Page 35 of Penalty Shots

I let go, and he steps back, slipping one hand into his pocket as he loosens the now-tightened tie around his throat and cracks his neck.

“Is that what you think we are, Ri… enemies?"

"Well, we sure as hell aren't friends," I slide off the counter and tug my dress down.

"No, we sure as hellaren'tfriends," he agrees, watching me in the mirror. He steps up behind me, pulls my hair off my shoulder, and gathers it over the other, exposing my neck. And says, "Even so. You always have a bed in my house."

I don't miss how he chose to say bed instead of room. But we both know that's not something we'll be entertaining.

He doesn't bring his lips to meet my skin. But the brush of his breath over it makes my body break out in goosebumps.

He looks down at the reaction my body has to him and then back at me in the mirror, a devilish smirk growing on his face.

I clear my throat. "That won't be necessary." The music outside the door is dying down. "You should go. I'll stay here for a bit longer. I… don't want anyone to know we were in here together."

"Mmm," he says in thought. "Wouldn't want them to get the wrong idea." We stare at each other in the mirror, neither of us making a move.

"Bye, Landry."

"Well, I'm sure I'll be able to change your mind in the coming days."

"About what exactly?"

"Letting me help." He finally takes a step back and bows theatrically. "Your Majesty," he says playfully before opening the bathroom door and slipping out. The door shuts behind him, and finally—I can breathe.

This past month has been a whirlwind. Wedding planning with Izzy. PR campaigns for the team. And the cherry on top—divorce. Because who the hell has the time or energy to deal with that?

As if Redmond can hear my thoughts, I get a text from him. It's a video.

I hesitate to open it, but I've been ignoring his attempts to reach me for two days. And he's been relentless.

I press play.

"Hey, Rina baby," he begins with that rustic, Australian accent I fell so easily for. He's in Austin. The familiar black and blue seats in the soccer stadium where he plays are behind him. "Listen, I know you probably don't want anything to do with me. And I get that. I haven't been easy. And I'm sorry it's come down to this. I just," he sighs. "We shouldtry,Rina. Marriage isn't easy. It never is. And we knew that going into it. But… it's worth fighting for.You'reworth fighting for."

He sniffles. He's either emotional, or the Austin cedar allergies are getting to him.

"Rina, please. Let's talk. I'm coming into town next week. Let's figure something out. Maybe… I don't know, maybe we can agree to a separation. Just until we can work things out.You know? We should try. Anyway, I hope you have fun at the wedding. I wish I could've been the one to walk down the aisle with you and not…" he pauses. "Anyway, I love you."

The video stops, and I take a deep breath. I did love Redmond. I did. But we aren't good together. Not because we didn't try… we just aren't. And if I would've stopped and thought about it for more than five seconds, I would've seen it.

But some things you don't realize until it's too late.

Chapter 10

Keelan

18 years old | May the Fourth

“This is the one day a year you get to go full nerd, Rina. Are you seriously not coming out with us?” Jenny stands at the edge of her roommate’s bed. The same place she’s stood all year to convince her to go out and doactualfun things.

“That’s not fair. You know finals are coming up, and if I don’t stay in and study, I’ll never pass Mom's class.”

Jenny throws her hands up. “Whatever happened to good ole’ nepotism? I swear. It’s like everybody is trying to be fair these days,” Jenny jokes.

I let out a snort from my place at the entrance to their dorm room. Rina’s eyes shoot my way, and I try to stifle the laugh.

“Yes. My mom hates me. She doesn’t think I’ll ever amount to anything, which is why she makes my life hell,” Rina says, her face hiding into her knees pulled up on her bed.

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