BrickWall_Kobo (17 page)

Bliss’s nose wrinkled.
“How do you know it’s a man?”

Sophie rolled her eyes.
“Oh please.
That’s definitely not your ‘had to deal with bridezilla’ face.
That’s definitely a ‘man did me wrong’ face.
Spill it.”

Bliss’s expression crumbled.
“Honestly?
I think I’m the one that did him wrong.
I need to break it off with Shane and I don’t know how.”

Sophie and Faith went totally silent, their expressions shocked.

“What?
Why are you both looking at me like that?”

The other women exchanged a glance then Sophie reached across the bar and patted her on the hand.

“What did he do?
He must’ve done something if you want to break it off.
I mean…seriously, I thought you liked him.
I mean, really liked him.
Why would you want to break it off?”

“Because the season’s going to end and he’s going to leave.
Maybe he’ll be back next year.
Maybe he won’t.
And I just can’t follow him around like a groupie.
I mean, I’ve got a job and an apartment and what would happen with Mike if I moved away?
My life is here.”

She looked up to find her friends staring at her with raised eyebrows.

So she pushed on.
“And it’s not like he asked me to give up everything and follow him all the hell over the place.
I mean, he’s probably just in it for the sex and when the season’s over he’ll dump me anyway.
So if I dump him now, I’m saving him the hassle.”

Sophie and Faith exchanged another glance before Faith said, “Sounds like you’ve given this a lot of thought.”

Shrugging, Bliss avoided their gaze by taking another sip…okay, a gulp of wine.
“Maybe.
Maybe more than I should have.”

Sophie reached beneath the bar for the wine and topped off Bliss’s glass.
“I didn’t realize you’d gotten that serious.”

Bliss frowned.
“We’re not.
I mean… I don’t… Oh hell.”
She closed her eyes and dropped her head.
“I don’t have a clue.
I just know it’s better to end it now before either of us gets too involved.”

Faith huffed, wry amusement in her expression.
“Yeah.
Before
you get too involved.
I think you’re past that point, hon.
But you’re probably not wrong.
If you know you’re going to end it, better to do it before you really get hurt.”

Sophie looked between Bliss and Faith, shaking her head.
“Wow, you two are enough to make me swear off relationships forever.
And I get it.
I mean, I get Faith’s reason.
I totally think you should castrate that bastard if you ever see the prick again,” Sophie’s statement was all the more shocking for the smile she had while speaking, “but Bliss…damn, what made you so cynical?”

Resting her hand on her cheek, she grimaced at Sophie.
“I may have dated a guy who might have turned into an emotionally abusive asshole.”

At Sophie’s gasp, Bliss held up her hand.
“In all fairness, he didn’t start out that way.
He had everyone fooled.
Except my brother.
Mike figured him out right away.
It took me a little longer to realize but when I did, I got out.”

And she hadn’t had a serious relationship since.
But that didn’t mean she wasn’t right about ending her relationship with Shane.
It wasn’t because she was scared.
It was because it was the right thing to do.

Bullshit.

She wanted to tell that sarcastic little voice in her brain to go fuck itself but that might prove she really was wrong in the head.

And wrong about giving up Shane.

Shit.

“Well, I haven’t met the guy, so I don’t have a clue what he’s like.”
Sophie acknowledged the group who pushed through the front door with a wave.
“But Bliss, the way you talk about the guy…maybe you need to think this through a little more.”

Sophie moved to seat the new party, leaving her and Faith alone.

“And what do you think?”

“I think all men are pricks who will cut your heart out.”
Faith shrugged.
“But that’s just me.”

After a few second, Bliss nodded.
“No, I’m right about this.
Better to break it off now before it goes any further.”

And hope she didn’t regret the hell out of her decision later.

Chapter Seven

“Hi, Shane, sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.
I’ve had a million things to do.”

And apparently he wasn’t one of them.

Shane nodded though he knew she couldn’t see him.
He also knew something was up.

He’d gotten a bad feeling in his gut two nights ago when she hadn’t called back after the game.
Yeah, she’d texted but he’d wanted to hear her voice.

And then yesterday, she’d blown him off again with a text.

Now she’d finally called and he realized he didn’t actually want to talk to her.
Because he knew what she was doing.

He just didn’t know why.
He had a few ideas but…

Damn it.
His jaw clenched.

“I thought maybe we could get some dinner after the game tonight.”

Silence.
Then, “I don’t think I can make the game tonight.”

Goddammit.
Was she really going to do this now?

He sucked in a breath.
“Something wrong?”

Another pause.
“No, nothing’s wrong.
I just…I can’t make it tonight.
Aunt Rosie and I are getting ready for a bridal show on Sunday and there’s so much we need to do before then.
And the shop’s open tomorrow and of course we’ve got three fittings and a consultation with a new client.
And Sunday’s going to be crazy.
One of the models backed out and if we can’t find anyone, I’ll have to step in which means altering the dress and… well, it’s just crazy right now.
I’m sure you understand.
I mean, you’ve only got two weeks left before the playoffs and I know you’re going to clinch a spot so you’re going to be busy too and…”

She finally stopped to take a breath but he felt like he couldn’t catch his.

