Page 17 of Rematch (Stingrays Hockey #3)

Chapter Six

An hour earlier…

Chelsea glanced up when she spotted someone standing outside the large front window of the bakery. She groaned aloud when she saw Rick waving at her from the sidewalk.

“Jesus Christ,” Ethan muttered.

“Ethan, we’ve talked about this.”

Her best friend shot her a look that said more than words could.

“We’re just friends,” she added, even though that wasn’t going to help her case.

“Friends,” Ethan said, like the word tasted nasty. “He doesn’t want to be your friend, Cupcake. He wants you back.”

Chelsea shook her head. “No. He doesn’t. Rick and I grew up together, just like you and I did. We have a long—and yes, complicated—history, but he’s apologized, and he’s gone the extra mile since then. I told him all we can be is friends, and he agreed.”

“He lied. Because the guy keeps coming back like a hungry mosquito,” Ethan muttered.

Chelsea rose. “I’m going to go talk to him.”

“Notice how he’s not walking in here? He’s too afraid to face me because he knows I see through his bullshit.”

Chelsea rolled her eyes. “He’s faced you countless times in the past five months. He’s probably avoiding you because you’ve been extremely unpleasant, bordering on rude every single time.”

“Only bordering?” Ethan asked in dismay. “Dammit. I’m going to have to double down on my efforts.”

Chelsea tried hard not to laugh because it would only encourage her bestie. “Stay here.”

Ethan didn’t bother to reply, just turned his attention back to the brochure of industrial countertops they’d been perusing.

She walked outside, smiling at Rick, who was admiring their new sign. If anyone would have told her a year ago she’d not only forgive Rick for jilting her but open the door to a friendship, she would have called them crazy.

Unfortunately, Chelsea didn’t realize she’d forgotten to put her jacket on until she’d stepped out into the chilly December air. “Hey, Rick. What’s up?”

“I stopped by your parents’ house earlier to return the snowblower my dad borrowed from yours. Dad’s is on the fritz again.”

Chelsea laughed. “It’s been on the fritz for twenty years.”

Rick chuckled. “I know. Which is why I’m giving him one for Christmas. Getting tired of hauling your dad’s back and forth just because my car is a practical size.”

“I still can’t believe your folks bought a MINI Cooper.”

“Mom thinks it’s cute. I think it’s a pain in the ass.”

“So what brings you here?”

“Your mom told me the sign was up. I wanted to see it. It looks great, Chels.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” The two of them took a moment to admire it.

By the time she moved back to Baltimore in July, the Rick and Vanessa love affair was over, ending shortly after Valentine’s Day.

She hadn’t been home more than a week before he came to see her.

She’d told him to take a hike that time—and the next twenty times he’d shown up, issuing apologies she had zero interest in.

The road from there to where they were now had evolved slowly—like a snail’s pace slowly—as Rick persisted. The man who’d only been somewhat present when they were dating had suddenly become extremely attentive and considerate. Something she didn’t given two shits about nowadays.

However, their mothers were best friends, which meant their families did stuff together all the damn time. No longer ghosting her, Rick somehow managed to be where she was. It would have been easier to hold on to her anger if he hadn’t been in her face all the damn time and so…apologetic and nice.

But that wasn’t how things worked out. She and Rick had been thrust together at the summer picnic her mother threw together to welcome her home.

Then he’d shown up at one of her parents’ fall firepits with his mom and dad.

Their families had also celebrated Thanksgiving together and had plans for Christmas.

Somewhere around mid-October, Chelsea realized that anger took a lot of energy, so she simply let go of hers, even though the same couldn’t be said for Ethan and Allyson. Regardless of her best friends’ opinions—of which they had many, many heated ones—she told Rick she forgave him.

And she did.

But that didn’t mean she forgot. She’d made it very clear they would never be anything more than friends, and while she didn’t say it aloud, that friendship deal was limited to something that was actually more glorified acquaintance due to the fact she didn’t trust him.

The trust was dead and buried and there was no resuscitating it.

So she would be cordial, nice, and friendly, but that was all she had to offer him.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go out to dinner Friday night,” Rick asked, leaning in uncomfortably close.

“Dinner?”

“I know you’re busy these days, but I think you deserve a night off.”

Chelsea hesitated for a lot of reasons. “I really don’t have time to go out right now.”

“Chelsea. It’s been ages since we’ve had the chance to do anything together…just the two of us.”

