Page 40 of Pucking Curves

Christ, I can’t even think about it.

Chapter Ten

Wren

“Ohmygod,”Igrowl, tossing my phone onto the dresser as yet another text from Micah lights up the screen. It’s been a little over a week since we talked at the game. He won’t speak to me. Instead, he texts me fifteen times a day, asking if I’ve broken up with Archer yet.

“What’s wrong?” Archer asks, stepping up behind me. He wraps his arms around my waist, pressing a kiss to my shoulder.

“Your best friend is relentless,” I mutter, snatching my phone up to reply.

Me: No. I haven’t broken up with him. In fact, I married him in–

Archer grabs the phone from my hands before I can finish typing. I glare at him in the mirror, but he just shakes his head, his expression soft. “You know you don’t want to tell him like that, little bird,” he murmurs. “You’re pissed off at him, but he’s still your brother. Don’t tell him just because you’re angry.”

He's right. But he’s wrong, too. I don’t want to tell Micah the truth just because I’m mad at him. I want to tell him because things are amazing between me and Archer, I’m more in love with him than ever, and I don’t want to pretend that doesn’t matter to me. I’m tired of being one thing with him in private, and something else in public.

I’ve thought about little else over the last few days. Archer and I deserve a real chance, and it isn’t fair to us that Micah’s feelings matter more than ours. This is our lives, our decision.

Micah doesn’t have to like it. But he doesn’t get to treat me like a child and pretend I’m not capable of taking care of myself or making up my own mind. Maybe if he knows the truth, he’ll learn to accept the thought of me and Archer faster. This ridiculous war between us will end, and everything will go back to normal.

I know Archer wants that too. Things are tense between him and Micah. The whole team can sense it, and it’s throwing them off. They nearly lost their last game because Micah refused to pass the puck to Archer. The Argonauts managed to gain possession of it and tied up the game, sending them into overtime.

It’s like my worst fears are playing out in front of me. And the only option Micah’s willing to accept to stop being so stubborn is for me to walk away from Archer. He’s always been in my corner. He’s always been my best friend. And now I can’t even count on him to act like a rational human being. It sucks all the way around.

“I wish he’d talk to me,” I whisper to Archer. “I wish he’d give us a chance. And I’m tired of pretending like this doesn’t matter, like you don’t matter.” I twist in his arms until I’m facing him. “If he knew the truth, maybe…”

Archer places his fingers over my lips, resting his forehead against mine. “If he knew the truth, he’d be even more pissed than he is now. Let me talk to him.”

“He won’t talk to you.”

Archer’s lips curve into a tiny smile. “You doubting me, baby girl?”

“No. I just know him. He’s stubborn and infuriating.”

“Maybe I’m stubborn and infuriating, too.” His lips brush mine, his kiss soft. “Especially when it comes to you. I’m not going to give you up or back down. I’ll fight as hard as I have to fight to make him realize that you and I are permanent.”

My stomach flutters. The truth is right there on my lips threatening to break free. It’s three little words—I love you. I mean them all the way to my damn soul…but I swallow them back. I don’t want to be talking about Micah the first time I say them. I want it to be about just the two of us. That’s what this amazing man deserves.

“I’ll fight too,” I say instead, earning another smile from him, bigger this time.

“Yeah? You going to slay dragons for me, little bird?”

“Only the pain-in-the-ass brother-shaped ones. You’re on your own with the fire-breathing kind.”

Archer chuckles, tipping my head back to examine my face. “I want to take you somewhere today. No phones. No pain-in-the-ass brother-shaped dragons. Just you and me.”

“Oh, yeah?” I smile up at him. “Is this a date, Archer Graves?”

“It’s absolutely a date, Wren Graves.”

“Holy crap.” I blink at him, shocked. “That is my last name now, isn’t it?”

“Will be as soon as you decide to file all the paperwork to change it. Sounds good on you, doesn’t it?”

“Wren Graves,” I whisper, and then giggle because I can’t help it. “It does sound good.”

“You can keep it forever if you want. All you gotta do is file the paperwork.”

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