Page 76 of Rebel Bride
“You heard from Summer?”
“One call with her sobbing about how sorry she was. I told her she would need to wait until I’m ready. Best to let her stew. Figure out how bad things are without me. Then”—he snapped his fingers—“I’ll decide if I should bring her back in.”
I stared at him, barely able to hide my incredulity. “You mean, you’d get back together with her?”
“Maybe, maybe not. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pissed at her. But she’s always been indecisive. Took her two tries to get her to say yes.” Summer had said three, but I didn’t correct him because I wasn’t supposed to know that. “And she wanted to keep her job, but I convinced her to cave there, too. Now she’s unemployed and homeless. Once she realizes how cold the streets are, she’ll come around.”
I had come in here, thinking that Carter deserved my sympathy. I was now convinced he deserved jack shit.
There was a reason we weren’t that close: he made everything about him. Maybe that was the result of growing up the scion of a billionaire family. Sure, my family was wealthy, but we weren’t allowed to coast or rely on that wealth. Hell, Dad made me get a part-time job at Saugatuck Yacht Club every summer from the age of fifteen. Said it would teach me the value of hard work.
Of course, Carter had worked hard to make it in the NHL. No one got to this level without putting in the effort, but he had always been the kind of player who skated by on his natural talent. I was gifted but not as much as some of the other guys. Not as much as my dad, my uncle Jason, or even my brother Conor who was going to outdo us all in the legend stakes. The kid was phenom with a capital P.
No, I worked my ass off every day and made sure no one doubted my worthiness to be on a pro-hockey team. Carter didn’t see his hockey career in the same light. This was a side hustle for him rather than the main event—the main event being Dash Carter the Third.
“But why would you want her back after what she did?”
“Not sure I do. And frankly I could get anyone, y’know? But she always played hard to get, even when we were dating. Like she didn’t think I was good enough for her. Women don’t usually put up that kind of resistance with me. It’s kind of hot.”
The guy was jilted by his bride on his wedding day, and it made him want her … more? Summer had told me they’d broken up a few times. Maybe this was just part of their drama cycle, taken to the next level.
Too stunned to respond, I pulled off my T-shirt and started dressing for camp. Because this was the equivalent of light practice, I forewent the full padding and kept it to warm-up gear. I was lacing up my skates when Conor walked in.
He approached Carter with his fist already closed, going for the bump. “Carter! I cannot believe you are showing your face in this town.”
That was my brother, the closest we had to a Theo Kershaw clone. Over the years my dad had become more tactful, (slightly) less embarrassing, and more likely to think before he spoke.
Enter Conor.
The guy had picked up the mantle of my dad’s lack of filter. But because he was such a good-natured bro about it, a shocked Carter just held up his fist and accepted the bump.
“I’m guessing you found some island hottie to cheer you up.”
Carter smirked, instantly mollified. “You know it.”
“Sounds like Summer landed on her feet, too.”
“What? You mean, she’s with someone?”
My brother shrugged and … side-eyed me. What the?—?
“No idea,” he said to Carter. “I meant that she found a place to live. She’s staying with Addy and Rosie. Is it true you dumped her stuff on the street? That’s cold, man!”
That was cold. Also, the first I was hearing about it. My fist clenched at my side.
Carter gave a negligent shrug. “Girl’s gotta learn.”
Conor caught my eye, winked, and placed his palm over his heart. “Well, miracle of miracles. The Lord saw right to save that sinner’s possessions and make it so she could find them again.”
Bafflement knitted Carter’s brow. “The Lord saw what now?”
“Guess her stuff didn’t get thrown out after all. Addy sent Nyquist over to pick it up because he’s whipped. Or he’s a sucker for a damsel in distress.” Conor looked pointedly at me then back to Carter. “Jesus, dude, do you want her walking the streets naked? Huh, maybe ya do.”
Carter had no response to that, and now my dad had come in, so the conversation was at an end. As we headed out to the rink to start the camp, I pulled Conor back.
“How come you know so much about this Summer situation?”
“I make it my business to keep up with the R-drama. Knowledge is power, bro.”
