Page 105 of Drown in You

I haven’t played this well in weeks, and it pisses me off that I wasted so much time killing myself in the gym and during practice only to perform like shit when it really mattered.

Sienna was right—I needed balance. Working out too hard was holding me back, keeping me from being my best on the ice. She knew it’d catch up to me eventually. I’d break.

My heart isn’t in the game, though. Not with thoughts of Sienna circling through my mind on an endless loop.

Damien’s lip curls into a sneer when he launches a shot at my net. I block it just in time. “Didn’t think you were a quitter, Valentine.”

“What makes you think I’m a quitter?”

He ignores the shouts of his teammates as they dart to the opposite end of the rink. “Haven’t gone after your girl.”

Knox’s skates slice through the ice. Beneath his helmet, he flashes me a wicked grin. “Better go get her before somebody else does.”

“Yeah, no-sisters rule doesn’t apply anymore.” Damien skates off before I can swing my stick at him, Knox following.

I’m no fucking quitter, and I’m definitely not quitting on Sienna. I’ll tell her she was right, about everything. When I show up with flowers and chocolates and jewelry and a teddy bear and any other goddamn thing I can think of to tell her I’m sorry. To convince her to give me another chance, even if I don’t deserve it. I’ll earn it. I’ll prove to her I’m worth it, because she’s been proving that to me since we met.

After practice, I’m winning her back.

Chapter 31

Sienna

“You really didn’t have to do this, Juliet.” Mom grabs another box to slide into my father’s hands. I can’t believe we’re moving his stuff back into our apartment. They already have plans to move into a house outside of Wakefield.

Juliet shrugs, grabbing a box. Impossibly, she’s in a dark shirt, but I’m sure her tiny shorts offer some relief in the heat. “I had nothing better to do.”

A gleam of sunshine reflecting off metal temporarily blinds me until I make out the red car whizzing past.

A red Cadillac.

Juliet flips him off. Marcus hasn’t been arrested yet, but he will be.

For the first time, seeing him doesn’t make my stomach plummet to my feet. I’m not scared of him anymore. I won’t let him have that control over me. I’m the one who deserves justice now.

Inside, my parents tease and hug each other. Dad plants a kiss on her cheek before he follows me out the door, and it’s like they haven’t spent any time apart. They’re right back to where they were, before everything went wrong.

I’m still not totally convinced everything won’t go wrong again. But I’m holding onto hope that whatever the future holds for them, they can get through it together.

When it’s just the two of us, I hand Dad a box from his car. “I talked to Deb. She’s doing really well.”

Even though he didn’t love her the way he loves Mom, Dad still cares about Deb and he wouldn’t want to hurt her. Relief softens his features. “I’m happy to hear that. I’m sorry for the mess I’ve made of our lives, Sienna. Especially yours. I really am.”

“It’s okay. You can stop apologizing now.” I stack another box in his hands. “You and Mom seem really happy.”

He turns back to the house and grins when Mom steps out of the door. “I’m so grateful your mother was willing to give me a second chance. I’ve been wallowing over losing her for ten years, and I’ll be thankful every single morning for a second chance with both of you.”

As soon as he heads for the house, I scramble for my phone.

Ten years. Dad spent ten years pining after Mom, and she spent ten years trying to find the love she shared with him.

I don’t want to spend the next ten years pining after Luke.

My phone rings three times before a bright voice answers. “Sienna!” We haven’t been friends for long, but I already miss Violet so much. “How are you? How’s the move?”

“Not bad. Sweaty.”

“When is your last final? We should meet up before you leave for summer break.”

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