Page 25 of Tropical Inferno

“I’ll try,” he said quietly. “What else can you tell me about him?”

“He’s big, about 6’4”, 225, has a mohawk, lots of tattoos. He’s originally from Los Angeles but I don’t know where he lives now.”

“Ottawa.” Jamie sounded… sad?

“What?”

“He lives in Ottawa. His name is Garrett Hawkins—also known as my former friend and teammate, Hawk.”

“Oh my God.” She was floored, her mouth falling open. “He never said a word.”

“Yeah, he wouldn’t. Not with what’s going on.”

“Does it have something to do with you?”

“Not specifically, but yeah.”

“Jamie? Tell me.”

He sighed. “You’re already falling in love with him, aren’t you?”

Tears were puddling in her eyes and she swiped at them angrily. “Just tell me!”

“Answer the question.”

“Yes, dammit! And he loves me too. I know it’s stupid, I know it’s been like 20 minutes and we’re acting like romantic idiots, but I knew the minute he threw me down to protect me from those gangbangers. It’s real, it is!” She was crying in earnest now.

“Then you need to talk to him. Find out his side of the story. If I tell you the public version, it’s ugly.”

“So you’re not going to tell me either?”

“I…” He took a breath. “Hawk—Garrett—was my friend. I’d like to give him the benefit of the doubt because you care for him. No matter which one of us tells you, it’s going to be up to you to decide if you can live with it and if it’s something that will change how you feel. I believe it should come from him.”

“Are you mad at him?”

“I’m disappointed in him, but not really mad. We all say and do things in the heat of the moment on the ice. My friend Dom hit a guy so hard he broke his neck sliding into the boards—Dom didn’t mean it and he’s spent every day since making sure not to lose his temper on the ice ever again. People make mistakes, but I don’t know what’s in Hawk’s heart. We weren’t that close.”

“You’re my big brother—there’s no one I trust more than you. Please tell me what to do.”

“You’re a grown woman, hon. I can’t, especially in matters of the heart.”

“Tell me what you think I should do, dammit!” she cried in frustration. “I’m all alone with this guy, living some modern-day romantic fairy tale and I’m terrified I’m going to find out he cut someone’s head off and hid it in the locker room.”

“If I thought he was dangerous, or would actually hurt you, I’d already be on my way to Hawaii.”

She was the one who sighed this time. “So you still trust him with me in spite of what he did.”

“I trust him not to physically harm you. I don’t think that’s who he is, and to be honest, I never expected this from him. I was shocked when I heard what he’d done because he was one of the few guys I spent a little time with while I was in Ottawa and he seemed like good people—the kind of guy I’d let my sister date.”

“None of this makes any sense.”

“Go back to the resort and talk to him,” he said gently. “Apparently he hasn’t even made a statement. The league handed down the suspension and he disappeared.”

“You’re not helping.”

“The thing is, if you’re in love with him, it’s too late. No matter what I say, you’re already invested. Your head will listen to reason but your heart won’t. If I tell you to dump him and walk away, you’ll always wonder—and maybe even blame me for ruining this for you. It has to be your decision. And like I said, it surprised me, so maybe something else is going on… A new medication? A death in his family? Something to make him do something he wouldn’t normally do. I’m not making excuses, I just want you to do what you have to do so you’re okay with whatever decision you make. Trust me—walking away from someone when you know that person is part of you, your other half, is the hardest thing you’ll ever do. I don’t wish it on anyone.”

“I love you, Jamie.”

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