He dresses in silence, and I know I’m in too deep when I have the urge to reach out to him and make it better. I turn my back to him and hide out in the bathroom until he’s gone.
There is no possible or logical way I’ll be able to face him at his next session. I’ll have to quit and find a new job. I’ll have to throw years of schooling and my hard work away just to steer clear of a man. A man who ruined my life.
FOUR
I DIDN’T QUIT, but I did let the head coach know that I had some personal problems to take care of for the next week or so, and that I wouldn’t be able to make two of my sessions with Reeve.
“You look like shit,” my brother comments the second I step over the threshold into his house. I shoot daggers at him. “I’m surprised the Blackhawks coach even gave you time off. Your job is to care for the injured players, and his best player is currently—”
“Are you done?” I snap, tossing my bag onto his leather couch. “I know what my job is. I just came here to shove my foot up your ass for lying to me.”
“Me? When the hell did I lie?” he asks, tone affronted. As though he’s actually innocent.
“You told me he didn’t care that I was taking the job. I went into this thinking there wouldn’t be any problems, and you know what happened instead? Problems, Crew. Huge problems.”
My brother grows quiet and releases a heavy sigh. “What happened?”
Tears spring to my eyes as I think about what happened the other night. It was magical and hot, and everything it used to be. But we aren’t the same. After kicking him out, I did what I’ve always done best. I ran.
“We slept together. And now…I can’t have this, Crew. This is too complicated.”
“What’s the issue, Camila? Forgive him and move on. You both want to be with each other, but you’re too stubborn, hanging onto the past the way you are.”
My hackles raise, and I narrow my eyes threateningly. “He cheated on me, Crew. Your best friend fucking cheated on me and broke my damn heart! How can you possibly expect me to let that go?”
Crew makes a frustrated sound in the back of his throat and swipes a hand down his face irritably. “He never cheated on you!” he suddenly shouts. His words echo around us long after they’re spewed. I take a cautious step back, my heart seizing in my chest.
“He did. I caught him. How can you possibly try to defend him right now? Does your friendship mean that much to you that you’ll protect him instead of protecting me?”
Guilt flashes across Crew’s face, and he looks down at his polished oak wood floors. “He didn’t cheat on you, Camila. I’m telling the truth.”
I’m shaking my head. I refuse to believe it. “No. You’re lying to me. I caught him. I was with Maribel when I caught him and—”
“For fuck’s sake, Camila. He wasn’t the one cheating that night; it was me. I freaked out when you came in with Maribel. I was drunk, and the girl who was inside wasn’t there with Reeve, she was there with me. He took the fall for me.”
A choked sound tears from my chest as I take a shaky step back. My stomach drops and my heart clenches, painfully so. My hand flies to my mouth, and I press down, trying to hold in the impending sob.
“Why would he…? Why would he let me…?” I can’t even get the words out; my throat is so thick with emotions.
“I’m sorry, Cami. I really am. When it happened, I never thought it would turn into what it did. I never thought my one stupid decision would ruin your relationship.”
“You held me when I was brokenhearted, crying in your arms. You helped me move on and go to college and find my career, and not once, not once did you think to tell me the truth?”
He swallows. “I was still with Maribel. I didn’t want to risk her finding out.”
I scoff, an angry tear leaking out of the corner of my eye. “So you let your best friend take the blame for your mistake instead? You’re a goddamn coward, Crew. Mom and Dad would be so disappointed.”
“Don’t you think I know that!” he snaps. “I tried to fix things and make them right, but you wouldn’t listen. You