She lets out a quick breath, her eyes wide and her face red. “I don’t get why you’re upset, acting like a jerk at dinner when I did nothing wrong. Yeah, I didn’t tell you, but did you ask? No. So it isn’t like I’m lying. I just didn’t see a reason to bring it up because he isn’t important.”
Letting my head fall to the side, I glower. “Are you done?”
She glares. “For now.”
“Good,” I say, turning in my seat to face her. “So what you’re saying is you want me to be a mind reader?”
“Did I say that?”
“Basically. And the thing is, I’m not mad because of who he is—I could care less, even though my brothers both think that I need to give you up because he can ruin me. And yeah, he probably can, but I’m in too deep with you. That’s why I’m mad—because you didn’t tell me. That’s big for someone who’s dying to go into the draft and be great in the NHL. He’s my future boss, Avery, and a little warning or a small heads-up would have been great. Don’t you understand that? I just looked like a dumbass in front of my family ’cause I didn’t even know your last name.”
“He doesn’t matter!” she yells, and I notice her hands are shaking. “He doesn’t care about me enough to care who I’m dating. I promise you that.”
I shake my head. “Did you not hear what I just said? I don’t care about him. I care about us and the fact that you hold shit back from me.”
“Because they don’t matter!”
“My future boss does matter.”
“So, what? You wouldn’t be with me if you knew? Or would you have used me? I don’t get it.”
“Oh my God, Avery, really? Don’t you know me better than that?”
“You’re the one making a big deal over who my dad is.”
“Because you didn’t tell me! You don’t tell me shit!”
“That’s a lie. I’m doing better,” she shoots back and I glare.
“Because I’m fucking making you,” I yell. I don’t mean to make her flinch but, fuck. Come on! “It’s like pulling teeth with you. I have to beg for information, and that’s not fucking fair.”
Shaking her head, she shrugs. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
I glare, because that wasn’t heartfelt at all. “Really? I’m supposed to believe that?”
She glares back. “What? I said sorry.”
“And you didn’t fucking mean it!”
“I do,” she yells back. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who my dad was. I’m sorry I’m not an open fucking book like you. And I’m sorry I embarrassed you. I’m fucking sorry, Jace!”
Her voice rings in my ears and I look away, shaking my head.
Girls, man. They are basically mindfucks.
Running my hands down my face, I bite into the inside of my lip before looking back over at her. Her eyes are trained on her knees, her lip between her teeth, as the silence stretches between us. “I don’t want to fight with you. I just want you to understand why I’m upset.”
“I told you I was sorry,” she whispers before looking up at me. “I should have told you, but I don’t like talking about my family. That is not a secret.”
“But your family is part of you and, Avery…the commissioner? Really? That’s something you tell someone.”
“Why? So you would sleep with me to get ahead?”
My brows crash together. “Because I needed any other reason to sleep with you than just you, right? I was a goner the moment I met you. Don’t throw that bullshit in my face. You just don’t want to let me in!”
“I’m fucking trying!”
“No, you’re not,” I bite out, shaking my head in frustration. This isn’t what I wanted.