Page 20 of Dice & Dekes

They fist bump across the table like this is normal. I suddenly remember why nobody wins in arguments with either of them. It’s like trying to out-sarcasm a cat.

“Oh, uh…” My phone slips from my fingers, and I nearly drop it twice before slamming it face-down on the table. What would people think if they realized I was overthinking a message to Knova? Worse than that—a dumbmeme?They’d know something was up, and someone would mention it to Knight, and then he’d text Knova, and this would blow up in my face.

“A beer,” I blurt. “Whatever’s fine.”

Coach snickers as he tips his chin toward my phone. “Glad you handled the puck with more finesse than that in tonight’s game, Abbott.”

I make a gesture at him because that’s what he expects. “Rude.” If I thought shacking up with my big sister would get this man who could derail my career off my back, I was wrong. If anything, he only got more annoying.

He responds in kind and takes a few steps backward, laughing to himself before he finally turns to the bar.Jerk.I take a quick look around and then reach for my phone again.

Oh.

Ohno.

Oh no.

Six. Six gifs. All of the same kid with his hands over his ears screaming, “Make it stop!”

Tristan glances over and raises a brow. “Dude, that’s not the vibe. Unless you’re trying to pour salt in the wound.”

I can’t believe I was worried about someone seeing my thread with Knova only to send her…this.It’s not funny, charming, or something we’ll laugh about later. It’s just plain mean. I groan and slump forward onto the table until my forehead taps the already sticky wood surface.

“Whoa there.” Coach has circled back, and he gives my shoulder a hearty squeeze. “You okay, there?”

I tap my head against the wood a few times. “Noooooo…”

“Want to talk about it?”

I roll my head to the side and stare up at him with one eye. “Withyou?”

“You could.” To my horror, he slides into the chair beside me. “You’ve helped me out. I could return the favor, maybe?”

My phone rings, and I shoot to my feet so fast that my chair rocks back on two legs. “Gotta take this,” I blurt. I can’t tell Coach about this thing with Knova. For one, he’ll mock me, which is fine. But then he’ll do his earnest best to help me, and I’m sorry, but no. He’s old, and he’s engaged to my sister, and he’s aterribleliar. Vivian will hear about our fake marriage before we’ve even left the bar.

And she’ll leave me with a fate worse than death.

Telling mymother.

As I push through the last cluster of people, Tristan leans against the wall, drink in hand. “Don’t die,” he says without looking at me. I shoot him finger guns on the way out.I’m already dying, bro.

It’s cool outside, and the street is mercifully quiet. I shiver when I see the name on the caller ID.

“Hey, Knova!” I chirp, trying to sound like someone who didn’t just send a bunch of rude gifs on purpose. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon!”

Maybe this is good. Maybe she’s calling to clear the air. Maybe she laughed at the gif. Maybe—but her tone is the opposite of mine. I can tell she’s pissed. “You must have a death wish!”

“Listen, about that gif…”

“Your gif mocks me, just like you always do. Viktor, why do you always have to add insult to injury? Are you really just that much of an asshole?”

Ooh, crap, this is worse than I thought. I rub my hand over the side of my face and wrinkle my nose when it comes away sticky. Gross. Coop needs to wipe down his tables better.

“I’m not mocking you! There was an accident, and I dropped my phone—”

“Liar.”

“I’m not lying,” I assure her, but the strange noises keep coming. There’s a clatter that sounds like she dropped her phone, interspersed with more curses.

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