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“What?” Bryce asks, confusion evident in his voice.

I stop him from saying anything else, taking a step closer to Will with a glare. “I hate to break it to you, Jacobson, but you lost. Again. You lost the best—and only good—thing that will ever happen to you. She’s not going to take you back because you blew it. You refused to see the great thing you had before you and screwed it up. I’d feel sorry for you, but it’s typical behavior for you, isn’t it? So unable to get your head out of your own ass that you lose things.”

With clenched fists and a flushed face, he takes a step toward me. Bryce steps closer, but I do not back down. “You don’t know what you’re talking—”

“But I do,” I cut him off. It’s not my place to tell him what happened with Katrina, but I’ll make damn sure he knows he doesn’t have control over her anymore. “Katrina has nothing left in Charleston; she’s not going back. To you or to that life. Listen to the words I’m saying, Jacobson, you lost.”

He jerks toward me, hands shoving at my shoulders until I stumble back. Everyone around us is suddenly moving. Bryce steps between us, takes the next shove, but stays standing. A couple of the coaches run over, asking whether things are good. My coach is one of them, lingering after we all assure them we’re good. We’re all adults; it shouldn’t come to this.

“Let’s go, Carter.” Bryce grabs the sleeve of my shirt to tug me away. “He’s not worth it.”

Will, who always has to have the last fucking word, laughs. It’s a cruel, humorless sound. “Yeah, Abrams, do what Clark says. We already know who the man is in the relationship.”

I wrench my arm out of Bryce’s grasp, but don’t get back in Will’s face. “What the fuck does that mean?”

If I turn to look at Bryce right now, I know he’ll be tense beside me. I can practically feel the anger radiating off him, but he doesn’t say anything.

“I’m bi, but that doesn’t mean I get with every person with a dick,” I snap. “Bryce and I have never dated. We will never date. He’s straight and not my type.”

“I’m too high maintenance,” Bryce says so casually I know he’s shrugging. “And Carter snores.”

Ido notsnore, but that’s beside the point.

“Look, I don’t get what your problem with me is besides the fact I’m queer, but this is ridiculous. Let it go, man, you almost ruined my life ten years ago. How is that not enough? It didn’t ruin me then and it won’t ruin me now.”

“Everything came easy to you,” Will shoots back.

“That’s your perspective, man,” I tell him. “I put in the work, every goddamn day. You didn’t make the team, I did. Bryce did. That’s being willing to put in the hard work and the fact you don’t do that is no one’s fault but your own.”

He snorts. “I’m a doctor, Abrams, not chasing a kid’s dream.”

“Then why are you here? Why can’t you let it go? Why did you show up at my business to start shit with two people who don’t care about your shitty opinions?” He opens his mouth to say something stupid, but I don’t let him. “The choices you’ve made in your life are your own. You’re mad at me because I’m the way I am, and you think I deserve less, but I got more. I’m sorry you feel that way, but don’t you dare tell me I got it handed to me. You walked away.”

“Okay, Abrams,” Coach calls, clearly worried it’s getting heated. My voice is rising, and people are watching. “Wrap it up.”

He’s not telling me to walk away. He’s telling me to get my points across and let it go. I’ll take it.

“You walk away when things aren’t handed to you because you don’t want to put in the work. Don’t pretend. You retired when you didn’t make the team. You kissed ass to the one doctor who could elevate your career and then you started dating her daughter. For two years, you destroyed her, and never once put in any effort. Your choices have led to the life you have and if you’re bitter about it, dude, that’s on you. No one else.”

I take a small step back, mainly because I’m afraid he’s about to throw a punch. He’s so red, hands clenched into fists, I think he might explode. Maybe there’s one more thing I can say to him.

“And Kat’s not choosing me over you. She’s choosing herself, and if I get to be part of that, then I consider myself damn lucky. You lost because you didn’t want to work for it. Never forget that.”

I turn to Bryce, pushing his shoulder. “Let’s go. I’m done here.”

Bryce follows me as we walk away from Will, hopefully for the last time. Bryce waits until we’re an appropriate distance before bending over his knees to laugh hysterically.

“Holy shit, dude!” Amazement glimmers in his eyes, but he can’t stop laughing. “Where the fuck did that come from?”

“A long time coming.” I shrug, reaching down for my stuff. “And I do not snore.”

“Whatever you say.” He cackles, following me out to the stands to watch the rest of the meet with the girls. “But I get to tell everyone about what happened.”

“Whatever you want, Bryce,” I say with a chuckle. When we walk toward the stands, I can see Will arguing with my coach and a couple of officials. It looks like they’re trying to kick him out. Apparently, the status of this being his home pool isn’t nearly enough to make up for what just happened.

Which is fine because I’m not sure I’ll be asked to come back to this pool either.

“Idon’twanttotalk about it, Kat,” I warn. She shuts the door behind us as I tug my sweatshirt over my head. I’m a ball of anxious energy, adrenaline pumping through me. The last thing I want to do is talk about the run-in I had with my girlfriend’s ex. Who also happened to try to ruin my life. “Please leave it alone for now.”