Page 75 of Not A Chance

“I don’tthinkso,” Indie admitted. “But, and it’s a major but, there is a chance that she will be upset. There’s a part of me that thinks she will see this as some sort of betrayal. Em was my first real friend and has been for two decades. And Theo, think about it: who’s she going to ultimately side with if things go wrong?”

“You.” There was no hesitation in my answer. I truly thought my sister would take Indie’s side in every outcome I could imagine.

She laughed and brought her other hand up to my head so she could rub gentle circles against the skin beside my eyes while her hands threaded through my hair.

“That’s a nice fantasy, goalie.” She leaned down and gave me a kiss on my forehead like I was a kid who’d said something adorable. “But the hard truth is, family comes first. Hell, even with my absolute shitshow of a family, that’s true. They just put theideaof the family name first rather than the actual people. But anyway, Emery wouldpick you. Then, poor Abbie would be stuck in the middle of a fight and forced to take sides. And there’s nothing that girl hates more than conflict.”

I wanted to say that she was more worried about hurting Emery and Abbie than herself, but I could see where she was coming from.

I also had some sense of self-preservation. Even if I thought I knew how things would turn out with Emery, there was no way to make Indie see my point of view.

It was the same reason why I never let myself get invested with my teammates in Vancouver, even after more than a decade with the Frost. Why invest in people I was just going to lose to a trade or retirement?

Yeah, and how did that work out for you? Thirty-one and just now seeing how you ensured your own loneliness all these years?

“So what do you want to do?” I wasn’t sure if I was just asking about Christmas and telling Emery.

“Theo, I said I would tell Em. And I meant it. I just wasn’t expecting to have a deadline put on it.” I grimaced at the idea that she saw the whole thing as something that she was now being rushed into.

But would she do it if she didn’t have this push? Seeing how concerned she was about the fallout, I was less certain than before I’d impulsively voiced the invitation.

She took a deep breath. “So yes, I will go home with you for Christmas. But…” She pursed her lips, considering. “I want to get a hotel room. I don’t want to have this conversation with Emery over the phone. I owe it to her to look her in the eye when I tell her. The Tempests schedule gives us an extra day before Christmas Eve that we can stay over, and I can tell her.”

Part of me had hoped she was going to call up Emery right this moment to get everything out in the open. But that was just mebeing impatient to feel more secure in our relationship. And from what Indie had said, it was the exact opposite of what she wanted and needed.

So I could continue being patient. I mirrored the way she was still holding my head by putting my hands through her hair and bringing her mouth to mine for a slow but deep kiss to seal my promise to wait for her to do things her way.

“Okay, Rocky. If that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll do,” I said after I pulled back from the kiss just long enough to let the words escape before returning my lips to hers.

Even if I’d had to collect every piece of good sense I accumulated over my entire life to navigate this conversation, her answering smile when she pulled back told me that I’d managed to say the right thing for once.

Indie

This was a dumb idea. I’m going to catch the next plane back after we land.

Connor

Now that doesn’t sound like the Indie I know.

Indie

That Indie left her good sense at customs in Pearson Airport.

Connor

If you can make a reporter piss his pants in fear and wrangle hockey players to their respective media obligations, you can talk to your friend. It’ll be all good, you’ll see.

Indie

Nope. Not happening. I’m coming back and I’ll haveSwiss Chalet for Xmas dinner.

Connor

I’m beginning to think your phone has been hacked. The only fast food I’ve seen you consume is made with coffee beans and comes in a cup.

TO THE HACKER OF INDIE’S PHONE—I don’t make enough money to pay the ransom you are trying to extort here. You’d have better luck with Yao’s account. He must be rich because he’s practically geriatric after being in the league so long.

Despite the great white shark of worry swimming in my stomach, Connor’s texts had a small smile forming on my lips.

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