Best Shot (Madison Howlers Book 2)

by Camellia Tate

  “Part of it?” Remy asked, tilting his head slightly to one side. “You don’t think that’s enough to explain it completely, then?” It was not a question Blake felt many of his friends would have asked. He’d realized from the way Remy spoke that he carefully considered each word. Clearly, he weighed what he heard just as carefully.

  Shaking his head, Remy carried on. “You don’t have to tell me, of course. Properly speaking, it’s not any of my business.” He smiled. Blake thought it was a friendly smile, despite everything Blake had told him.

  “Have you considered asking Doe?”

  Blake hadn’t . The idea of asking Doe , the woman he was about to break up with, about why her best friend might not want to date Blake seemed... weird. Then again, here he was, asking one of his teammates if he wanted to date Doe. Blake certainly wouldn’t have minded if Remy had come to him. He still wasn’t convinced it was an okay thing to do.

  “I hadn’t considered that,” he answered truthfully. “I guess... the way Thea said it, she sounded pretty sure. I get where you’re coming from but I can’t just presume she actually wants to date me, can I?” Blake couldn’t. He had no right to assume that, no matter how much he wanted Thea to date him.

  After a moment, Blake glanced at Remy. “Do you think it would be... okay? To ask Doe, I mean. I don’t want to... shit, I just don’t want to seem like an asshole, breaking up with her and then asking her how to get her best friend to date me instead.”

  “I can see why you’d worry,” Remy agreed. “I can’t tell you for sure one way or the other. If anyone is going to understand what’s going on in Thea’s head, isn’t it going to be her best friend?” Looked at from that perspective, Blake could see where Remy was coming from. “I’m not suggesting you presume anything. I guess what I’m recommending is that you seek a second opinion.”

  It did make a certain kind of sense. The way Remy phrased it made Blake smile a little.

  “Maybe recommending is the wrong word,” Remy clarified, almost as if sensing Blake’s thoughts. “You could see how your conversation goes, with Doe. You’ll be able to judge how upset she is, and how upset she’d be to know you were interested in Thea.”

  “Yeah, those are great suggestions, thanks, Remy,” Blake said, this time the smile wider as he glanced at the other man. They were just arriving at the steakhouse. “I’ll get your dinner, yeah? As a thank you for listening to me. Then we can talk about stuff that isn’t relationships or tonight’s game,” he suggested pulling into the parking lot.

  Having spoken to Remy, Blake felt... kind of better. He still didn’t want to hurt Doe. This talk made Blake think that maybe things wouldn’t be as bad as he might’ve originally guessed. Especially if Doe felt similarly about Remy as he did about her.

  As for Thea... well, Blake would have to wait and see.

  Despite having gone over this in his head quite a few times, Blake still didn’t feel ready to have this conversation. He knew he had to. Especially after talking to Remy, Blake knew he had to break up with Doe. He was pretty sure that Doe felt similarly about Remy as he did about her, which made Blake feel a little less guilty about the whole thing. But only a little bit.

  His thoughts kept bouncing back to Thea and the way she’d said that she wouldn’t date him. Despite what she insisted, Blake couldn’t see his relationship with Doe as being linked with whether Thea did or did not want to date him. It would still be better to be single than to string someone along when he didn’t have feelings for them. Not romantic feelings at least. Blake did like Doe a lot, he just didn’t like her the way he thought he should like someone he was dating.

  No matter how much hesitation Blake had about the break-up, he knew it was the right thing to do.

  “Oh wow, this is a nice restaurant,” Doe observed once they got to the place Blake had booked for them. He had thought about breaking-up with Doe at one of their homes. In the end, Blake had figured they might as well get a nice meal out of the ordeal. As much as the break-up would be awkward, Blake actually didn’t think it’d go badly .

  “Coach recommended it, so it must be good,” Blake told her with a grin.

  They were seated quickly. The waitress left them with menus, taking their drink order away. Now that they were there, Blake wasn’t quite sure how to start. Was there a ‘best’ sort of way to break up with someone? Maybe he should’ve Googled it first.

  “I think we should break up,” Doe said.

