Page 77 of Resist

“We’d like to join that table,” she said, pointing to where Victor and Blake sat.

Coulton grinned. “Thanks.”

Coulton, Evelyn, and his teammates spent an hour eating and joking around. McKenna stopped by as they were finishing up their breakfast. He introduced her to Evelyn, explaining they were old friends and that she lived in Vancouver.

“Can I take a picture?” she asked the group.

The four of them pushed their chairs closer together for the shot.

“Thanks,” McKenna said.

Once they’d paid the tab, he and Evelyn hugged goodbye, and he headed upstairs to get ready for that night’s game.

As he buttoned his shirt, he couldn’t help but wonder what Ainsley was doing, and if she was missing him as much as he missed her.

* * *

Coulton rubbed his eyes wearily, shifting in a fruitless attempt to get comfortable.

“Tough game,” Preston said, leaning back against the headrest of his seat. Because tomorrow was Thanksgiving, they were taking a red-eye back to Baltimore so that they could be with their families for the holiday.

“Yeah.” They’d lost in overtime, something Coulton would usually struggle with because he’d been the one to let the puck hit the back of the net, but tonight, he had bigger things on his mind.

“Hate trying to sleep on planes,” Preston bitched.

“Me too.”

If he was smart, Coulton would close his eyes and at least try to get some rest during the flight, but he didn’t bother. For one thing, his frame wasn’t made for modern airplanes, and even with the extra legroom in economy plus, there was no way he could get comfortable enough to sleep.

For another, he was doing battle with himself as he considered Ainsley.

“Heard you saw Evelyn.” Preston hadn’t been in the hotel restaurant, which meant Victor or Blake had mentioned it.

“She showed up at the hotel to surprise me.”

“Yeah, that’s what the guys said,” Preston replied.

Coulton hadn’t mentioned seeing Evelyn to Ainsley yet, wanting to tell her in person, so he could reassure her that he had no feelings for his ex whatsoever. Ainsley wasn’t friends with any of her ex-boyfriends, so he wasn’t sure she believed it was possible for two people who used to date to have a platonic friendship.

It didn’t help that Ainsley was still waiting for this thing between them to fail. Because of that, there was no way he’d keep any secrets from her. He was going to be honest and up front with her about running into Evelyn, determined to do whatever it took to prove he wouldn’t betray her trust. Ever.

“I’m going to tell Ainsley I ran into Evelyn,” he reassured his friend, not wanting Preston to think he was keeping secrets.

“Good. Honesty is the best policy.”

“It is,” Coulton agreed. “And you know me, I’m a straight shooter. I care way too much about Ainsley, so the idea of losing her is… Well, I don’t want to lose her, but we’re still in the early days. She’s been hurt before, so she’s holding me at arm’s length, waiting for me to screw up.”

“That’s rough. You think she’ll react badly to you seeing your ex?”

“I don’t know. I told her Evelyn and I were still friends, and even though I usually see her when we’re in Vancouver, I’d intended to skip that visit this time. Ainsley is still a flight risk, so I don’t want to tell her about Evelyn showing up to surprise me until I’m standing right in front of her.”

“So you can bar the door in case she needs convincing?” Preston asked, only half joking.

Coulton nodded miserably. “Something like that.”

He would come clean to her the second he saw her again. Tell her about Evelyn, and then pray she believed him when he told her that he and his ex would never be anything more than friends.

When the seat belt sign flashed off, McKenna rose, walking back to him and Preston.

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