Page 19 of Defend Her Heart

Niko laughs. “Dude, they happen morning, noon, and night. You’ve missed a lot. Please come take your favorite girl and have some concerts at your place.”

I turn my truck onto Chestnut Avenue, looking for a parking spot.

“As much as I’d love to, I was hoping you might want to meet me for lunch at Pies & Pints. Just got done at the rink with Katie.”

Sophia calls for her dad, and I hear him cover the phone and tell her he’ll be right there.

“Sorry, man. We have plans to go to the aquarium. Want to meet us there?”

I do love the aquarium. But if I don’t get some food in me soon, I’m going to be unbearable to be around.

“Maybe I’ll meet you guys after. I need to eat first and I’m already here. Text me when you’re heading there?”

“Sounds good, man. Hope to see you later.”

We end the call and I find a parking spot just down the street from my favorite pizza place. Usually I’m not a fan of being downtown where people might recognize me, but thepizza here is so good, I have to make an exception when I’m needing a fix.

Once I make it inside, I let the hostess know I’ll just grab a spot at the bar. It’s not overly busy here considering it’s not quite noon. Not only does this place have the best food, but the atmosphere is great, too. It’s a modern-style restaurant and bar, with a separate dining area away from the bar where TVs line the walls, displaying any and all sports that may be on. Local Green Bay memorabilia hang on the walls as well, making this a local favorite.

Most of the wooden booths are empty in the dining area of the restaurant as I walk past. There’s a few gentlemen occupying one of the tall tables, but other than that I’m able to find a spot easily along the right side of the hand-carved wooden bar.

While the bartender finishes with a customer across the bar from me, I tap on my phone and immediately click on the social media app I rarely use. The only time I use it is when I’m checking up on my sister in Minnesota or my grandparents in Florida.

Okay, so maybe there’s been a time or two I’ve found myself creeping on Avery and her douchebag husband. Ex-husband? I mean, he has to be. She’s been in Green Bay for at least four months now and I’ve yet to see him. Not that I would. He’s a professional hockey player like me so his schedule is just as busy. Maybe they are still together and doing long distance? But she wasn’t wearing a ring at the barbecue. I have so many questions, I find myself typing her name in the search bar, her profile the first one to pop up since I’ve visited it before.

Holy shit.

It’s been a while since I’ve gone to her page because I can’t stand the sight of them together. But she deleted every single picture he was in.

My heart begins to pick up pace in my chest, my thumb scrolling erratically just to make sure what I’m seeing is real.

He’s gone from her social media.

This time, I type in Bryan’s name in the search bar. Unfortunately, I know too much about him. He plays center for St. Louis and he’s a dirty player. He’s known around the league for his cheap shots and flopping. I never really understood how he ended up with Avery. He’s not horrible looking, I guess, and female fans are constantly flooding his comments. But still, the moment I learned he and Avery were engaged, I spiraled so hard I had to cut her out of my life. Every time I saw her post about them, I was ready to burn down the world.

Avery has no idea the effect it had on me. I mean, why would she? I’m the asshole who broke her heart in high school. Only someone pathetic would be pining after their high school sweetheart ten years later.

Questions flood my brain. What happened between them? Is that why she’s here in Green Bay, because they’re no longer together? Did he hurt her?

I’ll fucking kill him.

The bartender steals my attention when he moves in front of me.

“Hey, Connor. Just you today?”

I put my phone face down on the bar and look up to find the regular bartender that’s always in here, Johnny, waiting for me to answer.

“Yep, just me. Can I have my usual with a water, please?”

Johnny smiles and knocks his knuckles on the bar. “You got it.” He takes a step away but pauses and sticks his finger in the air like he just remembered something. Backstepping, he places both hands on the edge of the bar and shakes his head, amusement plain as day on his face.

“You know how I always give you shit for putting pineapple on your pizza?”

Not this again.

I keep my mouth shut and give him my signature glare.

Johnny chuckles and continues. “Well, someone else just ordered the same exact pizza as you. And she’s pretty fucking cute, too.”