Page 116 of Released from the Sin Bin

I don’t wait for an explanation from Luca.

Heat travels up my neck, and I stomp my way toward the restroom he went to.

It’s Vic all over again. We’d be at a party and Vic would disappear to go to the restroom, but then he wouldn’t come back for hours. He’d disappear to screw another girl.

I never caught him, but I knew exactly what he was doing. I’m not letting this happen again.

Distracted with the determination to catch him in the act, I round the exit and ram into a hard body.

“Whoa, Willa.” Jocelyn steps back, rubbing her shoulder. “It’s good to see you can still check someone.”

“Fuck, sorry Joce.” I look around, but no one is paying attention to me. I can’t make a scene here. Clearing my head to cool off, I notice Coach Higgins’ wife sitting at a table by herself, flipping through her phone.

“I’m sorry.” I say again, shaking off my anger to help Jocelyn fix her hair.

“It’s ok. I miss being checked by you at practice.” She smiles and bumps my shoulder. “I was trying to make an escape. Do you think anyone will notice?”

I check out the room of women and men twice our age, drinking and having a good time. All of them ignoring the few players left that are hanging around the outskirts.

“I think you’re good. It’s getting late.”

“Thanks, I’ll see you at home.” She playfully nudges me again as she passes. Her long dark pink high slit dress flows behind her.

Remembering where I was headed, I take a deep breath to prepare myself. I can’t go in there, shooting off pucks, but I can confront him.

I quickly turn back to face the hall to the restroom, but Carter is striding toward me in his crisp suit that melted the ice beneath my feet earlier.

That unsteadiness still hits me, and his face lights up when he sees me at the edge of the walkway, between the stands of the arena.

How could he do this to me?

“Where were you?”

“I was in the restroom.” He motions behind him. “What’s wrong?”

“Who were you with?” I shoot my questions at him.

“No one,” he answers slowly.

“Luca said you rudely kicked him out.” I slam my hands on my hips to challenge him. “What are you hiding?”

“Nothing.” He shakes his head and reaches out to rub my shoulder, but I pull away. “Willa.” He crowds into me. “I swear I wasn’t doing anything. Luca was getting on my nerves. I needed a break.”

My body deflates with the warm touch of his palm running down my arm.

I’m accusing him of nothing. We’re not even a couple, and I’m accusing him of cheating on me.

Carter is not Vic.

It must be written all over my face, because he rubs my shoulder and tips my chin up to look at him.

“I swear, I wouldn’t do anything like that to you.”

“I know.” I nod, but I’m still not sure what it all means. Carter is not Vic and he would never treat me the same way, but we are not an item that I should expect his devotion.

If we’re together, I know he would never cheat on me. Are we together? Do I want that?

“Do you want to go back?” He steps back for me to lead the way to the banquet.

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