Page 57 of Mr. Swoony

“Well, you could go over and wear a sign around your neck that you’re a real-life single hockey player.”

“That’s false advertising.” I follow her to the checkout counter.

“You are a hockey player.” She places her books on the counter, and the girl scans them.

“But I’m not really single.”

“Yes, you are.” She shakes her head at me.

“I’m taken. I’m just not dating her yet.”

Eloise blows out a breath, shoots the cashier a smile, and pays for the books, ignoring me like she does when she doesn’t know what to say.

I probably shouldn’t be pushing and making it clear that I’m biding time until she’s ready, but I can’t help it. When I’m around her, I just want her to be mine.

Her phone dings, and it’s on the counter face up from when she paid, so I can’t help but read the text.

Tristan: I’m home. We need to talk.

I was wrong. It wasn’t her popping my bubble, it was her goddamn ex-fiancé holding the pin.

Twenty-Three

Eloise

A knock sounds on the condo door, so I set down the book I bought yesterday and go to answer it. Rising on my tiptoes, I look through the peephole to see Kyleigh and Jade. Conor’s been out all day, and I’m trying to pretend that him seeing Tristan’s text yesterday isn’t the reason he’s keeping his distance.

I open the door. “Hi.” I step to the side to welcome them in.

“We’re going out shopping for fancy dresses and wondered if you’d come and help us pick them out?” Jade’s gaze roams around the room, taking in the space. I can’t tell if she’s remembering her and Henry here, or if she’s being a little protective and making sure there’s no signs of us sleeping together.

“Of course. When am I not up for shopping?” I walk back over to the table, put my bookmark in the book, and set it back down. “Let me grab my purse.”

“When did my brother become Betty Crocker?” Kyleigh calls from the kitchen.

I join her there to see her staring at the mixer on the counter. “Remember the other day with the flour and stuff?”

She leans her hip against the counter. “The day you moved in?”

I position my purse crossways over my chest. “He decided to help me bake a cake from scratch.”

Kyleigh’s nose scrunches, and she glances at Jade before looking back at me again. “Another item on the list?”

“I know what you guys are thinking, but he’s just being kind. It’s not a big deal.”

Kyleigh shrugs. “If you say so.”

“Come on, let’s go.” I wave them forward, away from the kitchen.

“How did the cake turn out?” Jade asks once we’re on the concrete steps heading down to street level.

“A disaster. It didn’t rise.”

Kyleigh pushes open the security gate, and I’m thankful there aren’t any women here today.

“Hey, guys, the other day I left, and there was a group of women hanging around here. Is that common?”

Jade and Kyleigh share a look and laugh.

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