Page 36 of We Finished Here

“Who knows, I’ve heard rumors, but you know what it’s like in this game.”

Yes, things get misconstrued all the time.

“Anyway, Jay said he took care of Janey for you the other night since you left the party early.”

I roll my eyes. I don’t want to think about Janey, nor do I care what Jay did with her. “Hey, you weren’t even at the party,” I remind him. “You know how the whole scene gets a little old for me.”

“You’re talking like a veteran.” He laughs.

“Nah, man. I just wanna win.”

“Relax, we’re gonna make it happen. You know it.”

I smile to myself, sitting back and closing my eyes, enjoying the warmth.

I’m glad we’re on the same page. The more of us that stay in that mind-set, the better.

* * *

Emmerson

All I could do after talking to Taylor briefly in the hallway was compose myself in the ladies’ room as best I could. A cool splash of water around my neck did the trick.

It’s been surreal thinking about it ever since, and the fact he thought I was taking off… again. He didn’t seem to mean it the way it came out, but the simple fact is that it’s true.

I can’t deny how gorgeous he still is. How he is the face in the room that you notice, the way he holds himself, his confidence, but not cockiness. It’s something you don’t see every day. I haven’t seen anyone or anything as glorious in a long time.

Sure, he’s successful, but it really doesn’t seem like it’s gone to his head. I may have only seen him for a few minutes, but I could tell that some things haven’t changed.

That’s probably the sexiest thing about him, other than his perfect face and his even more perfect body than he had before. It’s obvious he’s bulked up. But the fact he still seems down to earth is very impressive, given his current status as being a household name in ice hockey.

It will do me no favors in wondering what’s going on underneath his clothes, but I can’t help it. I also have that nagging, dull feeling inside the pit of my stomach that I made a huge mistake in letting him go.

I know it deep down, but if I admit it to myself consciously, I may just not survive it.

I did what I had to do at the time. That’s what I’ve been telling myself for the past six years, and that’s easy to believe when you’ve made it your walking mantra.

Seeing the man in question in person, however, is a totally different story altogether.

Everything you thought you knew flies out the window.

I pull into mom and dad’s driveway the next afternoon after Maddie and I had been downtown. It’s then I see Taylor’s mom in her driveway collecting her mail. My heart drops, hands shaking. It instantly takes me back to that time she accosted me in my car… my hands shake a little but I can hardly drive into my parents’ garage and quickly roll down the door, she’s already seen us.

“Oh boy,” Maddison sighs next to me.

My thoughts exactly. “I was really hoping to keep dodging her,” I say quietly, like she can hear me, even though she’s in her own driveway. Mom and dad said she has a holiday home in the Caribbean somewhere and spends quite a few months away each year.

I’m pretty sure I know who paid for that.

We climb out of the car and grab our shopping bags from the back.

I hear her before I see her, so there’s no running to hide even if we wanted to.

“Emmerson!” she calls out. “Is that you, honey?”

Oh dear Lord. This is awkward. I look at Maddie and she shrugs.

“Let me know if you need reinforcements?” she says.

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