Page 20 of My Best Bet

I threw up my arms. “That’s what I said.” Her presence here was stirring up old memories and emotions that had no business resurfacing. There’s no way she’d want to remember all that either.

A flash of amusement passed on Kappy’s face before he feigned a serious frown. “Could be for a boyfriend.”

My face went slack. My angry heart practically dropped through my ass. It felt like I died right there on the spot.

“Alright, not necessary,” JP yelled at him.

“What? Why?” Kappy asked, playing dumb. He reached for his tenth slice of pizza. I wanted to smack the dopey grin right off his face.

“Because you’re giving him a heart attack,” JP accused.

Kappy’s brown eyes were full of challenge when they darted back to mine. “Why? He’s not with her. He hasn’t been with her for a decade. He doesn't evenknowher anymore.”

I flinched at my own words being thrown back at me.

“It still hurts. He’s delicate. You know this,” JP argued.

My face cracked. “Okay, no, I’m not fucking delicate.”

“Yes, you are,” they chorused together.

I shook my head. “No, I’m not, assholes.”

Butwhyelse would she choose Chicago? She never once mentioned wanting to live here, I would’ve remembered that. I rubbed my jaw in thought. If not for a boyfriend, maybe for a…best friend?My eyes darted to Kappy. “You ever keep track of Piper?”

He dropped his pizza and shot me a dark look. “Okay, that’s very different and you know it.”

He wasn’t getting it. He wasn’t connecting the dots. He thought I was only bringing up Piper because he brought up Mer.

Standing quickly, I practically dashed into my kitchen for my laptop. I could feel JP and Kappy on my heels, following me into the room.

I had the rink information pulled up in a minute.

Snapping my fingers, I pointed at the screen. “That’s it.” White-blonde hair, worn down to her shoulders these days, piercing green eyes, and red painted lips. Piper the Viper. Coaching at the Coliseum.

What a mess.

Rubbing my face, I paced my kitchen, trying to settle my heart rate. So, Mer’s move wasn’t spontaneous, and she wasn’t leaving. She moved here to be closer to her best friend.

JP pulled my laptop around and shoved his face right up to it because his eyesight was so bad. “Damn.” He squinted as he read her bio. “Piper the Viper’s been training and coaching here for a while, who woulda thought?”

“You’re lying.” Kappy’s face turned white. “You two are just screwing with me. Right? Ha ha. Good joke. Ya got me, you can stop now.”

JP turned the screen around and held it up for him to see Piper’s professional photo and bio under the Coliseum’s banner.

His mouth dropped slightly open.

“Looks like she started at the Coliseum earlier this summer. Mer started two weeks ago,” JP informed him.

Kappy gripped his chest. “Atourrink? Inourcity? Why? To torture us?!” he yelled with wide eyes. “Oh God. I’m gonna…” He stumbled back, hit the edge of a chair, then fumbled to the ground with a loud thud. “I’m gonna throw up.”

“Oh, sonowit’s our city?” I chirped, shaking my head.

“I don’t feel so good,” Kappy muttered.

“Think about it,” JP said, rubbing his jaw.

“Think about what?” I asked, reaching in the fridge to hand Kappy a water.

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