Page 100 of Pitcher Perfect
“Yes.” Relief permeated her blood. “Yes, please.”
Skylar assumed everything would be fine. They were home in a matter of ten minutes and she already had the evening mapped out. Shower, get into her pajamas, and spend some quality time with her planner while she waited for Robbie’s practice to beover. Then she’d call him and hear his voice and set about forgiving herself for slipping up.
But the night ended much differently, because when Madden pulled them into the driveway, Robbie was waiting for her on the porch steps.
Chapter Thirty
In a way, I deserve this, don’t I?
That was Robbie’s first thought upon seeing Madden and Skylar come down the driveway in Madden’s truck, the fact that they went out together confirmed by his own eyes. When he’d arrived after a surprisingly traffic-free drive back to Rhode Island, he’d found Doug and Vivica in the living room watchingUnder the Tuscan Sun.
“Robbie, you’re back,” Doug had called, sitting forward with a glass of white wine cradled in his hands. “What happened to practice?”
“It got canceled because of some leak at the arena.” He’d jerked his chin toward the back bedroom. “I’m going to see Skylar.”
“Oh. She...” Vivica had looked at her husband. “She went out for a drink with Madden a little while ago.”
At that point, Robbie’s stomach had turned to fucking lead. “JustMadden?”
Vivica must have sensed the storm brewing inside of him because she laughed and tried to make light of the situation. “Just having a friendly chat, I’m sure.”
Maybe.
Yeah. Maybe that was true or maybe Vivica was wrong and they hadn’t gone alone. They could have met some old friends. There were a million possible explanations, but none of them stopped this ugly, oily jealousy and panic from bubbling in hisgut. And now, when he saw her sitting in the driveway in Madden’s truck, the sensation amplified itself until he felt ill. Because Skylar didn’t look happy to see him. Nah, she looked guilty. Like she’d gotten caught.
Robbie tried to make his legs work when she hopped out of the truck, but he couldn’t, so he just remained stuck, staring at her. Waiting to find out what could put that expression on her face.
“Hey,” Skylar said, sounding winded, swiping her palms on the legs of her jeans. Observing him through owl eyes. “You’re here.” She attempted a smile and couldn’t hold on to it, spreading the panic inside of him. “Practice didn’t happen?”
“There’s a leak,” he responded, lips stiff.
“Oh.”
He swallowed a fistful of gravel. “What is this? A date?”
“No,” she breathed, waving a hand. “Not at all.”
“Then why do you look like you want to cry?”
Skylar didn’t answer.
Several moments ticked by, the silence broken when Madden stepped out of the vehicle—and Robbie had never wanted to kick someone’s ass so badly in his life. As a hockey player, that was saying something. Ironically, he wanted to kick Madden’s ass for being too blind to realize Skylar was perfect, while he also wanted to kick his ass for noticing. Oh yeah, the latter way more than the former. “Robbie, I can see you’re upset, but there’s no reason to be.” Madden scrubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sure Skylar will explain it to you, but this was only meant to be a drink between friends.”
“You can get back in your truck now,” Robbie managed to say despite the manacle around his throat. “And I’d suggest you drive away fast.”
Skylar’s expression was one of shocked reproof. “Robbie.”
Robbie pointed at Madden. “You fucking heard me.”
Madden held his ground. Robbie would give him that. The guy probably would have been a decent fight, too, but the Irishman chose to diffuse the situation by finally getting back in his truck and backing down the driveway, although not as fast as Robbie would have liked.
“Why do you look like you’re going to cry?” he asked Skylar again.
“Because. I know how I would feel if I saw you out with a girl you used to love. I know it would probably feel terrible.”
“It does.”
She closed her eyes. “We didn’t even have a drink. We only made it to the parking lot and I asked him to bring me home.”