  It took Blake a moment to comprehend the words. In all of the different scenarios that he’d imagined, this had not come up. Blake’s mind had been so set on breaking up with Doe that he hadn’t considered that she might want to break up with him .

  Of course, now that he had thought of it, Blake felt a bit stupid. Doe was in this too, of course she’d have an opinion.

  “I’m sorry if that’s not what you wanted to hear, but I just... I don’t think we’re really a good match. Not romantically,” she told him apologetically. Blake almost laughed.

  “I do actually agree,” he promised. Briefly, Blake wondered if he should tell her he’d planned to break up with her tonight, too. That just seemed like it’d come across petty.

  “You’re great, Blake, you really are, but I just... I just don’t think we’re meant to be.” The way that echoed what Blake had said to Thea made his heart give a small jump. If nothing else, in this, at least, they were definitely well matched.

  “You’re great too, Doe,” he told her honestly. “I’m sorry if I haven’t been... the best person to date,” he apologized. Doe gave a small wave of her hand as if to assure him that this was fine. Except Blake wasn’t sure it was all that fine. He thought about what Doe must’ve thought when they’d first met. How maybe Blake would be it, how maybe he’d be her soulmate.

  “We’re just not a match,” she shrugged. “We’ve still had a nice time, we’re still having a nice time,” she argued, making Blake smile.

  “We are,” he nodded just as their drinks arrived.

  Blake thought back on what Remy had said. How if Blake wanted to date Thea, he should ask Doe . It felt... weird, to bring something like that up now. On the other hand, they could hardly spend the rest of the evening talking about how incompatible they were.

  “I have an admission,” he told her once the waitress had left.

  “Oh?”

  There was a pause as he tried to figure out how to say what he wanted to say. Doe, much to her credit, waited patiently. She was very good at listening and at just giving Blake space. With the whole dating thing no longer being between them, Blake felt relieved . Especially since they were just calmly sitting there, talking.

  “I don’t really know how to say this without coming across as a right dickhead, so I’ll just say it,” Blake prefaced. “I’d like to ask Thea out.” He paused there, to see whatever reaction Doe might have. Blake hoped it wouldn’t be an angry one (not that he’d ever seen Doe be angry).

  She seemed surprised, which was actually a good thing. It meant she hadn’t known how torn Blake had been between dating her and liking her best friend. While Blake hadn’t known what to expect in reaction from Doe, the way a smile blossomed across her face still surprised him.

  “That’s great!” Doe announced.

  “Yeah?” Blake asked, managing to sound a little bit unsure even to himself.

  Doe laughed at that, but nodded her head. “Yeah, definitely. Thea’s my favorite person in the world. And you’re great . Yeah, you’re not right for me, but I think... you and Thea get on well.”

  They did get on well. Blake liked Thea a lot. Except, Thea had also been pretty clear about how she wouldn’t date Blake. That was where he needed Doe’s advice. Blake needed to be careful so he wouldn’t accidentally tell Doe about the conversation he’d had with Thea. Not that Blake thought Doe would mind , but... it was just easier if he didn’t have to tell her how Thea had accidentally outed Doe’s soulmark.

  “I worry that she’d not want to date me be
cause I dated her best friend,” Blake said finally.

  “That’s possible, sure,” Doe nodded. “But then I’ll just tell her how it’s totally okay,” she promised. “Which... would you mind if I asked out someone on your team?” Doe’s tone turned much shyer at the question. There was a blush that crept across her cheeks. Despite it, though, Doe held Blake’s gaze with a confidence he had to admire.

  “Remy?” He asked somewhat hopefully. Doe’s increasing blush was all the answer he needed. “Yeah, you should definitely ask Remy out,” he nodded. Any sort of awkwardness this break-up might’ve brought was totally worth it for the smile that he got from Doe. It seemed to explode across her whole face. Blake couldn’t help but smile back.

  “Is it that obvious?” Doe asked. Blake had to shake his head.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t realize until... well, probably yesterday.” Even then, Thea telling Blake that Doe’s soulmark read ‘Blake’ had helped that a lot. “I could tell the two of you got on, though. I guess a bit like me and Thea.” This time it was Blake’s turn to smile, which seemed to only please Doe as she nodded.

