Page 4 of Breakaway Hearts

Sienna.

I turn to see her, still in a pantsuit from work as she greets a couple of Aces staff members who came out tonight too. My teammates notice her entrance too, and although Noah keeps his expression neutral, Theo doesn’t disguise his scowl. He ignores her completely and walks over to me.

“Can’t believe she has the nerve to keep working for the Aces,” he mutters, signaling the bartender and ordering a scotch. “Should’ve had some decency and quit if you ask me.”

“It’s fine.” I shake my head and run a hand through my hair. “I can’t expect her to quit her job just because she dumped me.”

“Yougother the job,” Theo argues. He changed into more casual clothes before coming out tonight, and the ink of his tattoos peeks out from beneath the sleeves of his shirt as he gestures with one hand. “It makes it seem like she only dated you so she could get a higher paying position.”

“That’s not true.” The words come out a little more forcefully than I mean for them to, and I grimace. Clearing my throat, I take another drink of my beer. “Just drop it. Please. It’s fine.”

It’s not fine, but I don’t say that to Theo. I hate seeing her. It only deepens the wound, but I meant it when I said I couldn’t expect her to quit her job just because we broke up. It’s all still so raw, so of course I’m hurting. But why does it look like she’s not?

Why is she smiling? Laughing?

Why isn’t she as beat up about it as I am?

I’m still staring at Sienna when she turns and looks at me. Heat rushes to my face, and I quickly switch my focus back to my beer, which I’ve mostly drunk at this point. I keep my eyes on it, even though I know she’s walking over to us. Theo mutters something under his breath and strides away just as she reaches the bar.

“Hey, Reese,” Sienna says.

My head shoots up at the sound of her voice. Fuck, she looks gorgeous. Her long blonde hair falls in soft waves to her shoulders, and her skin is tan despite the winter season. She smiles, revealing straight white teeth, and her bright blue eyes look darker than usual in the dim light of the bar.

“Hi.” The word is almost a croak, and I clear my throat again.

There’s a small pause, and then she says, “It’s good to see you.”

I nod. Her body is stiff and angled slightly away from mine. Why did she even come over here? Why did she come to the bar? Why did she have to make this night even shittier?

Worse, why am I overjoyed to see her?

Fuck, I’m a mess.

“So…” She rocks back on her heels a little, her lips tugging to one side. “How have you been?”

I can’t possibly tell her that I’ve been falling apart since she left me. I’m not desperate. I’m not waiting for her to come running back to me, because it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen.

“Fine,” I answer, quickly downing the last sip of my beer. “I’m doing really well.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. Life’s been surprising.”

“Surprising?” She smiles and leans forward a bit. “How so?”

Shit, howhasit been surprising? I don’t know why I said that, or why I said anything at all. I just want her to think that I’m doing well, that I haven’t been floundering since she left me.

“Just lots going on,” I say vaguely. “I’m even seeing someone.”

I freeze as soon as the words leave my mouth. Sienna freezes as well.

Oh shit. What did I just say?

“What?” Sienna asks, mirroring my thoughts.

“Uh, yeah…” My shoulders tense up a little, my mind racing. I can’t take back the absurd lie, so instead, I double down on it. “I just started dating someone.”

Sienna’s eyebrows climb up toward her hairline. “Who, if you don’t mind me asking? Do I know her?” She laughs, although there’s something a little strained in the sound. “Don’t tell me you’re dating a puck bunny. That’d be a total rebound if I ever heard one.”

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