Page 109 of Your Play to Call

“Before you, all of this, no one would’ve cared what I did.” All the training sessions I skipped, hours I drove, and late nights roar back to me. All of the things I gave up so I could see Willow, comfortably, when we were early in this. “After everything I gave up. Changed. All the things I did to make this work for you. You couldn’t do this one thing for me.”

“Sure, the press followed me and immediately found you. It wasn’t you spraying Champagne, winning a Super Bowl, interacting with paparazzi and drunk fans. It was all me.”

“Maybe you need this. The constant attention. The press feeding into your every move.” My words are razor sharp and the look on her face tells me everything I need to know.

Everything hurts. It hurts to think. Hurts to feel. Hurts to be in this room right now with someone I thought I could trust.

This is over.

“Seems like you need the attention. Attention I can’t give you.” I don’t want to look at her, but I do. My skin is hot, and my pulse is in my ears.

“Just say it, Tripp.”

“I want you to leave.

“I can’t believe this. Nice way to treat someone you supposedly love.”

“You’re one to talk. Put the key on the counter before you leave. You won’t be needing it.”

The words hit her, and I swear I see her stumble back by their force. Her mouth is open, before pressing it into a tight line. She shakes her head back and forth and crosses her arms.

“Try not to scream about my hometown on your way out. If you can help yourself.” I can’t even look her way.

“You’re going to regret this.” She slams the key on the counter and the door shuts a few seconds after.

Willow’s gone.

Chapter 59

Willow

The patio isn’t meantfor December, but I don’t care. I brush the snow off the furniture, light the fireplace, and grab all the blankets.

I’m bundled up in cold-weather gear like I’m going to play outside, how you do when you’re a kid. In reality, I’m preparing to sulk; catalog the broken pieces.

I silently cried the whole way home. Seth didn’t ask me a single question and I didn’t divulge anything. I texted Emilie and let her know I wanted to be alone tonight; she has a key for the SoHo apartment and will stay there instead.

As I sit on the patio, snowflakes fall, heavy and wet. The cold seeps through my layers but it’s almost like I need it. The external match for my internal turmoil. I pull my knees to my chest and sit. Staring at the flames.

The crackling of the fire offers a comforting backdrop to my thoughts, but it's not enough to quiet the questions swirling in my mind. Why does Tripp think I would betray his trust? Why would he believe I would reveal something so personal and sensitive?

Doubt creeps in. Maybe I said something without realizing it? Maybe my words were misconstrued? No, that can't be it. IknowI didn't say anything. I didn’t utter a single word of that conversation to Tripp, let alone anyone else. I know he said those things coming from a place of fear and I’d never share that with anyone. My heart cracks because he thinks I did. He sees me as a person capable of doing somethingso awful.

No matter how I look at it, I can’t figure it out. Maybe Tripp told someone else? Ugh. I don’t buy it. He didn’t even tell his mom, the person who has been by his side through it all.

How could he think I would do that to him? That’s what cuts me. The sharpest knife. This whole time I was worried about trusting Tripp but I never thought about if he trusted me.

The way he looked at me. The way he spoke. Gone was the sweet version of Tripp and replaced with someone who thought I did something terrible.

Everything hurts.

I gave him all I had. It still wasn’t enough.

When will it be enough?

I glance at my phone. The screen is covered in notifications. They don’t stop coming in. I text my parents, letting them know I’ll call them tomorrow and everything is fine. They might know it’s a lie, but I need some space to think through this.

I turn my phone off.

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