Page 35 of Second Chance with the Single Dad Goalie (Second Chance Hockey Players #2)

Chapter twenty-four

Blake

I t is one week since Keith walked in on me and Whitney. One week since we told him the truth. One week since he cut her, or rather us off completely.

Whitney’s been a wreck. She’d called him dozens of times, sent texts, even went home three days ago, only to find out he hadn’t been there in days. She cried that night. Curled into me, heartbroken, whispering over and over, He hates me. He really hates me. He won’t forgive me.

I told her to give him time. He needed space and time to process everything. The kids helped take her mind off things a bit.

This isn’t just him being mad. This is him losing it.

And I get it. I do.

If I were in his shoes, if I had a little sister, and my best friend had been secretly with her for years, I’d probably want to break his face too.

Which is why I need to fix this.

Now.

That’s why I’m here, leaning against his car in the parking lot outside his office, waiting. I’ve been here for about twenty minutes, after coming from Avalanche Hockey Center.

I check my phone, reading the message from James ranting about something and how he can’t wait to be the dominating ‘diva’ in the next game in the group chat.

Rolling my eyes, I simply mute the group’s notification, because with James leading the group chat, it’s going to turn into chaos and memes, stickers, and emoticons battle.

We qualified to play in the Conference Finals, which is the third round in the playoffs for the Kelly’s Cup. It’s another best-out-of-seven series. Next week, we’ll be facing the ‘Ironbacks’ in their home city.

Anyway, back to Keith.

I know his routine like I know my own, meaning he’s about to clock out any minute now. I also know he’s been avoiding both of us like the plague, so catching him off guard is my best shot.

Sure enough, five minutes later, he’s out and walking toward his car, expression unreadable, shoulders tense, and eyes on his phone. He stops the second he sees me, eyes narrowing, jaw clenching.

I push out of the car. “Hey, man.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“We need to talk.”

He scoffs. “No, we don’t.” He walks right past me, reaching for his car door.

I grip the handle before he can open it. “Come on, man. I know you’re angry. You have every right to be. But just…, let me explain.”

“Please”

His fingers twitch like he’s debating whether to break my wrist or listen. For a long moment, we just stare at each other. Then, with a sigh, he lets go.

“Fine,” he mutters. Then he glances at his watch. “We’re going to Giorgio’s. You’re paying.”

I let out a small chuckle, nodding. “Fair enough.”

Keith pulls open his car door, but before he gets in, he points at me. “If you think you are going with me, you are high. Take your car. Or if you didn’t drive here, find your own way. I’m not ready to be in a car with you.”

Then he slams the door shut and peels out of the parking lot.

I shake my head, rubbing a hand down my face. At least he didn’t leave me unconscious in this parking lot.

I get in my car and follow him.

****

Ten minutes later, I step into Giorgio’s, which by the way is one of his favorite “upscale and posh” restaurants.

Keith is at a booth near the back; his order has already been placed.

Walking towards him, I see a plate of steak and a loaded lobster platter sitting in front of him.

A bottle of their most expensive wine poured into his glass.

He’s already cutting into his steak like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

I slide into the chair across from him and raise an eyebrow. “Are you planning on finishing all that?”

He gives me a dark look and takes a slow bite of his steak. “Shut up.”

I raise my hands in surrender.

A few seconds pass before he leans back, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Alright. What was so important that you had to drag me here?”

I lift a brow. “Drag you? You literally chose the place and ordered enough food for three people before I even got here.”

He shrugs, taking another bite. “Could’ve ignored you.”

Fair.

I exhale, bracing myself. “Look, I’m sorry, man. I know I messed up. Back then and now.”

Keith’s jaw tightens. “You did. You could’ve told me, Blake. Hell, you should’ve told me.”

I sigh. “Keith…”

“And don’t give me that look,” he goes on, eyes narrowing. “That ‘let’s be rational’ face you always pull.”

There was a beat of silence, thick with unspoken words. I rake a hand through my hair. “The truth is…, I’ve always loved Whitney. Always.”

His expression tightens.

“I tried not to. God, I tried” I continue.

“Because of the rule - no dating your best friend’s sister.

Because I knew it was wrong. Because I knew I shouldn’t.

Because I knew you wouldn’t be okay with it.

But no matter how much I fought it, I just…

, couldn’t stop.” My voice dips. “She was my light, Keith. I just…, I just wanted to be selfish, I guess.”

