Page 54 of Worth the Chase

“She said that you drank at the saloon because I was there.”

“I already told you that.” I shrugged.

“But you didn’t tell me the rest,” she pushed, her hazel eyes staring right through me.

I swallowed. “Bells, you know I never drank in high school, right?”

“Yeah. Your body was a temple and all that.” She rolled her eyes as she repeated the words I must have told her at least a hundred times.

“I rarely drank during the season. Only if we were celebrating. I drank even less in the offseason. Always training, you know? Anyway, when I drink now, I get drunk pretty quickly.”

“You’re a lightweight?” she asked with an unbelievable laugh.

“Oh, the lightest,” I admitted because it was the truth. “I hated when you worked at the saloon, okay? Couldn’t stand the thought of you closing that place all alone at midnight and sometimes later, depending on the crowd and season. What kind of owner lets a five-foot-nothing female close a place like that all by herself?”

“Addi thought that’s why you were there,” she breathed out, her tone sounding serious and incredulous, almost like the concept of my being there for her was too much to believe.

“It was. I really don’t have a drinking problem, Bells. I will drink beer because I like it. And I swear to God, if I drink two, then I’m done for. It’s embarrassing, and my brothers don’t know because I’d never fucking hear the end of it.”

“But—” she started to say something and stopped just as quick.

“But what? You can ask me anything. It’s why we’re here.” I reached across the table for one of her hands and held it.

“It’s just that…” She looked away before focusing her attention back on me. “I’m trying to figure out how to say it right. You just seem sad, I think? Yeah. You act happy-go-lucky andlike you can brush everything right off your back, but you still seem sad to me.”

Damn.

This woman knew me better than most. She always had. Anytime I tried to hide my feelings, she’d always seen right through them.

“I miss hockey,” I said, clearing my throat. I never talked about this. Tried my best to not even fucking think about the fact that I’d lost it years before I was ready to. Nothing changed the outcome, so I hated focusing on it. It made me feel like shit.

“I’d be surprised if you didn’t,” she said, but I knew there was more behind that sentence, so I waited for her to continue speaking. “Have you thought about talking to someone about it?” Bells asked the question with so much hesitation that I wondered how big of an arrogant prick she actually thought I was.

“Like a therapist?” I asked, but my tone was teasing.

“Yeah. Like a therapist,” she repeated.

“I’ve kicked it around a time or two,” I answered. I’d even gone so far as to look up sports therapists online, but I hadn’t taken the plunge into making a virtual appointment. I kept convincing myself that my depression would pass. And some days were better than others, so I continued to chug along.

“West mentioned that his sister was a therapist, if you want me to reach out and get her contact information,” she said.

That sentence woke me right the hell up. I felt like I’d been slapped.

“Did you just bring up that fireman on our date? And how do you know what his sister does for a living? How many times did you go out with this guy?” The questions flew out of my mouth faster than I could stop them. “You have his phone number? In your phone?” I couldn’t seem to contain my jealousy.

Bells held both hands in the air. “We did talk about our families before you came in all Cocaine Bear and ruined the whole thing.”

“Cocaine Bear?” I asked with a gruff laugh, not knowing what the hell that meant, but it still sounded funny as hell.

“It’s not my fault you acted like a crazed animal.”

“What else do you know about this guy?” I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms across my chest.

I hadn’t truly wanted an answer, but Bells went right on and gave me one anyway. “He has a twin brother, who’s a cop in their town. His other brother is a mechanic. And his sister is a therapist. The end.”

It was my turn to roll my eyes. “Good God. A copanda fireman? How noble. Their parents must be so proud.”

Bells frowned at my immaturity. “I was only trying to help, Matthew. I don’t know of any other therapists.”

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