Page 108 of Unrivaled

“Oh look, a pool,” Polly said brightly. “Amanda, let’s go check that out. Okay bye!”

The sliding door closed audibly behind them.

Grady huffed. “I begged for forgiveness for being an asshole.”

Jess’s eyes went flinty. “He broke your arm, Grady.”

“During a hockey gamesix years ago, and it was an accident.”

“You didn’t think so at the time.”

“I didn’t know Max at the time.” Max didn’t hurt people on purpose. “Besides, Amanda broke your heart and you gave her a second chance.”

“That’s different.”

“Why? She broke up with you because our parents died and you’ll take her back ten years later just fine, but I broke up with Max because of a dumb misunderstanding and we made up after a couple weeks and that’s not okay?”

Jess crossed her arms, radiating displeasure. “You were really upset.”

“So were you ten years ago, and you don’t see me getting in the way of your happiness now. You think only older siblings get to feel overprotective?”

She broke his gaze. “I’m… sorry. I pushed you to start dating and you slept with Max instead, and you were so happy and then you weren’t, and it just… felt like my fault.”

Grady stared at her. “What the fuck. How was it your fault I thought Max was blabbing secrets about our sex life to his teammates?”

“I didn’t say it wasrational.” She dropped into a seat at the breakfast bar.

Grady joined her. “If it helps any, I’ve definitely, like, been there. For example, when you and Amanda broke up.”

Jess looked at him in surprise. “Grades. That wasn’t your fault.”

He resisted the urge to cross his arms in the same defensive gesture Jess had used earlier. “If I’d been older, or if I hadn’t existed, Amanda wouldn’t have had a freakout about becoming a stepparent. She wouldn’t have dumped you.”

“Jesus.” She leaned closer over the counter. “I never blamed you for that, okay? We were both doing the best we could.”

Grady put his hand over hers. “Yeah. And we still are.”

For a second, Jess only blinked at him. Then she said, “Motherfucker, did Max make you this sappy?”

Grady grinned. “Yeah, he did.”

“Ugh.” She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “Fine. I guess I’m happy for you. Loser.”

“Thank you.” He smiled. “I think we should hug now?”

“Oh my God, Max reallydidchange you.” But she laughed and stood up to hug him, and she clung tighter than he could remember in years. Grady sank into it. They should hug more often.

Then she pulled away and looked him up and down, her gaze lingering on the waistband of his swimsuit, which had slipped down under the weight of the damp material until the top of the lobster cracker was just visible. “Is that a tattoo?”

MAX GOToff the plane from Edmonton blinking sandpapery eyes and dragging his feet.

The bruises from his time as a Monster had mostly healed and been replaced by new ones, though not as many. He’d finally scored his first goal in a Piranhas jersey, slick and dirty from the paint, the way he liked it.

The Piranhas had taken him out to celebrate, and Max’s liver would never be the same.

But at least he had the proverbial monkey off his back. Now he could… go back to his hotel and be alone.

He unlocked his rental car and dropped into the driver’s seat, where he texted Grady.This is going to sound dumb but I really miss my dog. Facetime isnt the same.

---