  “We do get on,” Doe smiled. “And I think Thea will go out with you. I get that it will seem a bit weird at first but you and I... we weren’t really going to work out,” Doe commented with a shrug. “Once she realizes I truly don’t mind, it’ll be fine.”

  This was, Blake was pretty sure, the most chill break-up he’d ever had. Doe seemed to read his mind because she laughed. “We’ll make great exes,” she said giving Blake a wink. It was almost definitely true. Blake did like Doe. She was lovely and charming, sweet in a way not many people were. She also just wasn’t who Blake wanted to date.

  “We will,” he agreed with some amusement. “And thank you for... not thinking it’s super weird I want to ask your best friend out.” Blake had no idea how he’d feel if someone he just broke up with wanted to ask out Connor. Then again, he didn’t mind that Doe wanted to go out with Remy. In fact, he was happy for them.

  “Well, Thea is great, so I can’t fault you there. She’s been my best friend since the day we met. If you can make her happy - and I think you can - then, of course, I’ll be all for you dating her,” Doe told Blake genuinely.

  “You met at college, right?” he asked. Blake vaguely recalled hearing about it but he wasn’t sure he’d ever been told how Doe and Thea had met.

  Doe gave a nod in response, a softer, fond kind of smile settling on her lips. “Yeah. I mean, it was obviously destined to be. How could we not become friends when we have the same name, right?” Doe laughed. Blake blinked at that.

  “What?” He must have misheard Doe. She gave a nod like he definitely hadn’t misheard her.

  “‘Thea’ is short for ‘Dorothy’, like how ‘Doe’ is short for ‘Dorothy’,” she explained. It was... not at all what Blake had expected her to say. Of course, now that Doe had pointed that out, he could hear the ‘Thea’ in ‘Dorothy’, but... God, when had Blake’s life become this complicated?

  He’d spent years thinking that he’d never meet a Dorothy, the Dorothy. Now it turned out he knew two and he hadn’t known either actually was a Dorothy until specifically told. For all that Blake had assumed ‘Dorothy’ to be a terribly old fashioned name, he had never considered all the different ways you could shorten it.

  “You didn’t realize,” Doe observed and then frowned. “Is that why you dated me? Because...” She bit her lip. Blake could tell she didn’t want to outright ask him if his soulmark said her name. And Thea’s name. But additionally, Doe also probably knew what Thea ’s soulmark said. It didn’t read ‘Blake’, that was for sure.

  “I dated you because you’re lovely. I like spending time with you. You’re sweet and caring, you listen so attentively,” Blake listed. “But yes. You also match my soulmark.” Which Blake hadn’t known when they had started dating. At the same time, it would be a lie to say that it hadn’t influenced his decision to try more with Doe.

  There was a pause from Doe. Blake didn’t know what to make of it. Whatever she seemed to decide, Doe didn’t voice it. Instead, she just smiled at Blake.

  “I don’t really know how soulmarks work, but... they don’t always have to be the most important thing in a relationship,” Doe said. Blake had to smile at that. It wasn’t too dissimilar a sentiment to the one that Ashley had expressed. Truthfully, Blake had to agree. Even if Thea wasn’t his soulmate, Blake still wanted to date her, still wanted to see where things would go.

  It was tempting to tell Doe that Remy’s first name was ‘Blake’. In a way, Blake also kind of just wanted Doe to find that out from Remy . He might not know whether he and Thea were soulmates, but Blake was very sure that Doe and Remy were.

  “This is a good break-up,” Blake decided, making Doe laugh.

  “And now there’s food!” she exclaimed with amusement when the waitress brought their dinner.

  The rest of the evening passed... much the same as it had when they had been dating. Doe was easy to talk to. Now that Blake didn’t feel like he had to force himself to have romantic feelings for her? It was nice to just enjoy her company. And then tomorrow, he’d try to ask Thea out again.

  She might say ‘no’, but Blake was willing to take that risk.

  Chapter Eleven

  The knot in Thea’s stomach hadn’t loosened. She was furious with herself for telling Blake about Doe’s soulmark. What made it worse was knowing Doe wouldn’t be . In all the time they’d been friends, Thea didn’t think Doe had ever really been angry with her. Even now, when Thea definitely deserved it, she trusted Doe would be sympathetic.

