped, but don’t I deserve to find someone too? Or am I just supposed to sit here and watch from the sidelines again? I already have to do that as your coach. Don’t ask me to do that in any other facet of my life.”
JJ opens his mouth and then slams it shut. Then with a simple nod, he breaks my heart. “Right. Of course. I’m sorry.”
Eyes falling closed, I let out a quick laugh. “You always are.”
TWENTY-TWO
JJ
Twenty-One Years Old
Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
“I appreciateyou letting me tag along,” I say to Beckett as we make our way through the crowd.
I have a game tomorrow, but I couldn’t miss opening ceremonies. I need to see Adeline. It’s been months since I laid eyes on her in person. Between her training and the Bolts’ schedule, we’re never in the same place at the same time.
“She’ll be thrilled to see you.” He wraps an arm around my shoulders and jostles me around a little. “Besides, you’re family. You’re always invited.”
“Tell me there’s a bar near our meetup spot,” Finn says, bouncing as he walks, peering over the heads around us.
“Addie probably won’t drink. But I say let’s go wherever she wants,” Winnie says.
“And we aren’t taking your sisters to a bar,” Liv tells Finn, giving him the mom look.
The twins, who are seventeen, don’t bother chiming in. They’re toobusy documenting their every move on social media, even after Beckett has told them to put their phones away at least twenty times.
