Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 101505 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101505 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
I glare at Jesse, who stares right back at me, unflinching.
“You’re trying to push Mia away,” Jake says. “But Mia makes you happy. When things are good between you guys, you’re happy. When they’re not, you do shit like tonight. So why the hell would you manufacture trouble?”
I blow out an annoyed breath. “Okay, okay. Everybody just shut the fuck up for a second.”
The guys all wait patiently as I run my hands through my hair. “If any of this was true,” I say finally. “It would be none of your damn business.”
“Too late for that,” Jesse says. “We cornered your ass up here. And we’re not letting you off this roof until we come to a solution.”
“I already solved it,” I snap. “I have plans to talk to her about everything. After the Stanley Cup.”
“After we lose it, you mean?” Maddox asks. “We’re not winning the cup while all our team energy is out of whack like this.”
“After we win it,” I say firmly. “I’m going to talk to Mia. Maybe I’ll admit I didn’t sleep with those women. I might even apologize for letting her think I did.” I shrug. “See? Problem solved.”
Jesse and Liam both fold their arms, shaking their heads at me as if disappointed. Jake is glaring, Carter is picking at his nails, and Maddox is eating a protein bar.
“What?” I ask.
“You can’t just mumble some bullshit like that and expect things to be good,” Liam says. “That’s why you’re still so distracted. Deep down, you know what you’re planning isn’t going to be good enough. You know nothing’s going to change if you say that to her. Maybe she’ll feel a little better, but nothing is going to change. Know why? Because you haven’t changed.”
Maddox silently spreads his fingers like his brain just exploded.
Carter nods seriously. “He hasn’t changed,” he whispers.
“Come on,” I say. “This isn’t about me. Mia doesn’t want to date a hockey player. She doesn’t want to date me. In case you all forgot, we dated once. She broke up with me because I’m gone half the year flying from city to city.”
“Yeah,” Jesse says. “Having a functional relationship with a girl who lives in Frosty Harbor while being in our position would be impossible. I can’t imagine how anyone could make that work and still be happy.”
“Simply not possible,” Carter agrees.
“Wait,” Maddox says. “But Jesse is married to Andi. I thought they were both super happy? I mean, they have a baby now. I guess lack of sleep can make people cranky, but that’s hardly a reason to say the relationship isn’t working. I could let them borrow some of these crystals a girl I dated had. She said they are amazing for relational stress. Oh, and she said they help with forgetfulness, too. Then again, we broke up and she forgot them at my place. But they might work for Jesse and Andi.”
Carter slowly lifts his palm to his forehead and sighs. “Is someone going to tell him?”
Jake grins. “It was sarcasm, dude. Andi and Jesse are sickeningly happy. They’re so happy it’s disgusting.”
“Oh,” Maddox mouths silently. He lifts his fingers and pretends to zip his lips.
“I get it,” I say, cutting in. “You’re all acting like I wasn’t going to handle this. I made a plan after the conference championship, okay? I’ve got a plan. A great plan.”
“You have no plan,” Liam says, grinning. “Your plan was to tell her you never slept with those women, wasn’t it?”
I clench my jaw. “No…” I say slowly. I wasn’t planning on telling everybody this. Not yet. But I can tell they don’t realize how far I’ve already come on my own. They have no idea what I’m planning, and they’re not going to get off my ass unless I bring them in on it. Maybe they don’t need to know the real big surprise, but I can at least give them the general gist of it.
I take a deep breath, meet all of their eyes, one by one, and then I start talking.
36
MIA
I’m whisking eggs in the kitchen of Taste by myself. We’re temporarily running a modified schedule and only open three days a week until the Stanley Cup Finals are over. With the combination of Zander leaving and me trying to take over his duties, and Nolan and Paisley both being away every few days for games, it just made sense.
I’ve got music playing on the speakers in the restaurant, but I go to my phone and quickly tap “skip” when a sad, sappy song starts.
I’m not exactly in an emotional state for sad and sappy songs right now. I’m feeling entirely too sorry for myself. I’m trying to channel all kinds of “this is everything I’ve ever wanted” energy. I'm the head chef of Taste now. I’m exactly where I dreamed I’d be when I started culinary school three years ago.