Page 107 of What Are the Chances
“No. That’s not it.”
I forced determination into my voice because I didn’t want him to keep beating himself up over that. I knew how much he regretted it, and I knew it was a mistake that he carried with him every day.
“Then what?”
Because the reasons we broke up are still thereI wanted to shout. When the school year ended, he’d jet off to Texas and kickstart his NHL career. One with gruelling schedules, and lengthy away periods, and a lifestyle that didn’t give way to the family that was waiting for you back home.
I’d spent my entire childhood waiting for a father who’d put his hockey career first. I couldn’t do that again.
Pushing past Will, I got to my feet and hastily pulled on my polo and jacket. I had to get out of here. I was about to breakdown, and I didn’t want it to happen in front of Will.
While I dressed, Will looked at me with complete bewilderment, his shirt still unbuttoned.
“What gives, Riley? Talk to me. Whatever it is, I’ll make it work. Please don’t walk out that door because I–” He swallowed thickly. “I can’t watch you walk out of that door again.”
I choked on a sob. “I’m sorry,” I whispered before throwing open the door and rushing out.
While Will’s pants were safely done up and there was no girl on her knees at the foot of his bed, this was almost more heartbreaking. Because this time Will had no clue what had gone wrong.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Shit was going to hit the fucking fan
WILL
If I’d ever wondered what it felt like to have my heart ripped from my chest, thrown onto the ice and then skated over, I did now.
For what felt like a lifetime I stared at the open door, trying to grasp what the fuck had just happened. The thing was, I knew Riley didn’t mean it. Despite what she’d said, she wanted us again. I believed that. But something was stopping her and I had no fucking clue what.
I contemplated locking my door and calling it a night, but I was way too keyed up. Attempting to close my eyes now would backfire. The past ten minutes would be on replay.
I reluctantly headed back to the party. In the fifteen minutes since I’d left, it had amplified. I didn’t bother looking for Riley in the crowd. There’s no way she’d still be here. After locating Tripp in the kitchen, that was confirmed.
“Riley bolted out of here.” He raised his eyebrows. “You good? What happened?”
“Don’t want to talk about it,” I murmured.
His eyes drifted to my unbuttoned shirt. I’d forgotten about that.
“Whatdoyou need?” he checked.
“A shot.”
That earnt me a grin. “With that, I can oblige.”
For the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to become the life of the party. I lost count of the shots and games of beer pong I played. By the time I was stumbling up the stairs to my bed, I could barely see straight.
Fumbling with the key, it took me a few attempts to unlock my room. Just as I was turning the handle, Ryan’s door creaked open.
With her hair in disarray and her shoes clasped in one hand, Lana Holloway froze. I did too, because being this tanked, my reflexes were well and truly lagging.
Lana smoothed down her brown hair before squaring her shoulders. “Not a word to my brother, Caufield. You got that?”
I numbly nodded. With this much alcohol in my system, I doubt Levi would even believe me. I wishedIdidn’t believe it either. Because if what I’d just witnessed was what I thought it was, shit was going to hit the fucking fan.
*
My bedroom door was thrown open before I could gauge the level of my hangover. Though based on the instant pounding behind my eyes, it wasn’t great.
