Chapter 19

I walked out of my interview and headed back to my car. I’d been distracted during my photo shoot and then the interview, which wasn’t good. I couldn’t stop hating myself. Now that I was out of the moment, I was regretting absolutely everything that went on between Corey and me. Last night I didn’t care. Today I was upset.

I began to drive towards home but changed my mind. Instead of getting off at the highway exit leading to my house, I got off at the next one and drove to Brianna’s. I was almost positive that she was there and was relieved when I saw her car in the driveway. I needed someone to talk to. Badly.

“How was the interview?” she asked when she pulled open the door. I tried to find words, but couldn’t. Instead I just started crying. “God, Amelia, what’s wrong? What happened?”

I still wasn’t sure how to tell her so I walked into her kitchen and opened a drawer. I pulled out the corkscrew and walked over to where she kept her wine. I grabbed a bottle without checking what it was and stuck the corkscrew in. Then I grabbed two glasses from the cupboard and poured almost overflowing glasses. I took an enormous sip before noticing that Brianna was just watching me.

“I’m an awful person,” I said through my tears.

“Sit down and tell me what’s going on,” she ordered taking her glass and sitting at the dining room table. I took another large gulp before starting.

“I think I’m still in love with Corey,” I choked out. She didn’t look surprised.

“Okay, there’s more to the story than this,” she said when I didn’t say anything else. I took another sip before continuing.

“I told him why I left him in Maine. I felt like I owed it to him. It made everything so complicated.” I paused and took a breath before finishing off my glass of wine. I avoided meeting Brianna’s eyes. “We kissed.” I wasn’t done, not even close but I needed to take steps, so I refilled my glass. I noticed that Brianna had only taken a sip or two of hers.

“So you kissed your ex that you’re still in love with. That doesn’t make you an awful person,” she assured me.

“No, but sleeping with him does,” I corrected her. I could tell she wasn’t expecting that. I rested my forehead on my arms. The tears were still coming and I couldn’t make them stop.

“When did this happen?” she questioned. I looked back up.

“Well, he kissed me about two weeks ago. Then the night you and Ryan fought he came over to apologize and it just sort of happened.” Her jaw dropped but she was quiet for a moment. I took the opportunity to finish off half of my second glass of the wine.

“Does Jordan know?” she asked quietly, as if he’d overhear us. I shook my head.

“No. I didn’t want to tell him because I thought it was just this big mistake that would never happen again,” I replied. She nodded in understanding.

“Well, you’ll just have to make sure that it doesn’t happen again then.” I made a face and took another drink. “Amelia…..it didn’t?”

“Last night,” I groaned as I covered my face with my hands. I looked up to see her shaking her head. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Yes you do,” she said. I looked up at her in confusion. “You already said you think you’re still in love with him.” I let out a deep breath and took another drink.

“What the hell am I going to do? Obviously I need to stay away from him, but I can’t just stop feeling, you know?” She shook her head at me again.

“Are you that dumb?”

“Excuse me?”

“Amelia, you’re in love with him. Just tell him. He obviously still has feelings for you too since you’re sleeping together.” I finished glass number two and poured a third. At this point I didn’t care anymore.

“Right, and what about Jordan and Ileana? It’s not like there aren’t other people involved. I need to take them into consideration,” I sighed.

Down went half of drink number three. Wine was not an easy drink to chug, but after gulping down two of them already, it got easier. Brianna made it all sound so simple, but it just wasn’t. Was it worth it to end things with Jordan and take the chance on Corey? Did I talk to Corey first and see if there were mutual feelings on the subject? And worst, what if he didn’t choose me over Ileana?

The last part made me finish my third glass while Brianna answered a phone call. I dumped what was left from the bottle into my glass. I knew that I needed to talk to Corey again, but I wasn’t convinced that a lot of talking would get done. All I knew was that I was still in love with him and I’d be crushed if he didn’t feel the same way.

“All I can tell you is to talk to Corey and see where he stands on all of this. And for fuck’s sake, don’t sleep with him again unless you break up with Jordan and Corey breaks up with Ileana!” There went glass number four.

“You’re not doing anything tonight, right? Because I definitely can’t drive right now,” I responded. She rolled her eyes at me and tossed me a bottle of water from the refrigerator.










Corey wondered what exactly he was going to do with this whole Amelia situation. He’d woken up this morning bummed about her not being in bed next to him yet it was hard to keep the smile off of his face when he thought of last night. As those thoughts entered his brain he let out a yell of pain when he felt something hit him.

“Perrs, wake the fuck up! I just asked if you wanted to take some shots before you got off!” Giguere yelled at him. He looked down and saw a puck lying at his feet.

“Jesus, Giggy, I didn’t hear you!” he yelled back rubbing the spot on his calf where the puck had hit.

“No shit,” he commented as he skated off the ice apparently no longer in the mood to take any shots.

“What’s your problem?” Getzy asked skating over.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Corey told him as he stepped off the ice.

“Bullshit you don’t. You were off in some other world all practice. I can’t play a game with you like this. Just fucking talk to me.” Corey sighed and knew that he really did need to get this all off his chest.

“I’ll tell you over lunch.”

Corey got out of his gear and showered. When he was dressed he met up with Ryan and they walked out of the locker room. They both stopped to sign a few autographs and take a few pictures before agreeing on a location and getting into their cars. When they were seated and had ordered Ryan began to stare at him waiting for him to say something. Corey didn’t know how to start.

“So, are you going to make me beg?” Ryan asked.

“I slept with Amelia. Twice,” Corey said. He figured the direct approach was best. Ryan almost choked on his soda.

“Jesus, Perrs. When did this happen?” he asked.

“The first time was when I had her phone. The second was last night.” Ryan laughed.

“I knew that breakfast line was bullshit. I just had a feeling you fucked her.” Corey glared at him.

“Nice, Getzy.” Ryan rolled his eyes at him.

“So you broke up with Ileana then,” Ryan assumed as their lunches were brought over.

“Yeah, about that,” Corey started but didn’t finish, instead choosing to take a bite of his wrap.

“Fuck, Corey, you’re in Pronger territory,” Ryan joked.

“Not quite, but thanks for the support,” Corey said sarcastically.

He continued to eat his lunch not really sure what else to say. He definitely wasn’t as bad as Pronger, was he? No way, he wasn’t married to Ileana and he’d hardly call sleeping with Amelia twice an affair. Nope, he wouldn’t be run out of town like Prongs was from Edmonton. Although Amelia’s a little more famous than the reporter up there is.

“So what are you going to do? Keep sleeping with Amelia behind Ileana’s back or end things with Ileana?” Ryan asked.

“I notice you didn’t throw in the option of staying with Ileana and no longer sleeping with Amelia,” he commented.

“Come on, Perrs, be serious. If it came down to it every person in the world would choose Amelia over Ileana. It’s a no brainer. And not just because she’s hotter,” Ryan scoffed.

“It’s not that easy. I don’t even know what’s going on with Amelia. As far as I know those two times were it.”

Corey tried not to roll his eyes at himself. If he were to see Amelia again, there would be no way he could keep his hands off of her unless Ileana was in the room. Even then it would be difficult. He was ridiculously attracted to Amelia but he was still trying to figure out if the attraction was just physical, or if he was falling for her all over again.

“Then talk to her,” Getzy suggested. How did he make it sound so easy?

“I guess I have to. No way around it,” Corey agreed.

“Try not to fuck her before it gets figured out, eh?” Corey groaned and threw a french fry across the table at him.