Juicy Rebound (IceCats 1)

But she’s lovelier than any star in the sky.

“So Shelli will be here for Halloween, right? Do you guys have plans?”

She rolls her eyes, and I have a feeling I’m about to laugh. “She wants to pass out candy. She’s making me dress up.”

“As what?”

“A llama.”

I couldn’t hold in my laughter if I tried. “No way.”

“Yes, she bought these huge llama heads! She’s insane.”

I can’t breathe, I’m laughing so hard. She doesn’t seem to appreciate my laughter, but there is no way I can stop. I do try, though, and when it tapers off, I clear my throat. “So, I’m going to need to see this.”

“Hell no.”

I snort. “No, for real. You have to come to my party as a llama.”

“You’re having a party?”

“Yup, the whole team will be there. It’s on the beach and in the house. You guys have to come. I demand it.”

Her eyes twinkle playfully. “Demand it?”

“Yes. Not only am I certain you’ll be the hottest llama ever, but you’re my date.”

She grins. “Well, goodness. I didn’t even know I had a date for Halloween.”

“Now you do,” I say confidently as we turn onto Meeker Street. “What do you say?”

“I guess.”

“You guess?” I laugh.

“Yeah. I don’t have anything else to do.”

“Oh, I’m so grateful.”

She leans up, kissing my jaw, and my heart skips a beat. But when the big GymMasters sign comes into view, I feel Amelia tense up. I watch as her shoulders fall, and she leans closer into my chest. Almost like she is hiding from the sign. When I said we should walk home, I did so on purpose. I wanted to walk past this gym. I’m not sure how this is going to go, but I think it’s for the best.

“Confession time.”

She glances up at me, and I see such melancholy in her eyes. It guts me. She was so happy before, and within seconds, it’s gone. That physically hurts me, but hopefully this will help. “I called this gym the other day and asked if they were hiring.”

Her eyes widen, and when she stops, I stop too, not letting her go. “Why?”

“I wanted to know. I’m kind of hurting for money. Figured I could get a second job.” She narrows her eyes, and I realize this probably isn’t something to joke about. “Sorry. I called for you.”

She blinks twice, and then she opens her mouth. She shuts it but then opens it again, looking like a super-cute little goldfish. “Why?” she asks finally.

“This is where you belong.”

“Did you tell them it was for me?”

“No, I just asked if they were hiring,” I say quickly. I should have said that from the jump.

She doesn’t say anything. She tears her gaze from mine and starts walking, which in return makes me walk since I refuse to let her go. “They are, by the way. For a team coach and two recreational coaches.”

She doesn’t say anything. She’s looking straight ahead, and I really don’t know what to say. Did I just mess this up? Shit. When we reach the parking lot, I pause, and so does she. “Do you want to go in?”

She shakes her head. “No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll go with you,” I offer. “I’ll stand beside you, behind you, in the corner…anywhere, if it helps.”

She moves out of my arms then. “You just don’t understand.”

“I—”

Her eyes are wide, and they reflect so much hurt as she yells, “Gymnastics was my life!”

I blink. “I know. Which is why I’m suggesting you go—”

She throws her hands up, her eyes wild as they fill with tears. “I gave it up for some shithead who ruined my life and me. No one wants me. Why would they? I couldn’t even stay in school or on a great team because I wanted to be with some guy who promised me the world. I’m a failure, Chandler. Don’t you see that?”

“Amelia—”

When the tears start to spill over onto her cheeks, my heart shatters into pieces, and I feel them fall into my gut.

“When people heard what I did, they told me that I was stupid, that I was insane. I didn’t believe it. I wanted to be with someone who loved me. I wanted what my mom had, and I didn’t. I, um, I—”

When her voice breaks, a sob escaping, I wrap my arms around her, pulling her in close. I kiss the top of her head as she falls apart in my arms. My heart hurts for her and the mistakes she made. It happens, though; we were just kids. I try to calm her as I continue to kiss her head. “Amelia, I know it doesn’t seem okay, but I promise it is.”

She shakes her head. “How?”

“You made a mistake, you learned from it, and you’re moving on. Some people dwell on their mistakes, but I don’t think you’re that person.”