Page 6 of Game Changer (Wynn Hockey #5)

“That’s fine. Thanks.” She takes the box and pulls out a tea bag. “Smells nice.” Her shoulders slumped, her hair a mess around her face, she sighs. “I really don’t want to be such a downer. Just feeling sorry for myself right now.”

Seeing her hurting is no goddamn fun, let me tell you. Anger at Chucky spurts hot inside me. He’s a friend, but I’m pissed. “I get it. You have a right to feel that way. But someday this will all make sense.”

“You think?”

“Yeah. Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes not getting what you want can be a good thing.”

She eyes me. “Doesn’t feel like that right now.”

“I know. But you’ll get through this.”

“Thanks.” The corners of her mouth lift. “You’re a good friend, Jax.”

The microwave beeps and I take out the mug. I set it on the counter and she drops the tea bag into it.

The condo is mostly dark, quiet, the feeling intimate and sequestered. This is a first for me; when I have women here, the most romantic thing I whisper to them after is, “Hey, go home.” We don’t usually have middle-of-the-night conversations about the meaning of life.

I just want to make Molly feel better. I’m spouting bullshit I know nothing about, trying to help.

She sips her tea. “I’ll take this and go back to bed.”

“The tequila didn’t help you sleep?”

“I did sleep for a while. Then I woke up and started thinking. Why is thinking in the middle of the night the worst? Everything seems terrible and hopeless.”

“I guess I don’t usually do that.” I rub the back of my neck.

“Lucky you. Okay, see you in the morning.”

I watch the T-shirt twitch over her ass as she walks away. She may not have big hooters, but she has a spectacular ass.

Okay, yeah, I’ve noticed that.

Hopefully I can get some sleep too.

I didn’t set an alarm, and I’m shocked when I grab my phone and see I slept till nearly ten.

I bolt up in bed.

Molly.

The condo is silent.

I throw back the duvet and once more go searching for her. Her bedroom door is still closed, the rest of the place deserted, so I guess she slept too. That’s good.

I’m not a tea drinker but I like coffee, so I make myself a cup in the Keurig, then carry it into my bedroom. I need to shower, finish packing and take Molly… somewhere.

After I’m showered and the beard stubble is tidied up, I toss my toiletry bag into the suitcase, along with a few more T-shirts. I add one pair of dress pants and a shirt, but I don’t plan on doing anything that requires dressing up. My camera gear is already packed.

Molly appears in my bedroom door, now wearing the plaid pajama pants again. “Morning.”

“Hey. Good morning. You must have gotten some sleep.”

“Yeah.”

She’s washed her face and she looks so different without all the dark stuff on her eyes, kind of pale and soft and vulnerable. “Good.”

She holds up her phone. “What airline and flight are you on?”

Jesus. She’s still on this? “Seriously?”

Her little chin is firm. “Yes. Seriously. I won’t be a bother. I just want to get out of town.”

“Molly. Wait.” I cross the room to stand in front of her. She tips her head back and meets my eyes. “I think you should go to your parents’ place. I think you should call Steve. And I think you two should maybe go for some couples’ counseling and see if you can work things out.”

Her eyes widen. They’re a light green, almost the color of a pear, with a dark ring around the iris. “What?” She sounds like I just jabbed a stick into her belly.

“Maybe you can work things out. Let him explain, apologize, grovel.”

“Explain what?” Her voice rises.

“I don’t know.” I swipe a hand over my mouth. “Maybe he has some kind of explanation.”

“There is no explanation for cheating!”

I sigh. “I know.” I totally agree. But I feel I have to give this a shot. “But people make mistakes. Maybe you can move on from this.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” She plants her hands on her hips and gives me a glare that could ignite a bonfire. “I saw those texts! I know what he was doing! And who he was doing it with!”

Shit. Shit. I hold up my hands and make a calming motion. “Okay, I get it.”

“I want to move on, alright. But not with him! Look, I’m not saying I hate him, but I hope his next blow job is from a shark.”

After a stunned beat, I burst out laughing. I fall against the wall, I’m laughing so hard. “Jesus, Flynn.”

She gives a lopsided smile, her anger dissipating. “It’s true.” Her eyebrows slope down. “Why are you saying this stuff? You really think I should go back to him?”

“I’m not saying that.” I shake my head. I don’t even know what I’m saying. “I just feel like you shouldn’t bail on a relationship without making an effort.”

“I made an effort. He didn’t.”

Honestly, I don’t blame her. Like I said, she deserves better. “Okay. It’s your decision.”

“Good. I’m coming to California with you.”

“You could just stay here. If you want to hide out for a while. The place’ll be empty.”

She pushes out her bottom lip, considering this. For a few seconds I think she’s going to go for it, then she shakes her head. “I want to be far away. This is going to be all over the internet.”

I exhale slowly. “Okay.” I grab my own phone and find the boarding pass I downloaded yesterday when I checked in. I give her the flight number.

She sits herself down on my bed without being invited. After a moment, she says, “What’s your seat?”

“3C.”

Her head snaps up. “First class.”

“Yeah.”

“Jesus,” she mutters. Her fingers move on the screen.

Maybe a thousand bucks or more will deter her.

Then she lifts her head and smiles. “Wow, I can’t believe seat 3A was available.”

“You didn’t.”

“Yup. I’m booked.”

I shake my head. “Okay, then. What are you going to do about clothes?”

She looks down at herself. “I guess I can’t get on the plane like this, huh?”

“Wouldn’t bother me .”

She laughs. “You know I won’t. Can we stop at a Target on the way to the airport?”

I can’t say no to her, goddammit. I never can. I hope she doesn’t realize this, or I’m fucked. “Sure. Why not.”