Page 45 of Breakaway

“Hey, Drake, Clay,” I say, lowering myself into a chair across from them. Colton sits beside me.

“Finally, the man I’ve been waiting for!” Drake puts his elbows on the table and leans forward.

“Wait…” Colton drawls, looking between Drake and me. “Did you know about him and Nevaeh?”

“Of course! Nevaeh came over after Angie and I got back from France, and she told us about her and Roman’s drunken wedding in Vegas.”

“Theirwhat?” Colton turns to me, his jaw is ready to hit the floor. It’s probably the first time I’ve seen him so stunned. It’s kind of hilarious. “What the hell happened? I thought you were going to Vegas alone.”

I rub my palms over my face as Colton and Drake continue to gawk at me. Clay, on the other hand, looks highly entertained by the whole situation.Da blin?1. Can’t they just let it go? With a sigh, I sit straighter and start explaining what happened and why Nevaeh and I agreed to stay married till the season ends. When I finally finish, there is only silence. And it troubles me.

“Damn, man,” Colton mutters, locking his hands behind his head. “I understand why, but it’s still fucked up. That’s, like,almost a year away…What if you meet someone you really like? What if Nevaeh meets someone?”

“There are so many things that could go wrong.” I shake my head. “But I…I can’t imagine my life without hockey. I can’t risk my career.”

“Don’t you think that’s selfish?” Drake asks. “All I hear is you, you, you. Have you even thought about Nevaeh?”

Frowning, I hold his gaze. “I didn’t force her. She had a choice, and this was her decision too. If she’d said she wanted an annulment, we would’ve gotten one in the blink of an eye.”

“Nevaeh likes you,” he states angrily.

“You’re wrong. She’s still not over her ex.”

Drake rears back, his lips in a tight line. “Travis?” I nod, crossing my arms over my chest. “Nevaeh doesn’t love him. She never did. Why would she want to get back together with him?”

“She said it’s complicated,” I mumble under my breath, my confidence waving me good-bye. What if I misunderstood everything when it comes to her ex?

“It is,” he confirms. “Nevaeh wants him to move on, but Travis still thinks she’s the one for him. He’s not ready to give up on her. That’s why it’s complicated, Roman.”

The table falls silent. I chew the inside of my cheek, my eyes moving around the terrace. What if I don’t need to hold back with Nevaeh? If she doesn’t care about her ex, there’s no reason for me to stay away. We can get to know each other and see if things between us could work out. What if we try being together for real? The attraction is there; I can’t deny it. And it’s growing stronger with each day I get to spend with her.

I’ve never liked anyone more than I like her. That’s gotta be something, right?

“I wonderwhy no one ever said anything about you liking her. It’s so pathetically obvious.”

The hand holding my glass freezes in midair.Kakogo hrena?2?I turn my head and gape at Clay. He takes a sip of his drink, not bothered by my reaction in the slightest.

It’s been hours since Nevaeh and I got to Thompson’s house. Food, drinks, and conversations passed the time. Kids’ laughter and jokes about the upcoming season didn’t leave any room for boredom or sadness. It’s probably the first time in a while that I’ve felt so good being around people. My friends and their families. And Nevaeh. Even if I have barely seen her because she’s keeping Angie company, hanging out with Ava, Bella, and Layla. We don’t need to pretend that we’re a couple…but I find it extremely difficult not to watch her. Did Clay notice?

“What do you mean?” I ask, playing dumb.

Rodgers downs his drink and focuses on me. “Benson’s been roasting you about Nevaeh liking you, insinuating that it’s all one-sided. But if he looked close enough, he would know you like her too.”

“That’s—”

“Cut the bullshit, Roman. Not with me, okay?” he says, furrowing his brows. “I know better than anyone here what it’s like to hide your feelings from everyone.”

I follow his line of sight and see Layla. Drake’s sister holds her daughter, Maya, while talking to Ava. The blonde hair cascading down her shoulders makes a great contrast to her daughter’s brown hair, her head resting on her mom’s shoulder. The memories of locker room chatter I overheard come to mind, and I look back at Clay.

“You still like Layla,” I say quietly, and he shoots me a glare.

“Way to change the subject,” he comments snidely, but he doesn’t tell me I’m wrong. “All I want to say is…don’t let your chances go to waste. Stop spending time doubting all the will-she-won’t-she bullshit. If you like her, do something about it.”

I keep silent, the thoughts swirling in my head becoming louder and more prominent with each passing second. A smile blossoms on my lips when my eyes land on Nevaeh running after Michael, Ava and Colton’s son. They are both laughing when she catches him and tackles him to the ground with him landing on top of her, his back pressed to her chest. She tickles him, the sound of his laughter reverberating across the lawn. Isla, Xander and Bella’s daughter, runs up to them, giggling and saying something about Michael losing a bet.

A heavy hand lands on my shoulder, and I shift my gaze back to Clay. He hovers over me, his yellow-green eyes radiating warmth.

“Think about what I said, Roman.” He squeezes my shoulder one last time and walks away, joining Colton at the grill.

---