Page 61 of Breakout
“Oh, something I do when I’m bored.”
“They are interesting. Seems you are getting better with each one you make. Maybe you can sell them on the side one day.”
I let out a breath of relief when she shuts the drawer. “Yeah, maybe. Why are you cleaning up anyway? We need to leave soon if we are going to make it on time.”
She lets out a groan. “I know, but my jersey is missing. I swear it was on my bed, but I can’t find it. Then I started cleaning, and now here we are.”
I shake my head, walking over to my closet and pulling out her wrinkle-free jersey with Cooper written on the back.
“Oh my god. You are the best. Did you iron it for me?”
I nod. “Washed it too. It smelled weird.”
She hugs me. “You are awesome.”
She strips off her shirt, sliding the jersey on before going to the mirror and fixing her hair.
“You know you should get a jersey with Beckett’s name on the back. Since he gave you his tickets and all.”
My stomach clenches at the thought. I would love to, but I also know that I’m not ready to let the world know that we are together or whatever we are. Hell, I wish I could even define us.
We are married.
We have sex.
We go on dates.
We hang out with his friends and pretend we hate each other.
Yet, they all feel separate. Like it’s a different Peyton in each one of those scenarios. I wish I could smush them all together and become one, but I don’t know how.
Or I guess I’m too scared to.
I think the worst part about what happened with my parents is that I lost trust in the world. I lost trust in myself.
I never feel like I’m enough. Not only that, but I’m always waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under me.
“Nah. He would like that too much. Besides, I can’t really afford it. This one was my one and only splurge.”
“Well, maybe next time then.”
“Maybe.”
“I’m so happy you decided to come,” Grace tells me for the third time.
“Me too.”
“It was the best surprise,” Cora adds.
“Ooh, here come the boys,” Grace says, standing.
I stand with her, watching them skate out onto the ice.
This is the first time since we married that I’ve been to a game. It feels different somehow.
“There’s Kellan,” Cora says before yelling out his name.
He skates around the ice, coming to a stop before us. He points at Cora and taps his heart twice. She blows him a kiss, making him smile before skating off.