That was true—and by design. All her time spent with Rick was in the presence of other people, their parents or mutual friends…or “unmutual” friends, as in the case of Allyson and Ethan. What he was proposing sounded too much like a date.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Rick seemed to take her rejection in stride. “I understand. It’s just…there are some things I’d like to talk about.”

Shit.

Chelsea didn’t like the way Rick was looking at her. She knew all his faces, and this one told her Ethan was right. Rick didn’t want to just be her friend.

“I feel like we’ve said it all.” She hoped he’d read her tone and cut this conversation off before it veered too far into the danger zone.

“You’re right. We have. So maybe I should just show you.”

“Rick.” Before Chelsea could reiterate all the reasons why the two of them were—to quote Taylor—never, ever, ever getting back together, Rick grasped her shoulders and pulled her forward, his lips landing on hers.

Shock held her still for maybe five seconds before her brain re-engaged and she shoved him away, furious. “What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

Rick had been all contrite smiles, but her refusal seemed to awaken his frustration. “Dammit, Chelsea! What else do you want from me? I’ve apologized. I’ve been a good friend to you. I’ve brought gifts, helped you and your parents out around the house. I even offered to invest in your business.”

He had, and she’d shut that down hard . “I don’t need your money.”

Rick brushed off her comment. “So you keep saying, but I don’t know what else you expect me to do.”

Expect? She didn’t expect anything of him.

“I’m not making you jump through random hoops, Rick, and there are no expectations. I thought we were reestablishing a friendship.”

He sighed, looking almost dejected, something she wasn’t sure she’d ever seen from him. “I know I hurt you, and I get that you want to punish me, but?—”

“Punish?” Chelsea crossed her arms around herself, freezing in the bitter wind.

She really should have grabbed her coat.

Figures he’d picked the coldest day of the winter to drop all this on her.

“I… No , that’s not what I’m doing.” She didn’t have the energy for this.

She was existing on less than five hours of interrupted sleep a night.

Her tank was empty, which was probably why she was letting Rick’s comments slip in and sucker punch her. “I’m not trying to punish you.”

He lifted one shoulder, clearly not believing her.

So yeah…she’d handled everything with him completely wrong. Awesome.

“Will you at least consider my invitation to dinner?”

She shook her head.

“Just as friends,” he quickly added. “I won’t bring any of this up again.”

It was too late for that offer, because there was no coming back from what he’d said. Not for her. Friendship was her bottom line, and he’d made it very clear he was hoping for more.

“I can’t do dinner with you.”

Rick fell silent, which wasn’t exactly a good thing.

She could practically see the wheels spinning, which meant his courtroom lawyer brain was calculating the best way to get what he wanted.

So she could expect to be subjected to relentless texting, well-thought-out arguments, or, worst of all, pressure from their mothers.

Because while she’d stupidly thought Rick was okay with them just being friends, his mother, Angie, had made it obvious she was not fine with that relationship status, both subtly and not so subtly pushing for a reconciliation.

She was still determined to see her baby married to Mom’s, even after all the shit that went down.

Mom wasn’t actively pushing for that, but she wasn’t exactly discouraging Rick’s drop-by visits.

“I hope you’ll change your mind.”

She wouldn’t change her mind, but she was all about the path of least resistance right now because it really was fucking cold out here.

So, she said nothing.

From this point forward, she would avoid Rick like the plague…somehow.

Rick leaned toward her again, but this time she was prepared, taking a big step back while shooting him a warning look.

He took the hint, not pushing his luck. “I’ll text you later.”

She nodded, wondering what kind of fallout she could expect if she blocked his number again. She’d been an idiot to unblock it in October. She’d clearly been stupid about everything in regards to Rick.

He gave a quick wave of farewell and walked away.

Turning toward the front of the bakery, she looked at the sign, recalling how excited she’d been when she saw it this morning for the first time. Now, it was sullied, ruined by her idiot ex-fiancé.

She smiled gratefully when Ethan came outside with her coat.

It wasn’t until she’d pulled it on that she noticed Ethan’s dark scowl. “Did that fucker kiss you?”

Chelsea closed her eyes wearily. “I hoped you hadn’t seen that. Yes. He did. I gave an inch with the forgiveness/friendship bullshit, and now he’s trying to take the mile.”

“I told you when he started sniffing around in July he wanted you back.”