“Bliss.
What—”

“I just don’t know when I’m going to be free.”
She rushed to cut him off.
“And I’m not sure—”

“Bliss.
Don’t.”

He wouldn’t beg.
No fucking way would he beg for her not to do this.

But…

Hell, everything she said was right.
He was going to be busy.
Making it to the playoffs had to come first.
He knew he needed to concentrate on winning the Calder Cup.
Hell, he should be thanking her for making this easy on him.

Except this didn’t feel easy.
It felt the exact opposite.

“I’ve had a really great time with you these past few months,” Bliss pushed on like he hadn’t said anything.
“But I know your life is going to get crazy and I don’t want to feel like I’m getting in the way.”

“Have I ever said that?
Have I ever even mentioned that?”

Another pause and then a deep breath.
“We both knew this wasn’t going to last.”

“And what if that’s not what I want?”

For a moment, Bliss’s heart rose into her throat.

An old memory, one from her former relationship rose up.

She’d made the decision to break up with her ex and she’d asked him to meet her at a restaurant to talk.
A public space, where there was no way he would do anything…physically to her.

But the look in his eyes when she told him she was leaving him and she never wanted to see him again?
That look had made her want to run.
It had made every muscle in her body tense, ready to flee.

And she’d felt like she was going to be sick.

Like she felt now.

But now it was the thought that she’d lumped Shane into the same mold as her ex that made her ill.

Shane was nothing like that bastard.
He was a decent guy.
A great guy, actually.

And you’re just throwing him away.

No.
It was better to end this now before either of them really got hurt.

“I know you’re going to have a great run in the playoffs.”

“Wait—”

“And you’ve made a superfan out of Mike.
But I really have to go.
Good luck.
With everything.
And…bye.”

The line went dead and Shane took a second to look at the screen to make sure she’d actually hung up on him.

She had.

What the fuck just happened?

He felt like he’d gotten taken out by Rager Bolden, the league’s biggest linesman.
Shaking his head, he reached for his keys but stopped when the front door opened and CJ, Jake, and Lad stormed in.

“Shane!”
CJ rushed him, grabbing around the shoulders and hugging him.
“You cocksucker.
You’re back.
We are
so
fucking happy to see you!”

Lad and Jake smacked him on the back hard enough to make him wince.

“How was that NHL bench?”
Jake headed for the fridge.
“Feel different on your ass?”

It took him a second to switch gears, to shove the hurt down and concentrate on his friends.

“Felt the same to me and I was on it all night.”

Lad grabbed his shoulder and squeezed.
“Yeah, but you got the call.”

For the next fifteen minutes, Shane answered a barrage of questions.
Mostly from CJ.
This was his first year playing in the AHL after spending two years in the ECHL.
CJ might’ve been more excited than Shane about getting called up.

But even as he told the guys about his time in Philly, he couldn’t stop thinking about Bliss.

Jake noticed his distraction first.
His gaze narrowed as Shane talked about the strength of the shots.

When CJ would’ve asked another question, Jake held up his hand.

“What is wrong?
Something is not right with you.”

“Nothing.”
Shane shrugged.
“Just tired.
I took practice with the team this morning.”

Jake wasn’t buying it, and now Lad and CJ were looking more closely at him.

“No, that ain’t it.”
CJ crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the kitchen counter.
“What happened?”

Taking his beer, he headed for the sofa.
Might as well be comfortable if they were going to cross-examine him.

“Nothing happened.
Everything’s fine.
What’d I miss—”

“Why are you not going to see Bliss?”

Fucking Lad.
The bastard could read other players like he had ESP.

“Because she doesn’t want to see me.
It’s not a problem.
With the playoffs coming up, I need to be focused.
I don’t need a woman fucking with my head.”

The guys exchanged looks.

“Bullshit,” said Lad and Jake in perfect unison.

CJ shook his head.
“Damn.
I don’t get it.
I thought she really liked you.”

Shrugging, he sucked down more beer.
“Guess not.”

“That is bullshit.”
Lad cocked his head to the side.
“What did you do?”

Shane frowned.
“What the fuck?
I didn’t do anything.”

“You must have done something.”
Lad exchanged a glance with Jake.
“That girl had it bad for you.”

Shrugging, Shane forced himself not to rub at the ache in his chest.
“Obviously she didn’t or she wouldn’t have dumped me.”

“This is not good.”
Lad looked at Jake.
“We must do something.”

“What?
No.”
Shane shook his head.
“Hell no.
Just leave it.”

“Oh, we definitely have to do something.”
Jake nodded.
“We will help you with this.”