Page 97 of Play Your Part

Gemma patted Zach on the shoulder. “I mean it in the nicest way possible, Zachary.”

He scowled.

“He’s not that bad. He’s been housebroken.” At least I hoped. Zach had learned to do his laundry, cook his food without causing a fire, and even vacuum his room on a semiregular basis. “And my breakup wasn’t…” I almost saidreal.“That bad.”

Zach scoffed. “My aching muscles call bullshit.”

I stared at him, waiting for him to explain.

“Because I’ve been a great friend, and teammate,androommate, working out with Volk and it’s… a lot. It’s cutting into my video game and nap time. On an unrelated note, I’m going to head out.”

Matt glanced at Gemma. “I’m going to go with him.”

The two of them scampered out of the room. “Real subtle,” I mumbled. “Did you coordinate that?”

Gemma smiled slyly. “So paranoid on Christmas, Kennedy. Maybe they wanted us to have girl time.” I narrowed my eyes at her, not buying a word. “I have something for you. From Alexei.” She tapped a white envelope on the table.

“What’s this?” I asked, reaching for it. My name was written in black ink on the outside.

“Open it and find out.”

Inside, there were two tickets—Wolves tickets—to the game tomorrow night. My breath caught when I saw the section and seat numbers. These were the seats my mother and I sat in at every single game. There was a slip of paper with them.She would want you to go.I relayed the gift to Gemma before I folded it up and slipped it back into the envelope.

“What are you going to do?” Gemma asked.

Alexei knew I’d avoided hockey since my mother died. It hurt to think about enjoying it without her. Attending Wolves games belonged to another version of me, one that no longer existed. But I had gone to the arena and watched a game on TV. Because of Alexei. He invited me to tackle the last, most difficult of the activities I avoided—attending a live game in the seats we’d occupied every season since my parents moved the team here.

For the first time since she died, the idea of being there didn’t feel impossible. But I hadn’t only avoided the games because it would make me sad. Going back would also prove life could go on without her, something so fundamentally wrong.

“I don’t know, Gem.”

“He’s not wrong. Kens, you have to step out of your box sometime. Yes, the world is scary, and it can hurt you, but what you’re doing to yourself is worse. You’re missing out on what you deserve to experience—rooting for the team you both loved, relationships with people who care about you, finding your passion in life. Your mom wouldn’t want this—”

“We can’t ask her,” I snapped, my voice sharper than it had ever been with Gemma.

“No, we can’t,” she said softly. She paused, weighing her next words. When she spoke again, they carried Gemma’s usual punch. “But as someone who loves you, I think I know her answer. Her death was unfair and devastating, but don’t forget you survived.”

Sometimes, it didn’t feel that way, but I knew Gemma wasn’t wrong. The choices I made in the wake of my mom’s death muted my life. The world kept on going, as senseless as it seemed, but I made sure my life didn’t. Every time I wanted to change it, something held me back.

Gemma continued when the silence stretched too long. “Whatever happens, I’m here. We’ll go through it together. And it’s not only me.” She looked at me pointedly.

“Don’t start,” I told her.

“Uh, no, I will very much start. Kennedy, I’ve never seen you happier. Even that first night we met, you remember?”

“Of course,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You immediately inserted yourself into my business.”

“I saw your feelings all over your face.”

Gemma had no qualms asking about my feelings for my ex, even though I was still dating someone else. She somehow saw what I’d denied, even to myself.

“I wasn’t wrong then," she said, "and I’m not wrong now.”

“Even if I wanted to do something”—Gemma opened her mouth, but I held up a hand to stop her interruption—“it wouldn’t matter. It’s too late.”

She waved the envelope in front of my face. “It doesn’t feel too late.”

“Gem, he doesn’t want to see me. Alexei’s only doing this out of the goodness of his heart.”

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