Page 40 of Match Me if You Can
“For a hefty fee,” I agree.
“What happened to Tanya?”
My heart squeezes. “She died.”
He’s quiet for so long that I look at him again. His expression is gentle as he leans in and touches my cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s life.”
His face changes, closes down. Gentle gone and mask snapping into place. “You should get some sleep.”
I open my mouth to ask him what’s the matter, but I’ve learned that’s a mistake already, and, anyway, he’s turning away, his big body on top of the blankets.
It’s late.
We have pre-wedding festivities in the morning and Ace’s family is almost as tiring as mine, and I don’t want to fuck this up and risk my payday (or his). Not to mention, we traveled all day, and I spent the rest of it being on my best behavior, and then my migraine, and sharing too much…
Right.
We need to sleep.
So all I do is whisper, “Yeah.”
And close my eyes.
But it takes a long, long time for my dreams to take me.
And when they finally do, they’re not pleasant.
SIXTEEN
Ace
My back hurts like a motherfucker when I wake up, and it feels like I got all of five minutes of sleep.
Because…Violet.
The way she winced when I talked too loudly, the silk of her hair, the loss of her mom, of Tanya, who clearly meant a lot after losing her mom, and—
Living with…
Half-brothers.
Emphasis on half.
And living with the wife of the man who cheated with her mom—the man who was away playing and then coaching for the majority of the year.
I understand the ice, the armor from the matter-of-fact way she shared.
Like it’s no big deal and she’s long moved on.
But who moves on from that shit?
I don’t like Oakes all that much, and Lex and Ryder are assholes, but I have no doubt they’ll take my back without hesitation.
Vi?
She didn’t have that.
