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Minor notes of floral and vanilla perfume sought my nose as her eyes met mine. “So, where do the two of you stand?” She asks, a hint of interest dripping into her tone.
I’m wondering the same about us.Seeing the emotion she once carried for me returning, I know she still feels something. I notice it in the way her breathing changes every time I look at her, the way her cheeks flush with color and her eyes take on an extra sparkle.Fuck, I’ve missed her.
“We haven’t spoken in some time,” I said, hoping Stephanie could read between the lines.
“Sounds to me like you both put barely any time or effort into your relationship,” one of Stephanie’s friends said upon her return. “And I’m sure both of you figured out your relationship wasn’t going anywhere, but neither one of you wanted to be the one to end it,” she continues, sending me a look as she grabs another cooler from the ice bucket.
Put on the spot, I let her words sink in. Maybe I knew it was only a matter of time. I admit to myself now that she pointed it out.Could that be why I didn’t put up a fight when I realized I was losing my investment?I drag my hand over my face. It’s like the money I spent was my way of compensating her for letting me off the hook.
“I honestly hadn’t looked at it like that, but it kind of makes sense,” I agreed.
“You’re welcome. I’m Jade Caballero,” she says, extending her hand. “We didn’t make introductions before.”
“Logan Petersen. But I’m thinking you already knew that,” I smirk.
“Of course, but it’s nice to formally meet you, Logan.”
“Likewise.”
“And that’s Taylor Holland over there,” she adds, pointing across the deck to where their other friend, the one with the long red hair, took watch.I wave in her direction as she nods in acknowledgement.
"Lila Sparks, our agent, is sitting next to her." Lila lifts her drink in a greeting.
"Cheers," I call out to her.
“This is Andre Rainer and his girlfriend, Anne Marie Emerson,” she adds, motioning to the couple just to the right of us.
“Nice to meet all of you,” I said, nodding in their direction.
“Likewise,” Andre says, returning the nod.
“Anyway, we’re picking somewhere to eat, so don’t be too long, eh?” Jade says to Stephanie over her shoulder as she disappears with her drinks.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” she replies. “Send me a text if you find something beforehand and I’ll meet you there.”
Missing all the little pieces I once memorized, I’m familiarizing myself with the changes the years created.
“That’s Jade for you, no filter what so ever,” Stephanie smirks. “But seriously. It sounds like life’s been unkind to both of us these last few years,” she says, and it was almost as if she was referencing all the years we’ve spent apart.
“I’ll say, but look at us now,” her eyes lifted, not towards the view, but directly at me.
“Speaking of where we are now, I assume you’re still playing hockey for the Knights?” She asks, the vulnerability swirling in her eyes as they hold mine.
Looking forward to telling her that my hockey career was ending soon, I opened my mouth to let the words out when Bradly interrupted.
“There you are, sir,” he says, in his thick Scottish accent, throwing up his hands in dramatics. “I’ve been texting and calling you repeatedly. Why haven’t you responded?” He asks, clearly winded.
“Beside the fact I’m busy here with my friend, I must not be picking up a cellular signal,” I declare, turning my attention back towards Stephanie.
Witnessing her expression change, the hurt she felt was clear in her eyes. It reminded me exactly why we weren’t together. There wasn’t any time for a life outside of my hockey career.
“I suppose there is something you needed, Bradley?” I asked, now that he’d interrupted the moment.
“Coach wants to do a zoom call.”
Fucking zoom calls.
“Right now?” I ask with annoyance.
