Page 123 of In Your Wildest Dreams
“Yeah. Positive. He’s been playing on the second line with Nick and Johnny but they’ve got Travis out there instead.”
“Maybe he ran back to the locker room with the trainer for something,” Grace says. “Is his shoulder giving him trouble again?”
“No. I don’t think so.” A sinking feeling washes over me.
Scarlett leans forward and tops off my glass of wine. I can tell by her expression she knows something.
“What?”
“Maybe drink that first?” She tries to smile, but it’s more like a grimace.
I take a sip and then set it on the coffee table. “What do you know?”
“Ash didn’t say anything?”
“About what?”
She blows out a breath that puffs out her cheeks. “Okay, don’t freak out but Ash and Gabe got into some sort of fight in the locker room before the team left.”
“What?” The girls ask all at once. My voice doesn’t work.
“I don’t know all the details, but there was some sort of altercation. Leo said my dad was talking about benching him for the night. I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure, and I didn’t know if you knew. I’m so sorry.”
“Oh god, this is all my fault.” My stomach cramps so hard I lean forward.
“No, it isn’t,” Everly says and glares at me. She’s the only one that knows the full story with Gabe.
“The Wildcats will be without forward Ash Kelly, who is sick, in tonight’s game against Dallas,” Jade reads from her phone.
Sick. Like I feel right now.
I know he was upset and that he wanted to go after Gabe last night, but this morning he seemed okay about standing down. Dammit. Maybe that was asking too much of even a cool-headed guy like Ash.
“Excuse me.” I hurry out of the living room and down the hall into the bathroom.
I close the door and then turn on the sink. Leaning forward, I stare at myself in the mirror. This is all my fault. No, fuck that. This is Gabe’s fault, but it’s also mine for getting Ash involved.
I knew it was a bad idea to date him. I knew it and I did it anyway.
“Bridge?” Everly knocks on the door.
I shut off the water and stand tall.
When I open the door, she and Grace both stand there.
“I’m so sorry.” Ev rushes forward and hugs me.
The three of us huddle together in the bathroom.
Grace rubs my arm and Everly takes my hand.
“This is not on you,” Ev says, like she can read my thoughts.
“I shouldn’t have gotten involved with him. I knew what Gabe was capable of. I knew and I did it anyway.”
Everly scoffs. “The only person responsible for this is Gabe. I mean honestly, if I’d run into the guy, I would have had an altercation with him too.”
“But it’s his career. This team and this place mean everything to Ash.”
