Page 50 of Hard to Break

“I’m surprised your girlfriend didn’t want to come,” the woman calls over the wind as the car climbs higher. “She afraid of heights?”

I smile, but it’s tight. “She’s not afraid of anything.”

Including walking away from me.

The thought sneaks in before I can stop it. The memory of watching her walk out the door plays on repeat every time I close my eyes. It’s the worst gut punch I’ve ever experienced.

We’re not broken up. It’s space.

I tell myself for the hundredth time.

Thing is, I’ve never had a woman say that to me before and never been close enough that I would’ve had to analyze what the hell that even meant.

When you try not to spend every second thinking about the person you’ve been spending every second thinking about, you need to replace them with something else.

Distraction is something I’m an expert at.

Hence, amusement park.

The roller coaster car reaches the peak and drops.

Screams go up.

Human beings built these rolling metal monsters to see how much we can feel. By the second loop, I’m feeling way too much.

The rest of the ride, I’m preoccupied, right up until I’m stepping off at the end and my phone rings.

“Drug test came back.” My agent’s voice comes over the phone as I head toward the sponsor’s booth to take more photos. “It’s clean.”

My eyes close in relief. Even though I knew I did nothing wrong, part of me was on edge until we got the official results. “So, the five-game suspension’s going to lift? I can get back in uniform what, tomorrow?”

“I’m working on that.”

There’s a line of fans almost as long as the ride for the coaster.

Brooke doesn’t want to be around me, but that doesn’t mean other people don’t. The thought is shitty, but a small, petty part of me feels good thinking it.

A bigger part of me feels like it’s been stomped into a paste using stiletto heels. Guess that’s the difference in being sore over someone you liked and having your heart ripped out and handed to you.

“The season isn’t over. Go to the gym. Keep your head down. We need to focus.” My agent’s voice brings me back.

“That’s what I’m doing.” My hand covers my mouth. “Excuse me.”

I step behind the building and throw up next to a plant.

BROOKE

“Brooke,are you coming down for dinner?” Mom’s voice echoes up the stairs.

I haven’t lived with my parents since before college. My room is still perfectly preserved, which I should be grateful for, but it brings back too many memories.

I start to say no, but my stomach growls. When was the last time I ate anything? I honestly can’t remember.

Since I moved back in a week ago, I’ve been trying to keep my distance from Miles, but I can’t help wondering what he’s doing practically every second.

I click over to Miles’s profile on social media. I don’t expect to see any updates. He’s on suspension, for goodness’ sake.

What’s there has my brows shooting up.

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