Page 120 of Rule 1: Never Accidentally Marry Your Teammate

I jerk my gaze to him. I didn’t think Coach was going to go there.

“It makes the rest of us feel we’re all in a factory. Burning steel. Chemicalseverywhere. Uncomfortable.”

“I didn’t realize.”

“You fell in love, and clearly Noah loved you back.”

I blink.

No, that’s not true. Coach Holberg has it wrong. Noah went along with my plan after I explained it was the best way. But I was the one who proposed, I was the one who insisted we get married. Noah spoke about how our marriage was just for one year.

That’s why I pushed for an annulment. I didn’t want him to have to pretend to be with me. Wouldn’t he want to have a life of freedom to experiment with other people? Why would he want to be with me? When he is a popular NHL star? On magazine covers and on TV?

But, of course, I can’t tell Coach all those things. I can’t let him know the extent to which Noah and I both lied.

“I invited Noah back to our apartment,” I say finally. “And he said no.”

My voice shakes when I say that statement, and Coach’s brow furrows. Oh God, he probably never expected to have to dole out relationship advice.

Not that there is a relationship to which to dole out advice.

Noah even left the fucking meeting.

Obviously, he couldn’t bear to be beside me. The two and a half inches between us were too small for him. Clearly, he would have preferred a bigger distance. Like 2.5 miles. Or 25 miles. Or...more.

God, does he want me to be on the other side of the country?

Two days ago, we were fine. How could so much have changed?

“But there was a reason you wanted an annulment, Finn.”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you worry that that process might have been leaked?”

I bite my lip. I guess I should have worried about it. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”

Coach frowns. “Finn, did you tell Noah you were looking for an annulment?”

“Um...”

Coach Holberg shakes his head. “And I thought your generation was cruel with text breakups. This is—”

He looks at me in deep frustration, but the only feeling I have is hope.

Is it possible Noah is upset with me about that? Not that I got the process leaked and risked our reputations? But that I wanted it at all?

I rise. “Thank you, Coach. This was a great meeting.”

Coach Holberg blinks, and I hurry out.

NOAH

I am ready for this.

This will be like normal. Normal when Finn and I were together, I mean. Not normal like falling onto the ice.

I swallow my nerves and takethe ice.