Page 23 of Game Changer (Wynn Hockey #5)

She rolls her eyes. “I was on the Top Team in high school. It’s a national trivia game show. In senior year, we won the championship.”

“I know what it is. I’m impressed.”

She stands in the middle of the living room and looks around. “I guess that’s it for now. I can get the rest of my things later.”

“What’s left in your apartment?”

“Nothing.” One corner of her mouth hitches. “I was trying to sublet it. I got rid of anything I didn’t take with me here.”

“You’re coming to my place, then.”

Her eyes expand. We haven’t discussed this. “I can’t do that.”

I sigh. “Molly. You begged me to take you there the night of the wedding.”

“I know, but…” She swallows.

We both know things are different now. We’re both not going to address that.

“Okay.” She blows out a breath. “I could go to my parents’ place, or maybe Grace’s, but…”

“We’re flying to Winnipeg on Friday morning. It’s no big deal to stay with me a few days.”

She nods, not meeting my eyes.

“It’s fine, Molly. We’re friends, right?”

Her head bobs again. “Right.”

I help her carry things down. We put some in her car, some in my SUV, then I drive home. The air feels flat and stale after ten days away. First thing I do is turn down the air conditioning, then slide open the doors onto my balcony to get some fresh air in.

Molly arrives a few minutes later with another suitcase. I carry it into the spare room she stayed in last time we were here. “I don’t have much food. We can order something in. Pizza okay?”

“Of course.”

“We’ve been eating mostly restaurant food for a while. I’d like something home-cooked, but since I’m leaving again, it’s not worth going grocery shopping. I’ll pick up a few things in the morning though.”

Molly goes into the bedroom, leaving the door open a crack, while I order a pizza. I hear her moving around in there, but I want to give her privacy. I’m sure it’s hard being back in town and back to reality.

It’s hard for me, for fuck’s sake.

Molly

I’ve been to my parents’ place and talked to them.

They were worried sick about me, despite my phone calls and text messages assuring them I was fine.

I feel guilty for disappearing like I did, but I don’t regret it.

It was just what I needed. I apologized for that and for the scene I made at the wedding.

Like Jax, they think I should have talked to Steve first, but they understand and are totally supportive of my decision.

So that’s good. They also were glad that I’d been in contact with Katelyn to deal with wedding cancellation issues.

I get together with Grace and Brielle. My third bridesmaid Allison has gone home to New York.

My bridesmaids were the only ones who knew what I was going to do at the wedding. The fallout from that didn’t surprise them. What did surprise them was me disappearing.

“Okay, where did you go?” Grace demands. We’re at her house. Her fiancé has gone out, and we’re drinking cocktails and eating appies for our girls’ night in.

“I went to California.”

“Ooh, good choice.” She picks up a crab Rangoon. “Why there?”

I bite my lip and look from Grace to Brielle. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but you guys have to swear secrecy about this.”

Eyes widen. They exchange glances.

“Swear,” Grace says, and Brielle nods.

“I was there with Jax.”

They both freeze, enormous eyes staring at me.

“Jax?” Grace says carefully. “Jax Wynn?”

“Yes. He came to check on me while you were all beating up on Steve. I asked him to get me out of there. We went to his place. He was leaving the next day to go visit family in California, and I begged him to take me with him. I couldn’t face anyone, especially Steve.”

“Wow,” Brielle breathes.

Grace gulps down her strawberry Moscato cocktail.

“We’re friends,” I add. “You know that.”

“Right.”

I grin. “We even did a trivia night there. We won.”

“Of course.”

“He’s a great guy,” I say. “But seriously, don’t say anything to anyone. If this gets back to any of his teammates—especially Steve—there could be problems. I don’t want to cause him any trouble when he was just helping me out.”

“Oh yeah, there could be problems, all right.” Brielle slides her head from side to side. “Wow.

“Nothing happened between us,” I say, ignoring the fact that we woke up snuggled together our last morning there. Ignoring all the times I wanted to kiss him or touch him or… “Nothing.”

“Okay. We won’t say a word.” Grace picks up a paper napkin.

I tell them about what we did, and the time I had to think about things. “I know I need to talk to Steve, and I will. He’s not here anyway.”

Grace wrinkles her nose. “Yeah…about that.”

“What?”

“He’s been posting pics on social media. It seems like he’s not alone, but there aren’t any pictures of him with anyone.”

Brielle clears her throat. “I think if he was with a friend, like a teammate, they’d show pictures together.”

“Shit.” I stare down at my pink drink. “You think he’s with Claire?”

“We don’t know for sure. But it seems like, yeah.” Brielle pushes out her bottom lip. “He’s scum.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that before I agreed to marry him?” I ask.

Their faces all register surprise.

“I’m kidding!” I add hastily. “I’m not blaming you all. I should have known he was scum.”

“I didn’t think he was scum, before the wedding,” Grace says glumly. “I feel like I missed a hell of a lot, too.”

Brielle flashes me a guilty glance. “I knew he was scum. He hit on me once.”

My jaw drops. “Shut up!”

“Yeah.” Her mouth twists into a sardonic curve. “I should have told you. But…I thought I was doing the right thing by not telling you. You were so happy.”

“When did that happen?”

“Just before you got engaged, when we were all at Orion. I shut him down right away and told him to never say anything like that to me again.” She sighs. “I’m so sorry, Mol.”

My shoulders slump briefly. “Our whole relationship was a lie.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Grace replies softly. “I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m sorry you got hurt. We’re here for you.”

“Thank you. I know.” I straighten and toss back the rest of my strawberry Moscato. “I’m okay. Really. I’m sure I’ll learn something from this.” I make a sound of dry amusement. “Actually, I already did. Love isn’t real and marriage is stupid.”

“Oh no.” Grace shakes her head in dismay. “Don’t be like that.”

“Sorry, I know your love is real and your marriage will be perfect. I just mean for me. That’s one thing Jax and I have in common. He feels the same.”

“Mmmm. Okay.” Grace’s eyes slide sideways to Brielle, then quickly back to me. “I hate it that you’re so cynical. Don’t give up on love because of one asshole.”

“Eh. We’ll see.” I pick up a stuffed mushroom. “I’m going to go away again for a while, since Steve isn’t here.”

“Where to now?” Brielle asks.

“Canada. With Jax.” Seeing their expressions, I hold up a hand. “We’re just friends! Again, he was planning to go there anyway, and I didn’t want to hang out here waiting for Steve to show up—” I pause. “With Claire,” I add disdainfully. “So he asked me to come with him.”

This is all met with silence and poker faces. I eat my mushroom.

“What? It’s fine. This is delicious. I want the recipe.”

“Well, good for you,” Brielle says. “Have all the fun. Why not?”

“I’m not sure I agree.” Grace glances around. “The more time you spend with Jax, the more chance there is that something will happen.”

“So what?” Brielle asks. “What if it does? They’re both single. Neither of them is looking for a relationship. He can be your rebound,” she adds, looking at me.

My eyebrows shoot up. “Rebound?”

“Yeah. The first relationship after a breakup is always a rebound.”

“Hmm.” I consider that. “Well, I’m not even looking for a rebound.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Grace says slowly, apparently unconvinced. “I just wouldn’t want you to get hurt again.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not getting hurt, because it’s not like that. I’m going to a lake cabin to commune with nature and relax. It’s summer, I’m on vacation, and I didn’t get to go to Europe. Unlike Steve.” I screw up my face.

“That’s true.” Grace smiles. “You do whatever you want and have fun.”

“Thanks.”