Page 96 of False Start
“Laying under the hot water while you hate yourself and wish you were dead doesn’t count as a shower. Try again.” She’s out of sight, but within seconds, I hear the water running. I sigh, pulling the oversized shirt off and only coming close to a full blown meltdown when it snags on the broken piece of the cast.
“Fuck!” I scream, sobbing from frustration.
D runs into the room, helping me free myself of the t-shirt trap. Once the crisis is averted and I’ve breathedthrough the panic, I finally ask the lingering question, “What’s going on with the rink?”
“Scott wants to buy it. He’s realized how little we all care about any sort of input he may have, and he knows the only way to control the team is to buy the rink too.” She says with a sigh, “I’m here so that Harvey can hopefully keep him from making things worse for us. I think if he buys it, he may just turn the property for profit.”
“You saidwe.” I grin, not daring to gloss past it.
She narrows her eyes at me, but it’s a smile that's on her face. “Shush.” She pushes my shoulder like she’s herding me into the shower, and just as I start walking on my own, she grabs me by the arm. “I’m also here to make sure you don’t fuckthisup.” Her tone is gentle but I cower under her stare.
“Fuck what up?” It’s a silly question, because there arehundredsof things I’m fucking up at this current moment in time, but specifying which one would really help me categorize it in my brain.
“You and Cat.”
For some reason, it’s not what I'm expecting her to say. Fucking up my life—sure. Fucking up the Devil’s Dames—absolutely. Fucking up everything I touch—well, of course. But me and Cat?
I don’t respond, and I don’t need to. She goes on without waiting for my permission or acknowledgment. “You two are so fucking perfect for each other. Don’t let Lonnie’s death ruin the best thing that might ever happen to you. If you can’t stay sober for yourself, stay sober for her, for us—yeah?”
“That’s a dangerous game to play. What happens when she leaves me with nothing?” It’s my biggest fear. It’s why Ikeep poking, prodding, creating new wounds where there weren’t any before.
I think back to Harvey’s words; I can’t remember if they were days or hours ago.
If you go, I’ll go too.
This kind of love, it’s intoxicating, and once she’s done with me, I’ll never recover.
“I dunno.” She smiles. “I’m kinda puttin’ all my money on you two.”
I breathe out a laugh. Maybe it’s time I finally start planning for things to work in my favor instead of falling apart. I owe it to Harvey. I owe it to Lonnie. I owe it to every single one of my friends who deserve better from me.
I owe it to Kade.
Forgiveness isn’t something we’re entitled to, but I hope I can earn it.
I nod to one of my oldest friends, and I take her hand as she helps me step into that shower.
40
HARVEY
I’ve barely walked into the rink, and I’m ushered into what used to be Lonnie’s office, where Scott sits behind the desk.
“Okay, I’m here. What couldn’t fucking wait a few days?” I’m genuinely pissed. Every skater in this rink has had multiple emergencies, vacations, sicknesses, or job interruptions that have forced them to miss practices or even bouts.
I do itonce,and suddenly, this motherfucker thinks I’m not capable of owning the rink?
“Twenty grand for the rink if you sign today.” He pushes the contract over the surface of the desk toward me and then leans back into the chair.
“You said twenty-five last time we talked.” I don’t even know why I’m arguing. Either offer is a joke, and regardless, I’mnotentertaining it.
“That was when I had more patience, when I had a rockstar jammer and a solid pivot who were reliable. Look around, Cathrine. I’m not really getting my money’s worthhere.” He laughs, tossing his feet up on the desk and resting his arms behind his head.
“Why the fuck would I sell you Skateland?” I don’t bother with politeness now. I’ve been holding it in for weeks, and I’m ready to get this asshole out of my face and out of my life.
“Because withoutme, you’re going to end up spending more money to keep this place standing, and you’ll bewishingyou sold it for twenty grand, because a demo team is going to want thirty to clear this land before you can sell. Either way, the rink stays, you lose money, the rink goes, you lose money. Or you can sell to me.”
I hate that every word he says is logical. Because he’s right—without him, we weren’t making it work. Without him, we were spending our own money to keep the rink standing, and even then, we weren’t evenWFTDAregulated. We were just playing the nearby teams for fun.
