Page 77 of Match Penalty

"Men are idiots," Aria declares on the other side of her changing room door, but Penelope shakes her head.

"I don't disagree with that statement, but I think there's more to this. We've all seen the way that JP looks at you. And he's been relentless with his efforts to get you to see him differently after the whole fiasco in San Diego. Slade's mentioned some things too…" she says with hesitation as if maybe she shouldn't be saying anything.

"What do you mean Slade mentioned some things to you? Like what?"

"Nothing specific, unfortunately… and trust me, I shook that man like a fruit tree trying to get it out of him. In the bedroom, it's usually easy to break him but he wouldn't give much up this time. He said that the conversations that he's had with JP would suggest that not even hockey would stand in the way of him winning you back," Penelope says.

"Aww," Aria fawns, the sound of a taffeta fabric rustling around as she pulls on another dress of her own.

Penelope's intel from Slade only serves to further increase my frustration over all of this.

"If that's true then why did he fold so easily? Why did he send the text about ending things between us after only a small scuffle with an old Hawkeyes rival at a bar? He couldn't have waited to see me in person so he could explain this to me? He didn't think I deserved to be told in person after everything we've been through? This is the second time he's done this to me. And he's acting as if Brynn took me to the ER and that he did something to cause this. The cut wasn't even that deep. Brynn patched it up in five minutes."

"Yes, the hit you took didn't send you to the ER, but it was bad enough to scare the hell out of JP," Aria points out, coming out with a dress slung over her arm. The first dress she tried on that everyone loved. "You should have seen his face when he saw Seven at your side."

Brynn lips crinkle at one corner as she thinks hard about it. "We're missing something here. There's some kind of influence causing him to make this decision, and if he's already told Slade that hockey won't keep him from you, what other options do we have?"

We all fall silent for a moment, but no one comes up with an idea. Or at least not one they are willing to offer up for conversation.

Finally, Penelope clears her throat. "Well, all I know is that he needs to man up and speak to you face to face. You deserve a full explanation for why he thinks he's protecting you by staying away. I hate to say it, but if he's never at home and he won't answer your texts or calls, you're going to have to have it out with him after practice."

Her idea has me cringing. The last thing I want to do is show up after practice with everyone around to hear our conversation. As if getting dumped before our relationship ever started, for yet a second time, and having the entire Hawkeyes team witness it, isn't bad enough. Now she wants me to show up and spill my guts in front of people I have to face every day at work?

Unfortunately, she's right. JP is leaving me no other choice than to get answers the old-fashioned way: in person.

I turn back to the mirror, sliding my hands down the black silk gown. It's gorgeous but it doesn't feel quite right. "Yeah, well, he made his feelings clear enough with that text,” I say before rereading the text. “That's it—no other explanation—and then two days of silence."

I glance over at the dress that Brynn pulled for me earlier. An emerald green dress that Jessica Rabbit would surely approve of. Everything about it screams revenge dress—it's plunging neckline, corseted, mostly sheer bodice with perfectly placed nipple coverage, and just the right amount of delicate beading to make it shimmer under these lights.

"At least the auction is coming up. He'll have a hard time ignoring you then," Kendall says.

I bite my upper lip and decide that a bold gown might be exactly what I need. "I'm going to try on one last dress."

Brynn jumps up immediately. "Here, you're going to need help with that zipper," she follows me to the changing room and then turns to the rest of the group before closing the door behind us. "Our appointment time is almost up. Why don't you girls go ahead and check out with your dresses. We'll show you this one once it's on."

They all agree and stand, Aria with a revenge dress of her own that had Penelope's smile turning wicked. I've seen her working up some kind of match making scheme. But who does she have in mind for Aria?

I don't get a chance to think too long on it before Brynn shuts the door behind us. I can tell she’s listening for all the girls to walk away.

We both know she has something she wants to discuss with me in private because I can do just fine with the zipper on my own.

Once she seems satisfied that no one else is in ear shot, she keeps her voice low enough that it doesn't echo.

"The auction’s in one more week," she says, making a circle with her finger to tell me to turn around. "Are you ready for the slapshot challenge?"

I spin around, giving her my back. "You mean am I ready to watch JP let my father ruin his career, by causing JP to drop his PTO contract?" I ask.

Now I know why she wanted alone time. Penelope still doesn't know that my dad's bet might single handedly cause the Hawkeyes to lose their new goalie before their other goalie is even cleared to come back.

"Yes, the bet. How are you going to feel if your dad wins and JP leaves?" she asks, unzipping me out of the black dress and carefully lets me step out before turning to set it back on its hanger.

I let the thought of that sit for a moment as I pull the other dress from its hanger, and I step into it.

"I'm not sure. I need answers from him before I know what I want. I'm tired of all his secrets. I need to know the truth… about everything. But if he's going to make a habit of letting my father make his decisions for him, then maybe he should go."

"Your dad means well," Brynn says softly, helping me lift the dress into place. "Even when he's wrong about how to show it."

"I know he does. But this isn't about Dad. It's about JP choosing to walk away. Again."

---