Page 61 of Falling for the Forward

He sided with her, and we might have gotten into a minor wrestling match over it. Then I had to sleep in his guest room on a bed with no sheets because the dipshit just covered it with a comforter and called it a day.

Our road trip was a back-to-back. Where we play a game in one city one night and another city the next. They’re always a grind. I wanted to call or text Suki, but my pride wouldn’t let me, so we haven’t spoken since Sunday.

We lost both games on the road trip and our goalie, Isaac, injured his wrist in the first one. Charlotte’s been texting me that Olivia is crying all the time over some boy, which makes me want to crush that boy with my bare hands.

I just want to get home. Charlotte told me Suki left a couple of hours ago and Harry’s at the house with them, which has to mean she’s still avoiding me.

Every hour of every day since she said it, I’ve replayed her saying she “probably” loves me. There I was, pouring my guts out about wanting to be with her, and she stabbed me in the gut.

Fuck probably. In fact, fuck everything. As soon as the bus, which is taking us from the airport back to the player parking lot at the arena, stops, I stand up. I get off as quickly as I can, not saying a word to anyone.

There’s enough snow on the ground that it crunches beneath my shoes as I walk to my car. I hope Suki’s ancient Toyota Camry still starts in this ice-cold weather. I’m pissed at her, but I still don’t want her stranded on the side of the road. She was driving my Navigator most of the time because the girls liked it better, and I was driving my Jeep Wrangler to the arena for road trips.But Charlotte told me Suki drove her own car when she left this afternoon.

Just one morefuck you, I guess. Women are goddamn impossible. I tried to just sayfuck it, who needs her anyway, but that only lasted about forty-five seconds.

I need her. And the girls do, too.

I brush the snow off the Wrangler’s windshield while it warms up. It’s still cold when I get inside. The fatigue of a back-to-back hits me as I drive home. We stayed in Vancouver last night after our game, but I slept like shit. When I finally did fall asleep, I dreamed that Suki had told me she married Tyler.

Harry’s navy BMW is parked in the driveway when I pull into my garage. I need some peace and a nap.

I get my bag from the passenger seat and walk into the house, immediately hearing someone wailing.

Hallie. I put my bag down and rush into the family room. Hallie’s sobbing, her hands over her face, and Charlotte looks stunned. Olivia is standing next to Harry, looking anguished, his arm around her shoulders in reassurance.

“Olivia lost Darling,” Charlotte says when she sees me.

“Lost him?”

Olivia’s voice breaks with emotion when she starts to speak. “I took him for a walk. He saw a dog and pulled on the leash. I couldn’t hold on to it.”

“He’s going to die!” Hallie wails.

“When did this happen?”

Harry’s brows are knitted with concern. “Olivia just got home like three minutes ago. We were about to get in my car and go look for him.”

“I’ll go. Liv, you come with me since you know where you were walking him.”

“Can I come?” Charlotte asks.

“No, you stay here.”

“He’s going to freeze,” Hallie says, sniffling.

“He has a coat and boots on,” Olivia says.

“What about his snout?”

I put up a palm. “Let us get out of here and find him, okay? He’s not exactly fast. He can only book it briefly and then he wears out.”

“I called Suki. She’s on her way,” Charlotte says.

I nod, not wanting to leave now that I know that. But I have to. The girls love Darling, especially Hallie. I’ve got to find that fat fucker.

Olivia and I get in the Navigator, her expression solemn.

“Do you really think we’ll find him?” she asks.

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