Page 75 of Bad Teammate
“No!” she yelled. “You can’t go yet!”
Austen snatched the laptop out of my hands and held it away from me. “You’re staying, Katerina. Youhaveto.”
I was too defeated to fight or wrestle to get my laptop back. Instead, I simply extended my hand, hoping she’d take pity on me.
“Please, Austen. No more games. We all know I made a fool out of myself when I got involved with Derek—and an even bigger fool when I thought it might lead somewhere. Please give me back my laptop. I need to get back to Moscow and get on with my life. I’ve got so much work waiting for me already.”
“Please just give it some more time,” Emma pleaded. “Maybe I’m wrong, but I think youdomean something to Reavo, and if you just let things play out over the next few days …? You never know!”
“She’s right,” Austen agreed. Because of course she would. “Trust me, Reavo isnotthe type of guy who’d create a locker room controversy just because he’s ‘trying to get laid.’ If that’s all he wanted, he could go to any club and pick up a girl this fast.” She snapped her fingers. “So, yeah, it’s obvious he likes you, or he never would’ve gotten involved with you in the first place.”
I sighed. “Derektoldmehedoesn’t want anything to do with me.What do you think I’m going to do? Go back to his condo and wait for him to change his mind? It’s not going to happen. There’s too much at stake for him. He’s not going to risk his hockey reputation if he only sees me as a warm hole to stick his dick in. I can’t even be mad at him. I was stupid to get myself in this mess in the first place.”
“You think I didn’t have a ton of doubt when I first met Dane?” Austen replied.
“I’m sure you did.” I sighed. “But I’m not you, and Derek isn’t Dane. He’s not Jack, either. Have the two of you ever stopped to think that maybe your perspectives are skewed because you were one of the lucky few to find the love of your life? Some people are lucky in life, others aren’t. I’ve never been lucky. I never get what I want, and the things Idohave always gettaken away from me.That’s just the way things are. I’ve accepted it long ago. I don’t blame you for not understanding, but trust me when I say I know how my life works.” I motioned for my laptop. “Now, please give me my laptop so I can go back to my home with some small shred of dignity left.”
“I’m sorry,” Austen muttered with a frown. “I never meant to hurt you. I only wanted to help.”
Slowly, she handed the laptop over.
“I know that. Please don’t feel bad,” I said. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine. But I’m correcting it now.” I opened the laptop and clicked the confirmation button. “There. I’ll be leaving tomorrow evening.”
“God, Katerina. I feel awful,” Emma said. “I’m so bummed you’re leaving early … but I understand.”
The air felt suddenly heavy, and something lingered between us that made conversation difficult.
“Well … Dane and Jack are making dinner tonight, if you want to come join us?” Austen asked.
I shook my head. “No, thank you. I don’t have much of an appetite and I think I’d rather be alone tonight.”
Austen and Emma looked at each other.
“Maybe we should go?” Austen asked, testing the waters.
I nodded solemnly. “Sorry to be such a bummer. I just need some time to clear my mind.”
“We understand.”
The three of us shared a long hug. I thanked them for coming and apologized for being a mess, but I promised that everything would be normal thenexttime I came to visit.
“If you’re still willing to accept a player’s sister as an honorary member of the WAGs, that is,” I joked.
“Of course!” Both girls cheerfully agreed. “You’re a WAG for life, Katerina.”
They left and then I was alone.
I pulled out my phone and sent Sasha a text message letting him know that I had to switch to an early flight back home because of work stuff, and that I was staying in a hotel tonight so I probably wouldn’t see him until next time we met.
Twenty minutes later, my phone chimed with his reply.
“Okay. I’ll fly back home for Christmas. See you then.”
I thought it was strange he didn’t ask why I was leaving early or why I was staying in a hotel … nor did he ask to see me one last time before I left like I thought he would …
Maybe Austen and Emma are right?
But I was tired of getting my hopes up when everything else was telling me to move on.