Keith’s lips press into a hard line, but he doesn’t say anything.

I lean forward and chuckle. “Did you know she told me she had feelings for me first?”

His eyes widen, just slightly, before he schools his expression back into that unreadable mask.

“It was on that rainy night. The night I told you I needed to be alone because of Olivia. You remember?”

Keith clenches his jaw and then gives a stiff nod.

“That was the night!” My voice softens. “I was so shocked. Surprised. Heck, I was happy. But I turned her down, because…,” I sigh, “I know it was wrong, that she was off-limits. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop wanting her. A year later, I gave in. We started dating.”

Keith’s head tilts slightly, but his face remains unreadable. “And whose idea was it to keep it a secret?”

“Mine,” I respond immediately.

“Both then and now?”

“Yeah.”

His nostrils flare, his fingers tightening around his fork. Then, after a moment, he exhales through his nose and scoffs. “What about Olivia?”

I frown. “What about her?”

“You were with her. She was pregnant with your kids. Did you…,” his voice turns deadly low…,“cheat on my sister?”

“No,” I say immediately, shaking my head. “Never.”

Keith doesn’t look convinced. “Then explain.”

I drag a hand down my face before meeting his gaze and explaining everything to him.

Keith lets out a long breath, rubbing his temple. “Wow. She was always nuts. Told you to stay away from her, didn’t I? Seriously dude, you always ended up with the wrong girls. Annoying, clingy, oh, did I mention annoying?”

“You are one to talk. As if Jane wasn’t all three combined,” I retort.

“At least, that’s one out of the lot,” he scoffs. “You can’t use one bad apple to condemn the rest in the basket. So, I am better than you with the amount of good and bad apples I had in my basket.”

“How proud I am of you,” I mutter. Then I can’t help but add, “Well, I did get the best one.”

His glare could burn a hole through me.

Oops.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

The silence stretches between us.

Then I clear my throat. “I want to be with Whitney. Really be with her. No hiding, no secrets. I love her, man. I don’t want to let her go again.

” I meet his gaze. “And I know I messed up. I know I should’ve told you.

I should’ve handled things better. And I’m sorry, Keith.

” My voice is steady, even as my chest tightens.

“But I love your sister. I’ve always loved her, and I always will. And I need you to know that.”

His fingers drum against the table, his gaze flicking between me and his half-empty plate. “So, what now? What do you want from me?”

I take a deep breath. “I want your blessing.”

Keith lets out a bitter chuckle. “Now? After all these years?” His voice is quiet.

“What blessing are you asking for again when you guys are already knee-deep in a relationship with lots of history?” He exhales, looking down at the table.

“You hid this from me for years, Blake. You and Whitney - the two people I trusted the most. I share virtually everything with you guys.”

“We were going to,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “We just…, weren’t mentally ready.” I sigh. “I won’t make excuses. We should have told you. I know that.”

Keith exhales sharply, looking away. His hand tightens around his glass before he sets it down a little too hard.

“There are a lot of things I can’t forgive you for,” he finally says, his voice quieter now, more raw.

“I can’t forgive you for hurting her back then.

” He swallows. “And I definitely can’t forgive the fact that you both hid it from me.

For years. Do you even know how messed up that is? Do you even understand how much that…”

He stops himself, jaw clenching as if forcing the words back down.

I do.

“I’m…, we are sorry, man. Truly sorry.”

Keith doesn’t respond. He just stares at the table, shoulders rising and falling with steady, measured breaths. Then, after what feels like an eternity, he waves to the waiter.

“Get my dessert to go.” His voice is flat, unreadable.

A few minutes later, the waiter returns with a large box. Keith pushes his chair back and stands, tossing his napkin onto the table.

“Put it on his tab.”

I open my mouth, but Keith just shakes his head, his fingers gripping the takeout bag like it’s the only thing keeping him grounded.

"Keith…"

“Don’t," he cuts me off. "Not right now."

“Before you leave, can you at least answer when Whitney calls?” My voice is quieter now. Almost pleading.

He pauses. His jaw flexes like he’s considering it, but instead, he exhales through his nose and shakes his head.

“I can’t do this right now,” he mutters, almost to himself. Then, without another word, he turns and walks out.

I watch him walk out, and for the first time in years, I can’t tell if I’ve lost my best friend for good. I knew this would hurt him, but I never thought it would cut this deep.