Then I scroll back a few months and find them. Photos of her and Romeo. His arm around her shoulders. Both smiling at the camera.
The caption on one from August: “gonna miss this one ”
My stomach twists.
I keep scrolling and find more. Them at dinner. At a game. At what looks like someone’s birthday party.
All from last fall. Before Toronto. Before us.
So she’s an ex. That’s fine. Everyone has exes.
But why is she messaging him about coffee yesterday? Why didn’t he mention it?
I close Instagram and just sit there, trying to breathe through the panic rising in my chest.
There’s a logical explanation. There has to be.
Maybe it was nothing. Maybe they ran into each other and grabbed a quick coffee and it didn’t seem worth mentioning.
Maybe she’s making it sound like more than it was.
Maybe I’m overreacting.
But Garrett lied to me, cheated on me. And everything felt fine right up until the moment he admitted he’d been seeing someone else for months.
I get up and get ready for work, trying to push the message out of my mind. Trying not to let it ruin what was a perfect morning.
But the knot in my stomach won’t go away.
Marnie takesone look at me and says, “What happened?”
I should tell her. Should ask her advice. But the words stick in my throat.
“Just tired,” I say instead. “Late night.”
She gives me a look that says she doesn’t believe me but doesn’t push. “Okay. Well, we’ve got inventory this morning and then we need to check on Anderson. He took a hit yesterday and I want to make sure his shoulder is okay.”
We spend the morning organizing medical supplies and restocking the training room. It’s mindless work that should be soothing but instead gives me too much time to think.
About the message. About Sienna. About why Romeo didn’t mention seeing someone yesterday.
“Want to swing by practice?” Marnie asks around eleven. “Roman said they’re running drills until noon.”
“Sure.”
We head down to the rink. Practice is in full swing, guys skating hard, Barrett yelling instructions, the familiar sounds and smells that have become comforting over the past few weeks.
I spot Romeo immediately. He’s running a drill with Dex and Brody, weaving through cones with fluid and precise movements.
Then he sees me. His whole face lights up and he skates over to the boards.
“Hi,” he says through the glass. “I didn’t think you’d come.”
“Marnie needed to check on Anderson.”
“But you came.” He’s grinning like an idiot and it makes my chest ache. “That’s all that matters.”
“RODRIGUEZ!” Barrett yells. “STOP FLIRTING AND GET BACK TO DRILLS!”
