Chapters (52)
“Are you politely asking me why I haven’t jumped into another relationship already? Because the guys have been giving me shit. No need to tiptoe over my feelings. I know I have a reputation for going from one girlfriend to the next.”
“It’s more than a reputation. You haven’t gone more than a few weeks without a girlfriend in all the time I’ve known you.”
I hesitate, nodding. I don’t know if that’s true, I’ve never really tracked it, but it’s not far off.
“It’s okay if you’re not over Taryn. She was great. We all liked her a lot.”
“She was.” My last girlfriend was someone I thought I could picture a future with, but when she transferred schools at semester, we both decided it’d be easier to cut ties instead of trying to make it work long-distance. I’m a romantic, but I’m also realistic. I like spending time with my girlfriends too much to be happy with a weekend here and there. “It isn’t Taryn. I’m trying to take some time, be single. Plus, with this being my last year playing hockey, I really want to see it through and focus my energy there.”
“Makes sense.”
“Also, don’t tell the guys I know, but they have a bet going on how long before I’m with someone new.”
“Oh, I know,” she says. “Heath’s out. He had one week.”
“I guess between my buddies betting on me and the shit with my parents, it seemed like a good time to break my usual cycle.” I still get an ache in my chest when I think about my parents splitting up. They completely blindsided me. I thought they were crazy in love, even after all these years. Ginny thinks I’m taking it too personally, but it is personal. Everything I believe about love and relationships was based on watching them. They were so happy. Or so I thought.
“But what if you found someone you wanted to be with? Would bad timing stop you?”
“No, I doubt I’d let anything stop me.” The trouble is, I’m not sure if I trust my own instincts. I never get into a relationship expecting it to fail. Yet, they always do. It starts out fantastic and then a month, or six later, and suddenly everything just feels… wrong.
“Adam, I need to tell you something.” Reagan angles her body toward me. Her eyes fall to her hands. She looks so serious all of a sudden.
“What is it?”
Seconds pass, my heart rate accelerates in anticipation.
“I…” she starts and then stands quickly. “It’s nothing. I should go. See you later.”
Reagan beelines inside, says something to Dakota, and then heads out of the apartment. Huh. Well, that was abrupt. What a weird fucking night.
Good news, though. I’m most definitely not broken.