relationship. Ethan made the decisions, most of which were only about himself, and she went along with them. She could feel herself sinking back into his shadow, and had to snap out of it.
"I want to watch the game," she said suddenly. "So we're going to."
Ethan looked at her like she’d just sprouted a second head, and he didn't answer her for a long moment.
"Whatever," he said finally.
###
"I just want to wring Walker's neck," Chris said.
"Walker as in the hockey player on TV right now?" Maggie asked.
"His brother," Jason growled. "It's Michaela's ex."
"Not ex anymore." Chris shook his head as Maggie offered him a beer and then met Jason's alarmed eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Jason demanded.
"They got back together this morning," Chris explained.
Jason tried to cover up the emotions that he was sure were evident on his face. First there was shock. Never in a million years did he see Michaela forgiving that douche bag. Then there was anger. Was she really that weak? Next he had regret. He never told Michaela how he felt. He’d waited too long. He’d rejected her and then didn't talk to her for a week. There was confusion tinged with pain. He was almost positive she felt something for him. Was he wrong? Why did she choose Ethan? Was it his money and sophistication? He was ashamed as soon as he thought that. Of course he knew Michaela wasn't like that. All of these feelings swirled in his head, suffocating him.
"I need air," Jason said, suddenly shooting to his feet. He was out the door before anyone could stop him. What he really needed was to be alone. If he was honest with himself, what he wanted was to see Michaela. He wanted to hear it from her lips. But she was out with Ethan, and he’d lost his chance.
He unlocked the front door to Jason's and slid into the empty bar. His steps echoed through the silence as he hurried to the bar. He pulled a bottle of Jameson off the shelf and poured himself a glass. Jason never drank in his own bar, and he never drank liquor. But, he thought, there was no one there to see him, and he needed something strong.
Jason drained the glass and then slammed it down on the bar harder than he’d intended. It shattered, and a large shard dug into his hand.
"Shit," he growled in pain as he groped behind the bar for a towel. He pulled the glass free in one motion and wrapped his bloody hand.
"You know," Maggie's voice came from near the door, "you're supposed to drink the whiskey, not fight it."
"Ha ha," he said sarcastically. Maggie hurried towards the opposite wall and disappeared into the office, returning with the first-aid kit.
"Come here," she ordered. "I've known you your whole life, Jason. And I've never known you to be angry." He winced as she cleaned his cut in the sink.
"Yeah, well--"
"I know," she stopped him. "This is about Michaela." She dried his hand and put cream on the cut before wrapping a bandage around it.
"I just can't believe she took him back." Jason's shoulders sagged. "God! Look at me. That girl has taken my man card and left me pining like some girl."
Maggie gave him a withering look. "Speaking as one of those girls you just insulted, caring doesn't make you any less of a man. Women don't own the book on heartbreak. Most girls would love to have a man that cares like you do for Michaela."
"Well, I need to stop caring. She's made her choice, and now I have to live with it."
"Did you ever give her another option?" When he didn't answer, she continued. "I didn't think so. Women aren't mind-readers."
"It's over, Mags. I've always known she was still in love with him."
"Oh, Cousin, just because things look set now, doesn't mean it's the end of the story." She patted his arm and left him to his empty bar.
Ten
It didn't take much for Michaela to forgive Chris for the previous weeks. After her dad left, she’d felt abandoned by her whole family. The one person she thought would always be there was wallowing in his own
"I want to watch the game," she said suddenly. "So we're going to."
Ethan looked at her like she’d just sprouted a second head, and he didn't answer her for a long moment.
"Whatever," he said finally.
###
"I just want to wring Walker's neck," Chris said.
"Walker as in the hockey player on TV right now?" Maggie asked.
"His brother," Jason growled. "It's Michaela's ex."
"Not ex anymore." Chris shook his head as Maggie offered him a beer and then met Jason's alarmed eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Jason demanded.
"They got back together this morning," Chris explained.
Jason tried to cover up the emotions that he was sure were evident on his face. First there was shock. Never in a million years did he see Michaela forgiving that douche bag. Then there was anger. Was she really that weak? Next he had regret. He never told Michaela how he felt. He’d waited too long. He’d rejected her and then didn't talk to her for a week. There was confusion tinged with pain. He was almost positive she felt something for him. Was he wrong? Why did she choose Ethan? Was it his money and sophistication? He was ashamed as soon as he thought that. Of course he knew Michaela wasn't like that. All of these feelings swirled in his head, suffocating him.
"I need air," Jason said, suddenly shooting to his feet. He was out the door before anyone could stop him. What he really needed was to be alone. If he was honest with himself, what he wanted was to see Michaela. He wanted to hear it from her lips. But she was out with Ethan, and he’d lost his chance.
He unlocked the front door to Jason's and slid into the empty bar. His steps echoed through the silence as he hurried to the bar. He pulled a bottle of Jameson off the shelf and poured himself a glass. Jason never drank in his own bar, and he never drank liquor. But, he thought, there was no one there to see him, and he needed something strong.
Jason drained the glass and then slammed it down on the bar harder than he’d intended. It shattered, and a large shard dug into his hand.
"Shit," he growled in pain as he groped behind the bar for a towel. He pulled the glass free in one motion and wrapped his bloody hand.
"You know," Maggie's voice came from near the door, "you're supposed to drink the whiskey, not fight it."
"Ha ha," he said sarcastically. Maggie hurried towards the opposite wall and disappeared into the office, returning with the first-aid kit.
"Come here," she ordered. "I've known you your whole life, Jason. And I've never known you to be angry." He winced as she cleaned his cut in the sink.
"Yeah, well--"
"I know," she stopped him. "This is about Michaela." She dried his hand and put cream on the cut before wrapping a bandage around it.
"I just can't believe she took him back." Jason's shoulders sagged. "God! Look at me. That girl has taken my man card and left me pining like some girl."
Maggie gave him a withering look. "Speaking as one of those girls you just insulted, caring doesn't make you any less of a man. Women don't own the book on heartbreak. Most girls would love to have a man that cares like you do for Michaela."
"Well, I need to stop caring. She's made her choice, and now I have to live with it."
"Did you ever give her another option?" When he didn't answer, she continued. "I didn't think so. Women aren't mind-readers."
"It's over, Mags. I've always known she was still in love with him."
"Oh, Cousin, just because things look set now, doesn't mean it's the end of the story." She patted his arm and left him to his empty bar.
Ten
It didn't take much for Michaela to forgive Chris for the previous weeks. After her dad left, she’d felt abandoned by her whole family. The one person she thought would always be there was wallowing in his own
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