Page 79 of Rainbow Kisses

He didn’t answer right away, just stared at me, like he was trying to read me. “I just wanted to say you had a good game. And you’re a good sport. And I haven’t been. So, yeah, sorry.”

Hell, he didn’t even look like he’d said any of that grudgingly, but like he actually meant it. So I didn’t want to light fire to any of the bridges we may have just started to repair.

“Thanks, man. There’s blame on both sides. You’re right. I let my bias cloud my judgment. That's on me. Sorry I wasn’t a better friend.”

“You were a good friend.” Reb shook his head. “And I took all the shit I was dealing with out on you. I never forgave you for something that wasn’t your fault. And I never said sorry for thinking it was.”

Alone in the room right now, I could say exactly what I’d been thinking since we’d had that fight two weeks ago.

“It wasn’t all your fault. And you’re right. I was dealing with a lot of shit then, and I’m dealing with a lot of shit now. But I don’t want to fucking fight with you anymore. I don’t know that you’ll ever let me close enough to be friends again, but I never hated you. And when you cut me off like you did, it felt like I’d lost a limb. It was fucking hard, Reb. My dad’s an alcoholic. Linny is too. I couldn’t do a damn thing about my dad, but I can fucking be there for Linny and Maddy.”

“Is Maddy doing okay?”

“Hell if I know. I’m a poor fucking excuse for a fill-in father, but I’m all she’s got, because her own dad’s a deadbeat and hasn’t seen her in years. And if the bastard came around today, I’d probably knock that fucker into next week.”

“Like you did to Zelinsky for my sister?”

When I didn’t say anything, Reb just shook his head.

“I know you’ve got a lot on your plate right now,” he said. “I don’t want to add any more shit to it. I just want you to know I’m done being angry with you. I should’ve been done a long time ago, but I’m an asshole who can hold a grudge for a fucking long time.”

Nodding, I gave him a hint of a smile. “No shit.”

“How’d you learn how to skate like that, anyway?”

“Why? You want me to teach you?”

Now Rebel actually cracked a smile. “Fuck you, man. I got my own moves.”

We walked out together like maybe our friendship could still be saved.

Even if I was having a secret affair with his sister.

“Hi there.”Rain smiled at Maddy and me as we walked through the door of Crack One Open Sunday morning. “I didn’t expect to see you this morning.”

Smiling, I walked up to the counter, opening my coat to let in the warm air of the bakery. Maddy had asked to come here for breakfast, and since it’d been the only thing she’d asked for since seeing her mom, I couldn’t say no. Maddy had been quiet all day yesterday, though she did ask me where I learned to skate likeI had Friday night. She’d seemed less than impressed when I’d said I did it to get a date with a girl.

“I think Maddy just wanted to get out of the apartment. And I need about a gallon of coffee.”

The last two games against the Saltersburg Seagulls had been grinders. The Seagulls had a couple of enforcers who took one look at me and decided it was Christmas all over again. And I was the gift. We’d had some run-ins over the years that made this game a little more…physical than some of the others this year.

Consequently, I had a few more shades of color on my skin than normal. Especially one on my jaw, which I saw Rain’s gaze glance over.

“Erin just made some chocolate chip muffins and blueberry scones. I could get you an ice pack for that too.”

“Sounds good.”

The bakery was quiet this morning, only a few people at the tables, all of them reading the local newspaper, probably because Erin printed it next door and set it out for free on all the tables.

As Rain filled a large cup with coffee, I turned to check on Maddy. And jolted when I realized she wasn’t in the room.

“Shit. I’ll be right back.”

Rushing for the door, I shoved through and exhaled when I realized she sat on the bench in front of the empty storefront next door, the one Erin and Rain were going to turn into a bookstore. Shoulders hunched, head down, she stared at her feet.

“Maddy.”

She didn’t move, didn’t acknowledge me in any way.

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