Page 82 of Say Yes to the Nemesis

Wren felt too good. Too easy. I know she will leave at some point. If I let her mean something, if I let the relationship between us grow, it’ll ruin me when she goes.

Because she will.

They always do. Wren will smile. She’ll tell me it meant something. Then she’ll walk away like she never touched me at all.

Coach T slides his gaze to me.

“There something wrong with the sandwich?”

I shake my head. “No, it’s not that. I just ate before I came here.”

Not exactly true, but the white lie makes me feel a bit better.

He eyes me. “You’re moody today. Is this about a girl?”

I sigh and drop my gaze. I don’t say anything, but I feel like Coach sees right through me. He’s not a big talker. He’s more of a listener, so he lets the silence stretch between us, like he always does.

Eventually, I say, “There might be someone.”

“Might?”

I purse my lips. There is someone, but it’s not, you know. It’s not gonna work. She’s too young. She’s too sweet. She deserves better than me. I can’t afford to lose focus.

Coach arches a brow. “No?”

I shrug.

We lapse into silence for another minute before he surprises me by breaking the tension.

“You don’t let yourself have good things, do you?”

I stare at the ice and clamp down on any show of emotion. I’m not interested in letting Coach see the ins and outs of my relationship with Wren just now. I haven’t even begun to process it.

Coach stands up and jerks his head toward the ice.

“Come on. Come down and talk to the kids. They’ll be excited to see to you. Talk to a real professional hockey player.”

I wrap up the rest of my sandwich and take it with me. As the kids’ practice ends, a dozen of them run up to us, yelling my name, asking for autographs and selfies. One kid asks for tips on his slapshot.

Coach hands me a Sharpie and claps my shoulder again. I’m off the hook for now, but one thought keeps crawling back in as I sign jerseys and ruffle sweaty hair.

If Wren makes me feel like I’m enough… what happens when she realizes I’m not?

What happens when she leaves and I can’t pretend I never needed her?

twenty-three

WREN

It’sthree minutes to seven in the morning when I drag myself intoThe Last Kissproduction offices. Most of the crew aren’t around yet, but as I scurry down the hall toward the meeting room, I pass by the wardrobe office. The light is on. I slow down, spotting Jennifer as she organizes some cosmetics on the counter closest to the door.

She looks up and smiles warmly. “Hey, what are you doing here so early?”

I know I’m going to be late but fuck it. I haven’t seen Jennifer in a week. Catching up with her for a few minutes won’t hurt anything.

She swirls a makeup brush in the air.

“I’m here for an early meeting with Elena,” I explain.