Page 50 of My Best Bet

“You really gotta work on the door slamming,” Kappy said.

“Yeah,” I breathed out. I did.

11.Mer - Happy Kappy

The next Monday after practice, Lucy ran up to me, a shy smile on her face, and handed me a homemade birthday invitation.

“I hope you can make it,” she said with a sweet smile. Her shiny eyes held so much hope and they reminded me so much of Colt’s that it took my breath away for a second.

“Thank you so much,” I told her before she dashed off to the pro-shop with another homemade invitation dangling from her hand.

Taking in the cute crayon drawing and crooked letters, my heart swelled. While I wanted to go to the party for her, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to face anyone else who’d surely be present.

For one, there was the matter of Colt. I think the two of us called an unspoken truce, choosing to prioritize Lucy’s skating over our past.

But I wasn’t ready to see Lucy’s mom… orhismom. I shivered at the thought of seeing Catherine Conover again.

Yeah… No. That wasn’t going to happen. I was in charge of my own peace, and there was no reason to allow toxic people– like Catherine– into my life ever again. I’d have to say my thanks, but decline.

But as soon as I spotted Lucy in the lobby, I noticed the guy bending down to unlace her skates wasnotColt.

I immediately ducked behind the nearest vending machine. I couldn’t guarantee that he didn’t hate me too, and my heart couldn’t take another confrontation like the last one that ended with me holding that stupid $100 bill. I’d just have to decline theinvite after our next lesson… But I had to cross in front of them to reach the coaches locker room.

With a deep breath, I gathered my courage, then started swooshing away in my coach sweatpants like they were on fire.

I should’ve known Kappy wouldn’t let me get away.

“Mer Bear?!” he called out.

I cringed at the old nickname that only he ever used. Mentally preparing myself for the worst, I slowly turned to face him.

He stood there with his hands on his hips, a huge grin on his face. He was so much bigger, and more muscular, compared to the young version of him. Gone was his trademark mullet, and his dark hair was now parted in the middle and floppy. It was shocking that his eyes still held mischief, like they were frozen in time, permanently existing as a kid who’d just gotten away with trouble.

In an instant, he stalked toward me and wrapped me up in a big hug, pulling me off my skates.

A shocked laugh popped out of me. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the hug. Maybe it was the bittersweet nostalgia of seeing an old friend, or maybe I was just touch-starved, but my eyes stung a little.

I always liked Kappy. Sure, he was a troublemaker, but he was a strategic one. He caused trouble to make his friends forget their own troubles, at least for a little while.

He dipped his head to look at me closer. “Mer Bear, are you crying? Don’t cry.” He chuckled and pulled me in for another hug, squishing me against his chest.

My cheeks hurt from grinning. I wiped at the corner of my eye, feeling pathetic. “It’s just… It’s good to see you. Thank you for… not hating me.”

“Nah,” he drawled. “No one hates you, Mer.”

I swallowed hard and nodded, filing away his words for later.

“It’s so good to see you, too. I couldn’t believe it when I heard you were coaching here. You and–” He cut himself off and swiftly backed off, holding his hands up in innocence. “Wait, Piper the Viper’s not around, is she?”

A laugh bubbled out of me at his old nickname for her. “No, she’s in Montreal for the rest of the week, so you can relax.” The two of them were always at each other’s throats when we were kids. Sometimes I wondered if there was something more to the hate between them.

His hands went to his hips. “Ah, still doing the twirl routine with ‘ol Patty boy, eh?”

I nodded.

His eyes drifted up and down me and he rubbed his jaw. “Wow, you look almost the same.”

“You do not.”

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