Page 56 of Snow, Ice, and Spice
I stand up from the bench and grab the heaviest kettlebell I can find. I pump out swing after swing until my lungs are on fire and my arms feel like they’re on the verge of falling off just to distract myself from how badly I fucked this all up.
Why couldn’t I have just been honest with her and told her how I really feel about her? Why did I have to let my pride and insecurity get in the way?
I set the kettlebell on the rubber mat floor of the home gym, my injured knee on fire. I hunch over, hands on my legs, and gasp for breath. My physical therapist is going to rip me a new asshole when we meet for our next session. This was supposed to be a rest day, but no way could I just sit around after what I did. I’m buzzing with regret and adrenaline, and I need to burn it off.
And no doubt that when Maya comes home tonight from her date, she’s going to let me have it.
If she comes home at all.
Acid curdles in my stomach. Just the thought of her spending the night with Xander has me on the verge of puking. Or punching a hole in the wall.
I swallow back the urge. “Get it under control,” I mutter to myself.
For the millionth time, I repeat the silent scolding to myself.
She’s not your girl. You don’t get to feel this way about her
Just then my phone rings. When I see it’s Ingrid, I contemplate ignoring it. I don’t have the energy for a catch-up chat. But then I remind myself that it’s because of my sweet cousin’s generosity that I can even stay here. I owe her the courtesy of replying to her texts and calls.
I power through the pang of guilt in my gut and answer her call.
“Hey, Theo! How’s everything going? Is hockey camp going well?”
That kick in my gut intensifies. Ingrid is calling to check up on me and I was going to ignore her. I’m a bastard.
“To everyone’s surprise, including my own, it’s going well.” I tell her about the kids who attend and how excited they are to come to camp every weekend.
“That’s freaking awesome! Way to go! And hey, how’s your knee? You’re resting it okay, right?”
“Yeah,” I lie. “Trying to.”
I ask her how things are going in San Diego and she tells me she’s been staying busy with all the hotel and social media events she’s been planning and hosting.
“Oh, and I have a favor to ask,” Ingrid says. “Can you run to the guest house and do a quick check of the lights and the faucets? Just to make sure everything’s running okay? I’m paranoid about the circuit breaker blowing and the pipes freezing since no one’s been staying there.”
“No problem, I’ll go down there right now and check.” I guzzle more water.
“You’re the best, Theo,” she says sweetly. “Oh and warning: ignore all the sex toys and pictures of dicks when you’re in there, okay?”
I cough up a mouthful of water. I’m hacking for a solid twenty seconds before I can get it together enough to speak. “Um, what?”
She sighs. “I hosted my friend’s bachelorette party a couple days before New Year’s and I didn’t have time to put away the decorations and gag gifts before I left for San Diego.”
I make a disgusted noise.
“Oh grow up, Theo. There’s nothing wrong with a group of grown women celebrating with adult toys and penis—”
“Holy shit, Ingrid. I could go the rest of my life without hearing my cousin say the words ‘sex toys’ and ‘penis.’ Please, for the love of god, never say that again.”
She cackles. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop.”
“You couldn’t clean up your guest house before you left for San Diego?” I ask.
“You know how much I hate cleaning. So how are things with you and Maya?”
“What do you mean?” I mutter.
“I was just curious how you’ve been getting along. You’re not exactly besties,” she teases. “But I thought that since you’re doing the hockey camp together you two might have buried the hatchet.”
