Page 98 of Secret Puck
“Actually, I’m glad I have you alone. I need to talk to you.”
“Okay.” We sit and when the bartender comes over, she orders two shots of RumChata.
“You’re making me nervous, Rea.”
The shots come and she downs one without waiting for me.
I start to chuckle. “Woah, there, it can’t be that—”
“I like your brother.”
Her words hit me slowly, but she doesn’t give me time to respond anyway.
“I’m sorry I lied, but we’d just met, and I didn’t want you to think I was some weirdo or that I was pretending to be your friend because of Adam.”
His name makes it all finally click.
“Your crush, the hockey player, is my brother?”
“Yes, and I’m going to tell him tonight, but I wanted to tell you first.” She eyes the second shot. “Do you need that or do I?”
“I’m not upset. Adam would be lucky to have someone like you, but you can’t tell him tonight.”
“Why not?” Her brown eyes crinkle at the corners as she draws her eyebrows together.
“Because I invited Taryn and she just walked in. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” As I stand to greet my brother’s girlfriend, I see Reagan down the last shot.
“Hey,” Taryn says tentatively.
“Hi, Taryn,” I say and we hug. “Thanks for coming.”
She laughs lightly. “You didn’t leave me much choice. You said it was life or death.”
“Maybe that was a little dramatic, but it is important.” I glance to either side of me, but there’s nowhere for her to sit.
Reagan hops out of her seat. “Here, you can have mine. I’m going to… go. I just realized I need to be somewhere.”
“Are you sure?” I ask. I feel awful, not that I could have predicted this.
“I’ll call you later.”
Taryn takes a seat and I blow out a long breath. Best to just dive right in. “Whatever my brother did or said… he’s an idiot. He’s going through some things right now, so he’s not to be trusted.”
Her face twists into a surprised expression. “You mean your parents separating?”
“He told you?”
“Yeah, of course. He’s really torn up about it.”
“Exactly. Don’t let him push you away because of it. I think he just needs some time.”
She smiles sweetly. “I agree, but that’s not why we broke up.”
“It’s not?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “It probably was the catalyst, but it wasn’t the reason.”
Well, shit. I guess this is what I get for meddling. “Oh.” I slump in my chair. “You’re sure? You two seemed great together.”
