Page 16

Quinn

The house is dark and silent when I unlock the door and enter.

Why would Cash turn out all the lights?

I place the bag of muffins and coffee on the entryway table and flick on a light.

Where is he?

Maybe he's not feeling well? Great. Now I feel bad because I took my sweet-ass time. I even stopped to shop at a local thrift store before going to the coffee shop. I didn't want to rush back immediately, knowing he needed rest.

It's been a few hours since I left...could he still be sleeping?

I walk through the living room and call out his name. No response. I jerk open his bedroom door and panic when I see his empty bed. What the hell? I scanned the room and saw his cell phone on the night table. I let out a sigh of relief. He wouldn't leave without his phone. So where is he?

"Quinn?" His voice breaks the silence and the pounding in my head.

I spin around to see him standing in the doorway. His hair is a tangled mess, and his tired face is perfect.

"You're here." I walk up to him and throw my arms around his neck. His entire body stiffens from my touch. "You had me worried. I thought maybe you left..."

He lets out a tense breath and relaxes a bit in my embrace. His hands touch my head, and he runs his fingers through my hair. "I'm okay," he replies, hesitant.

"Are you sure?" I ask. He doesn't sound okay.

He nods but keeps his hands in my hair, gently stroking my head. His silence is starting to worry me. I pull away from his touch and lift my head to look at him. Why does he look like he's been crying?

"I love you." The way he says it is so intense it almost sounds like he's frightened.

A small, sad smile tugs at my lips. "I know, and it's okay. I understand. I love you, too. You thought you did the right thing when you decided to marry Daniela. You loved your brother, and you wanted to protect her. We are going to get through this together—"

"Quinn, stop," he says and takes a step back.

He lets out a steadying breath, and his gaze meets my anxious eyes.

"Last night was great. And this morning was amazing. I'm so thankful you came with me to Santa Anna. I've had time to think about things, and you shouldn't have cancelled your flight. You don't have to worry about me. I'm going to be okay. I've already called the Tornadoes trainer, and he's coming by with the team physician for a check-up this afternoon. You need to go back to Boston. I already booked you on the next flight."

I'm not following what he's saying. He thinks I need to go back to Boston?

"What?" I ask, replaying his words back in my head.

"I'm sorry, Quinn. I'm so sorry." His voice is hoarse.

I can hear the pain laced in his words, and I don't have to ask what he means. This is it. He can't say it.

"I don't understand. I thought you wanted us."

"Not like this—it isn't going to work. You have your whole life ahead of you. A life in Boston studying at Harvard. You were right to leave me the first time." He digs his hand in his back pocket and then hands me an envelope. "Here. Take the plane ticket. My limo driver will pick you up and take you to the airport."

I push his hand away. "So this is it? You are choosing her over me?"

"No. Never." He shakes his head, still holding that damn envelope in his hand.

"I will always choose you, Quinn. This has nothing to do with Daniela. The problem is, you shouldn't want to choose me. You need someone you can run with. Someone who will push you to achieve everything you've set out to do. You being in Santa Anna isn't real. We've been living in a fairy tale these past few days."

I exhale slowly, hoping to ease the tightness in my chest. "Cash, you know we have something real."

"You deserve to be happy."

"But I am happy." I need him to believe me. Even with Daniela in his life, I need him to know it doesn't bother me. We can get through this. "Cash, please. Don't do this. Don't push me away."

"That's your problem right there," he says. "You don't believe you deserve better, but you do. You deserve everything. And you can't stay here with me."

Hearing his words hurt more than anything else. I feel my stomach drop out. A tear glistens in my eye, and he reaches forward and places a hand on my face. I don't understand. I thought we decided we would finally be together.

"I love you, and because I love you, I am letting you go. I want you to get out of life what you want. And I don't want to hold you back from what you set out to do. You think I'm what you want, but you shouldn't want me or this life. You have such a bright future ahead of you."

"What did you say?" I ask, as the words letting me go sink in. My skin goes cold, and panic rises in my chest. Like hell, he's letting me go.

"You heard me, Quinn. Don't make this harder than it is," he whispers.

I stare at him in disbelief.

He means what he's saying. "No. I'm not going anywhere," I shout. My lips begin to quiver, and my face feels like it's on fire. I step back, not believing for a second that he's pushing me away. "I already made my choice. And I choose you. I told you I could transfer to UCLA. I promise you're not holding me back. You're what I want."

He continues to stare at me with no reaction at all. My stomach twists.

"Cash, say something."

"Take your plane ticket." He holds it out to me.

I let out a short, pissed-off laugh. "Are you fucking serious?"

This whole conversation feels like whiplash. My hands are shaking, and my eyes are stinging with the threat of tears.

"Quinn, don't make this harder than it already is." His face turns red, and his jaw tightens. "You're going back to Boston."

"Do you have any idea what I sacrificed by coming here?" I gape at him.

I can feel my pulse in my neck; that's how hard my heart is pounding. "You know what?" I shout, reaching into the front pocket of my jeans and pulling out the ring I made for Cash months ago. "Go fuck yourself!" I whip it at him, and it hits him in the chest and drops to the floor.

