“I don’t know.”
“Maybe you should ask him.”
Jess bit her lip.“I don’t think he wants anything to do with me now.”
Was that because of me?“What happened after I stormed out?What did Alek say?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“I left before he could say anything.It wasn’t like that, Justin.We weren’t dating, we were just hooking up.And now…” Jess shrugged, but I could see the sadness in her eyes.
I would do almost anything to change that.Maybe even make nice with Alek Denbrowski.“Was that all you wanted with him?”
“That’s what we said.”Jess shot me a glance.“It was… I don’t know how to describe it.I mean, the first night, I didn’t even know who he was.”
I raised my brows.
She shrugged.“It was the night the trade was announced.We thought he still had to come out from California.And he’d lost a bet, so he’d shaved off his hair and beard.”
I slumped.“That was the night I walked out of the bar.”
“Yeah.I tried to follow you but couldn’t find you, and I ended up in a bar.And it had been a bad day and a hot guy was interested, so…”
“You’ve been seeing him for two months.”I’d had no idea.Was I that self-absorbed?
She closed her eyes.“It was never supposed to happen after that first time.”
I knew my sister.She had a sex life—one time the douchebag she brought home hit me up for a selfie in the kitchen the next morning—but for it to happen again, especially with Alek?“And it was ‘just sex’?”I asked skeptically.
“Well, it wasn’t like we could go out without everyone finding out.We stayed in private and hooked up.”
“You didn’t talk?”I raised my brows.“Cuddle?”
She wouldn’t look at me.“Yeah, we talked.That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Nice try, sister.I know you.You’ve been happier these past couple of months.I thought it was because you’d made friends, with Katie and Callie and Jayna.But it’s more.”And not Fitch, unfortunately.
“It can’t be,” she whispered.
I heard in her voice how much she wanted it, how much she wanted him.I sat down beside her and laid my good hand on hers.“Maybe it can.You’ve put your life on hold for long enough.”I didn’t let her interrupt.“You never tried that hard, Jess.If I was choosing, Alek’s not the guy I’d pick for you.But if he makes you happy?Maybe he is the right one.”
“A teammate?A Denbrowski?”
“That’s up to you, not anyone else.”
She glared at me.“You’re a lot chattier than I’m used to.”But the sadness was leaving her face.
“I’ve been saving up.”
“So, punching Alek woke you up?”
I shook my head.“Not just that.When I realized you’d put your life on hold for me.Knowing you had to hide that you like someone.I felt smug…and then like an asshole.”
“I’m glad you’re ready to make changes, Jus.Really glad.”
“And you’re going to as well.We’ll honor Grandma while we’re here.Acknowledge all she was for us.Then, you talk to Alek when we get to Toronto again.I’m out for the season, so I can come back here and work on the house.I’ll check with you before I take big steps, but I might as well be useful while I can’t play.”