Page 34 of The Love You Win

He’s right, I know he is. The problem is the last two women I let myself feel anything for did just that. Now I worry my ability to pick a good woman is broken. Something in me must be broken. If it wasn’t, would it have been so easy for Candace and Georgia to sell me out like that?

“I’m not ready to take a chance on anyone.”

Bash squeezes my shoulder. “Okay, man. Maybe she could be a friend. Kinda seems like she might need one as much as you do.”

“Yeah,” Logan says. “What’s her story, anyway?”

“She mentioned a bad breakup, but I don’t know outside of that. Not even sure when it happened. It’s why her friends did the date auction. To get her out of her funk.” I shake my head, banishing the intrusive thoughts that start popping up, unbidden. Thoughts of what Isla’s lips would taste like. What her body would feel like pressed against mine. What it would be like to wake up next to her every morning. I can’t let myself go down the rabbit hole like that with any woman. But especially not one who needs a sensitive, attentive guy who can give her the time and attention she deserves.

I’m not that guy.

“So be her friend, Madds. She’s cool, and you could use a reminder that not all women are backstabbing narcissists.” Navarro slaps a puck into the goal.

“I don’t think all women are like that.”

Bash’s eyebrows rise. “Your mom and sister don’t count.”

Well, he’s got me there. Not that I’ll admit it.

“Why don’t you start by inviting her to one of our preseason games?” Logan asks. “It would be a good low-pressure way to spend some time with her. See if there’s anything there.”

“I kind of already did,” I admit. They’re all silent for a minute before Griffin speaks.

“What do you mean, kind of?”

“No, I did invite her.”

He doesn’t look convinced. “What exactly did you say to her?”

I rub the back of my neck. “I told her she should come to one of our games. She said it sounded cold, so I told her I’d hook her up with some Rogues gear to keep her warm, and I told her you guys would like it if she came.”

Three sets of eyes pin me to the ice. Their faces twist in varying expressions of disbelief. Byrne’s the first one to speak.

“Hold up. You told Isla that we would like it if she came to a game?”

Fuck. I knew they’d pick up on that. I regretted the words the moment they tapped their way out of my fingertips. And when it took Isla longer to respond to that text than the others, I knew I’d screwed up.

“Dude.” Griffin shakes his head. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“You told her you wanted her to come too, right?” Sebastian eyes me critically. It’s virtually impossible to lie to the guy. He’s too perceptive by half, so I don’t attempt it.

“Uh, not really.”

Logan shakes his head. “You used to have game.”

I did. I do. Just apparently not with Isla.

Bash shoves Logan to get him to shut up. “You can still fix this.”

“There’s nothing to fix,” I tell him. Frustration bubbles inside of my chest. Frustration with Candace and Georgia for giving me reason to shut myself off from other women, at myself for letting them get the best of me, and at Isla for making me wish I hadn’t built such high walls around myself. And even though they don’t deserve it, I’m annoyed at the guys for making me confront all of those feelings.

“You don’t believe that.”

“Come on, Bash, do you actually think she’ll want anything to do with me after how I treated her on our date and then said that to her? I blew it, man. It’s better if I just accept it.”

“Is it, though?”

Crap. I don’t even believe that. How can I expect them to?

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