Page 83 of Off The Ice

And underneath my words, the deeper fear, that it would be the same ending with anyone. That because of whatever was broken inside of me, I would never be enough. Not when anyone could go and find someone whole.

“You are everything,” he affirmed, fingers still working as my tears soaked the fabric of his shirt. “You weren’t the one who wasn’t enough, okay?” he said close to my ear, as if his proximity would send the message deeper. “It was him.”

And there, on the side of the road under the lights of the city, I felt it in my chest as Liam Brynn put a few of my pieces back together.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Cassie

The full extent of what Liam’s career meant for his life didn’t really hit me until I saw the article. I guess I wasn’t aware that reporters, even credible sites, could post blatant lies about someone and get away with it.

Harbor Wolves Star Liam Brynn

Involved In Altercation.

It was the first time I’d allowed myself to click on something involving him. I guess I wanted to respect his privacy before, so I didn’t bother to read anything about him on the Internet. It was too weird.

But this? There was no way I could suppress the curiosity inside of me when I saw that headline. I just had to see how they could justify what I knew was a lie.

I’d been there at the game where this supposed altercation had taken place. I was talking with Liam when it ended, and then he drove me home right afterward. There couldn’t possibly have beentimefor him to get into a fight. There just wasn’t.

Plus, this wasLiamthey were talking about. Clear-minded, level-headed Liam was far more likely to respond to something with stoic indifference than a punch.

When I clicked the article, it was exactly what I expected. No proof. No evidence. Just a few random reports from “witnesses.” None of whom could even confirm that it was Liam for sure.

And that night? It was the one he held me in his car, comforting me as I humiliated myself by crying on his shoulder about the woes and despairs of my life.

There was no way he could be that gentle and understanding after supposedly getting into some hockey brawl moments before?

I rolled my eyes, clicking out of the article while promising myself that I wouldn’t bother to read any more clickbait about him ever again.

I don’t know why I even searched his name. It was stupid. Also, sort of fangirlish. But I couldn’t help it. He was gone for an away game, and the apartment felt so lonely without him… and I guess I just… missed him.

Again, stupid. He wasn’t mine to miss.

He may have comforted me the other night, but that was just because he was a nice guy. No matter how much I wanted to think we had stumbled into “friendship” territory, I couldn’t fool myself. He just cared about me on Maggie’s behalf. That was all. I had to remember that so I didn’t go and embarrass myself by breaking down in front of him again.

But then my phone buzzed, and when his name flashed on the screen, I forgot all the promises I was making to myself about keeping my head clear.

Liam:What’s the deal with Ross? Is he like a psychopath or something?

I smiled, fingers typing back rapidly.

Cassie:Are you…….. Watching Friends?!?!?!?!!

Liam:We were flipping through the channels in the hotel room. It was on.

Cassie:What episode????

Liam:I don’t know, Ross is yelling about a sandwich.

Cassie:Ah. The One With Ross’s Sandwich. I know it well.??

Liam:Why did you capitalize it?

Cassie:It’s the name of the episode title.??????

Liam:What? Just a description of the episode?

---