  Not that Thea had asked . She’d done everything she could do avoid Doe. Thea knew, deep down, that she would tell Doe eventually. It wasn’t a secret she could keep, no matter what happened between Blake and Doe.

  Thinking about Blake was even worse . He’d kissed her. Thea should hate him for his betrayal of Doe. Except, she didn’t. She still believed that Blake was a good person, that he’d meant what he said about not being able to help his feelings for her.

  That couldn’t be true. Not when Blake was Doe’s soulmate.

  Thea’s head ached just thinking about it.

  She’d been distracted all day. When her boss had called her on it, Thea had (truthfully) told him she had a headache that painkillers hadn’t been able to touch. He’d let her pack up early, so Thea knew she had some time alone in the apartment before Doe could be expected home.

  After texting Doe, to let her know she was home but not feeling great, Thea tried to occupy her mind with some Dota. Her attention wavered so badly that her team kicked her for deliberately throwing the game.

  She was almost glad when a knock at the door interrupted her.

  At least, she was until she opened it and saw Blake.

  “What the hell?” she asked.

  “I know you probably don’t want to see me,” was out from Blake’s mouth so quickly that Thea realized he must be expecting her to shut the door in his face. “Will you please talk to me?” His tone of voice sounded almost pleading. Thea wasn’t sure she could say no to that. “Just hear me out, okay? I’ll leave if you want me to after.”

  Despite herself, Thea trusted that Blake would leave. Maybe that was naive. She couldn’t shake her fundamental belief that Blake was a good person. Like herself, he was just caught up in a shit situation.

  Taking a second look, Thea noticed the slightly strained expression. She wondered if Blake had been as worried over this as she had. Maybe he, too, had been distracted and anxious. “Come in, then,” she said, her tone softer than it probably should have been.

  “Do you want some tea?”

  The question seemed to make Blake smile, though it wasn’t a smile that quite met his eyes. He seemed worried. “I’m okay without tea,” he answered, before taking a seat on the couch and nodding for Thea to sit down, too. She hesitated for a moment, but then did take a seat. There was a distance between. Thea didn’t trust either of the
m not to cross boundaries if they were closer to each other.

  “Doe and I broke up yesterday,” Blake said. Before Thea could object, he carried on. “She’s not my soulmate, Thea. And I’m not hers.” He sounded so sure of that. “I think,” Blake added and this time the smile on his lips did reach his eyes. “I think Remy’s Doe’s soulmate.”

  It seemed such an obviously stupid thing to say that it made Thea pause. Blake wasn’t a stupid person. She trusted that he didn’t think she was idiotic, either. Which meant he had to have a reason for what he was saying. Something which made more sense than it seemed to on the surface.

  “Remy’s name isn’t Remy?” Thea asked. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribs. If Blake wasn’t Doe’s soulmate, what would that mean ? Did it make it okay for Thea to have feelings for Blake?

  She narrowed her eyes. “Even if Remy’s name is Blake, what makes you so sure it’s him and not you?”

  “Because my name’s not Blake.” He answered as if it was so easy. Which it wasn’t. This made no sense . Her bewilderment was clearly obvious on her face because Blake carried on. “You know my family’s rich, like really rich?” Thea a gave a nod at that. She did know. She’d spent Christmas at Blake’s family’s ski resort.

  “Well, they don’t believe in soulmates. Or, well, my family has always thought finding your soulmark match wasn’t a good thing. Too much risk. To the money.” Weirdly, Thea did totally get that. Her own family had expressed similar views. “The easiest solution to that is not going by your first name.”

  “Clearly, not the easiest solution,” Thea muttered. Nothing about this was easy. Her head ached worse than ever as she tried to process what Blake was saying. She felt like she might need a diagram .

  Lifting one hand to rub at her temple, Thea shifted in her seat to face Blake - or whatever his name actually was. “Your name isn’t Blake?” she asked. Thea needed to get that very clearly established. Blake nodded. She appreciated the way he didn’t push on to convince her right away, clearly giving her time to wrap her mind around it.