Page 125 of Rebel Bride
Me
Sure, but before, it seemed like I was creating reports for theoretical purposes. Now, I’m having an actual impact. It’s a dream come true.
Addy
Any hot hockey players?
Me
No idea. I no longer see muscles. How’s living with Lars and Mabel?
Addy
So good. I love seeing them all the time, and I know I’m going to love being home when Lars gets in from an away game once the season starts.
Rosie
Instant delivery of the D! Gotta love the live-in sitch, though I miss you, roomie. I miss you both.
Addy
Well, Summer can have my room if she comes back to Chicago.
A few minutes after the text conversation wound down, a call came in from Addy. I answered immediately, knowing what was on her mind. It was the same subject she’d covered in every other call since I left Chicago.
She launched right into it. “You know this is good news, right? About Dash.”
I didn’t pretend to misunderstand. Reading the news about Dash’s new girlfriend should have lightened my load and made me feel less guilty about what had happened with Hatch.
“It doesn’t change anything, Addy. Dash would still be hurt if he knew about your brother, and it would cause major drama with the team. It’s better that we leave things the way they are.”
Addy made a noise of discontent. “Listen, I spent months last season worried about the team’s dynamics if my dad found out about Lars. That shouldn’t be a factor.”
Easy for her to say now that her love life was sorted. “You know it’s not the primary problem here.”
“Sure, but don’t you want to know how he is?”
Of course I did. I craved every last morsel of information about him. “If you want to tell me.”
“How about ‘I don’t have a freakin’ clue!’? He’s spent the last six weeks traveling and has barely checked in. Because he’s nursing a broken heart.”
“He hardly knows me well enough to be in love with me. I think he fell for a version of me that didn’t exist. The woman he couldn’t have. And yes, we connected while we hid away in Saugatuck, but it wasn’t real.”
Addy sighed. “And when you came back to Chicago? You were working for Kennedy and he was running the hockey camp. Those are real things. That was real life. Are you telling me you weren’t still drawn to each other? Because I saw how he looked at you at dinner, Summer. How he made up that cheese plate! All this time, he’s had it bad for you. Don’t you want to see where it goes?”
I already knew where it went. To hurt and heartbreak. I was thrilled to see him renew his contract, and I expected he would have a great season. Maybe an even better one without the distraction of me.
“I let my life become smothered by Dash’s. I can’t do that again with another man, especially one whose career always takes precedence. I want a job that uses these skills I have, and that requires me to be tied to an organization.”
I could hear her smile. “You really love what you’re doing, don’t you?”
“I do. And even if I was lucky enough to get a similar gig with the Rebels, what happens if Hatch is traded? Do I up sticks and follow him around? After Dash, I vowed I’d put myself first.”
She hummed. “My brother’s pretty miserable without you, though.”
Believe me, I could relate. “I hate hearing that.”
“Well, you should! Stop running and give him a chance. So you don’t want to be the second banana, but surely in this day and age, you can figure out how to make this work. Long-distance, phone sex, remote work. There are solutions for everything, but you guys have to talk. Let’s face it, the lack of talking is what got you into trouble with Dash in the first place. Now you’re going to not-talk your way out of something that could be amazing?”