He bends down and picks it up, staring at it in the palm of his hand. "You made me a—"

I don't even let him finish his sentence. "Yeah, I did. I made you a ring. And I've wanted to give it to you since you told me you were brought back up to the pros. I thought tonight would finally be the perfect time to give it to you. But here you are, the same selfish asshole I walked away from back in Bexley. So thank you for cutting me loose before I made my biggest life mistake."

He looks at me, and I can see the struggle in his eyes. "Quinn, you don't—" Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath and then exhales, opening his eyes again. "You're right. And it would help if you started packing your bags. The limo driver will be here soon."

I look at him, stunned, and storm out of his room. My eyes are blurred with tears as I pack my bags, leave the building, and find myself inside a limo on my way to the airport.

______________

Sitting at the airport two hours later, I lifted my phone, swiped my thumb across the screen, and pressed Aiden's name. I wipe away a few tears with the back of my hand and text him.

Me: On my way back to Boston. I don't have my keys to get into the apartment. Will you be home to let me in?

Aiden: I'll be home. When does your flight get in?

I let out a sigh of relief. The only thing I want to do once I get back is lay down on my mattress and go straight to bed.

Me: Tonight. I'm just waiting to board my flight. It doesn't leave for another hour or so.

Aiden: Can I call you?

I stare at my phone for a few minutes before taping a hesitant reply.

Me: Yes

Seconds later, Aiden's number lights up on my screen.

"Hey," he says when I answer.

"Hey."

"I've missed you," his soft, gentle voice mumbles.

I don't say it back because the truth is... I didn't miss him. Right after I left for Santa Anna, sure, of course, I felt guilty, and maybe I even missed him a little. But since then, things have happened. Like Cash...

When I don't respond, he continues. "I've been doing a lot of thinking since you left. A lot. I don't want us to fight anymore."

I finally found my voice. "Good, because I don't want to fight either."

"And it's okay. We all make mistakes. I knew with a little push, you'd come to your senses."

"A little push?" I ask, confused. "Listen, I'm sorry for how I split on you. And, of course, we're still roommates. I don't want things to go sour between us."

"Me neither." He sighs with relief.

"I was thinking back to the hockey game, realizing I should've never made you come with me. I knew you and Cash had something going on before you left for Harvard. I didn't realize how much of a hold he still had on you. I'm sorry, Quinn." His voice is earnest. "But now I know you are ready to move on."

My throat tightens. "How?"

"Because you decided to come back."

Aw shit. He thinks I am coming back for him.

"I've been crushing on you since high school." There's vulnerability bubbling through his voice. "We've been friends for so long, and when your mom passed away, I was there for you, Quinn. I didn't leave your side. You're so smart and driven, and you know exactly what you want out of life, and that's so fucking rare. You amaze me." His tone grows rueful. "I think what we have works well. I couldn't let you ruin your future. Your future is more important than babysitting some hot-headed hockey player. I couldn't sleep knowing you chose some drunk ice buffoon over me. You went running the second he was in trouble. And I saw what happened to your mother. You don't need that kind of person in your life again. You need a guy like me. Someone stable and educated. I'm glad you see that now."

"Wait. What do you mean you couldn't let me ruin my future?" I ask.

"Well...I wasn't about to let him hurt you again." He sounds frustrated. "I was trying to help you. And honestly, picturing you there with him made my life here unbearable. It was a hard pill to swallow, I guess. Knowing you were making such a huge mistake weighed on me. You might think my reaching out to your father crossed the line, but I feel like you gave me no choice. I had to tell him. And thank God he showed up and convinced you to return to me."

I'm dumbfounded. My heart is racing, and I can feel my face burning red. Aiden told my father I was with Cash in Santa Anna. If Dad didn't confront me.

.

.

did he confront Cash?

I have to brace myself against the wall so I don't collapse. The room spins around me. I've never wanted to reach through the phone and punch someone so much in my entire life.

"You told my father I was with Cash?" I ask, voice shaky.

"Well, yeah. It was for your good."

"Where do you get off thinking you know what I want?"

"I was trying to help. I convinced myself that I was what you wanted, and you wanted to be with me."

"You're not what I want," I say softly. "You went behind my back and ratted me out to my father. You put Cash's career on the line. I thought we were friends."

"I know, and maybe I was wrong to tell your father. I told you, I've been doing a lot of thinking." He takes a breath. "Please don't be angry with me."

Shock hits me first. Followed by anger. Followed by deep distress because... what the fuck was he thinking?

"Quinn, don't be angry. Please. I didn't know what else to do. It was stupid to rat you out. Cash is so bad for you. You need to understand that."

Oh God. Why did I not see this before? My father was the one who gave Cash my plane ticket. Cash never wanted me to leave. I'm so mad at Aiden. I can't even speak to him.

I need to go.

"I'm not coming back to Boston. I'm staying here in Santa Anna."

Aiden remains silent. Finally, he snaps, "So that's it? You're giving up everything for Cash Brooks?"

"You betrayed me." I take a breath. "And that's the reason I'm staying in Santa Anna. I need to fix this. I'm sorry. I hope you're able to find a new roommate." Damn it, I'm choking up. "I did like you, Aiden."

He doesn't answer, breathing heavily on the other end of the line. My hands shake as I grab my belongings and walk toward the exit. I don't bother telling him we can still be friends because he doesn't want to hear that right now. Besides, I'm not about to make any promises I might be unable to keep.

"Bye, Aiden." With that, I click off our call and hop in a cab.