Page 6 of Winging it with My Ex
I nod. “I’m fine.”
“Come on.” He reaches for my hand, and when I try to pull away, he squeezes tighter. “Vivi can hold down the fort. Let’s have some fun.”
I protest—uselessly. He’s already tugging me toward the pond. And then—he lifts me.Over his shoulder.Like I weigh nothing.
Before God and everyone.
There I am: Hadley Whitaker, principal of Briarwood High, being carried like a duffel bag byJett freaking Monroe, pro hockey player.
I’m too stunned to scream. Just…hanging.
He sets me down at the edge of the pond, and my brain finally comes online.
“Don’t you ever do that again!” I swat at his chest, emphasizing each word.
The jerk-face is smirking!
Ohhh, I want to wipe that smirk off his face.
And then maybe kiss him.
What is wrong with me?
four
. . .
jett
I sawher step back in time, and it nearly knocked the wind out of me.
It’s not like I forgot the night we met—I never could. She hit the ice trying to show off, and the whole town laughed. Except me.
I remember thinking she was too good for this place. Too good for me. But I couldn’t leave her sitting there, red-faced and alone. So, I helped her up, cracked a joke, and—somehow—asked her out.
And she said yes.
I still don’t know how I got that lucky.
Those weeks with her started what would be the four best years of my life. Just talking, laughing, being around her. I would’ve given anything to stay in that moment forever.
And now, here she is again. All these years later, and I still feel like that kid—awestruck and completely, hopelessly in love.
“Earth to Jett!” she barks.
Oh, she ismad. I know because the tip of her nose is red. I swear the girl turns into Rudolph when she’s ticked.
It’s adorable.
She stops pounding on my chest, and we’re staring at each other. Her eyebrows smooth out, and her nose returns to its normal olive shade.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
The apology wasn’t supposed to come out already. Vivi and I have a plan, but it just pops out. I did hurt her. I was stupid. I’m beyond sorry.
If I could do it all over again, I would have spent the last fifteen years with her and loving her. Making the life I wanted and not the one that I forced on myself.
I did the stupidest, most horrible thing I could have done. All because I was full of pride. I didn’t want to tell anyone my problems.
