“What is he doing?” Megan asks, wincing when Bash barely stops a shot he’d normally handle easily.
“Is he sick?” Lexi frowns at the TV. “Did anyone get a text before the game?” She wanders over to her purse and digs around in the black leather bag while the rest of the women check their phones.
“I didn’t.” I’m not surprised. Bash sent a text when they first got to the arena, but once he suits up, he doesn’t check his phone. It’s part of his process. Being in the right headspace is important, and he does everything he can to protect his peace.
The rest of the ladies give the same answer.
Then Lexi finds her phone, reads something with a frown, and mutters, “Shit.”
“What?” Isla stands from her spot on the couch and wanders over to her blonde friend and looks over her shoulder. It doesn’t take long for her face to crumple into a frown too. “What the fuck?”
When both of them look over at me with serious expressions, my stomach gives a lurch. “What’s wrong?”
Did something happen to Bash before the game? Are his parents okay? Did he get hurt?
“What happened?” I ask, the words sharp on my tongue. “Did he get hurt before the game or something? You two are freaking me out.”
“He’s fine,” Isla rushes to say, her hands up in a placating gesture.
It does nothing to make me feel better.
“Then what?” My skin crawls when every eye in the apartment focuses on me. “I swear to god, if someone doesn’t tell me…”
“Here.” Lexi hands me her phone. “It’s probably easier if you read it yourself.”
It takes a moment for my eyes to focus on the words filling up the screen. When I finally do, my hands begin to shake.
“What. The. Fuck?”
I’m vaguely aware of the women crowding behind me, reading over my shoulder. Every new word floods my belly with acid and rage, and I’m so consumed with it that it’s difficult to focus on the article.
“That lying piece of shit,” Lola hisses. “I’m going to pull his spine out through his asshole and choke him with it.”
“I’ll help you, baby,” Megan says darkly. “That’s the ex?”
Lola lets out a little growl. “Yes. The one that showed up on our doorstep a couple of days ago.”
“He’s here?” Mira asks. “Good. Because we’ll help you jump him.”
A strangled laugh tears out of my throat. “Why would he do this? I told him we were done. I told him to go home. What could he possibly have to gain from this?”
“He’s a selfish, despicable weasel.” Lola wraps her arms around me from beside me and squeezes tight. “He must think he’ll benefit. I just can’t figure out what he thinks this will accomplish. Isn’t he worried about your dad firing him?”
I shake my head. “Doubt it. If my dad didn’t let Ryland go after he dumped me, I doubt he’d fire him for something like this. Hell, if I called Dad about it right now, he’d probably say something about how there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Because for him, there isn’t. He doesn’t understand how different things are for me.”
A commotion on screen draws my attention just in time to watch the Sharks piling up in a group, celebrating a goal. Sebastian’s head hangs in defeat.
“Shit.” My breathing is shallow as I watch Ryder and Griffin skate up to Bash and say something to him. When Bash shakes his head, Griffin grips the cage of Bash’s helmet. His expression is serious when he says something else before pressing his helmet to Sebastian’s. They exchange another few words, then the ref calls everyone to the face-off line.
My chest is tight. “He saw the article, didn’t he?”
Lexi nods. “Unfortunately, yes. Ryder wanted us to be aware, just in case. We don’t want you being harassed by reporters.”
“Oh my god.” What did Bash think after reading that? Does he believe that my breakup with Ryland was temporary? Could he actually wonder if this thing between us isn’t real? Is he worried I’ll walk away from him?
I already left him once without a word.
“Hey.” Lola grabs my face with both of her hands and forces me to look at her. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop. Ryland is a piece of shit, but Bash loves you. And you love him. You’ll get through this.”
