Page 104 of My Best Bet

“I love you,” I murmured, bringing her knuckles to my lips. “I love you, Meredith Bennett.”

She collapsed into me and I held her. Cradling the back of her head to my chest, I looked to the ceiling and blinked rapidly to clear my eyes.

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t know what to do. I hope you can forgive me. Focus on yourself, okay? Call me when you’re ready. I’ll be back to you as soon as I can. I promise,” I told her.

She pushed me away. Backing up against the wall, she sank to the floor, crying.

My knees cracked as I bent down to comfort her, but she shook her head and pushed me away, and it felt like a dagger to the heart.

I had to remind myself that she was angry and hurting, and I broke her trust.

“Take care of yourself, baby,” I said before walking away from her, hoping I didn’t just make the biggest mistake of my life.

_________

A few weeks later, I rang in the new year with my team. All night, I was at war with myself, wanting to call her, but stopping myself. I just wanted to hear her voice so fucking badly, but I also knew her. I knew she needed space to get better.

She was pissed at me, which was understandable, and I didn’t want to push her or overwhelm her. She was about to skate in the biggest competition of her life, and she’d talk to me when she was ready. I had to believe that.

It was crazy, really. My whole life I wanted to be on the road with an NHL team. Her whole life, she wanted to be going to the Olympics. Now that both of those things were starting to happen, all I wanted was to go back in time to be at Centre Ice with her.

The next Saturday, I woke up feeling sick to my stomach.

I’d be skating in Boston with my team in a couple hours. Mer would be competing in the US National Figure Skating Championship in San Jose tomorrow.

I sat in the locker room re-taping my stick when a couple of my teammates, who were watching a video on someone’s phone, sucked in shocked breaths.

“Oh shiiiit.”

“Thatsucks.”

“Good reminder that the ice isn’t forgiving, eh?”

My neck snapped up. “What? What happened?”

They went quiet, using only their eyes to silently communicate between themselves.

“What’re you watching?” I gestured to the phone.

Kappy rushed into the locker room and stared at me. His face drained of color and he swallowed hard.

“What?” My body went shaky.Why wasn’t anyone answering me?“What’s wrong?”

Kappy gave a slight head shake to our teammates. The guy holding his phone slowly put it on the bench, face down.

“Give me the phone,” I demanded, striding over to him.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, dude.”

“Give it to me,” I demanded.

As soon as I saw the screen, recognition dawned on me. I knew that practice dress.

My gut twisted.

Mer and Andy, skating at Nationals. It was just a warm-up session.

She went up for the lift. He was holding her above his shoulders. But something went wrong. He jerked forward, losing his balance, and she went straight down on the ice. Right on her knee.

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