Page 96 of Silver Fox Puck

But there’s nothing. And now I don’t know what to do with myself.

I make it until four o’clock.

Four hours of pointless distractions, running errands I didn’t need to run, doing anything and everything except dealing with the mess in my head.

And I still feel like I’m going insane. I stare at my phone for a solid thirty seconds. Then another thirty.

Then I give up and call the only person who’s going to tell me exactly what I don’t want to hear.

Talia.

She picks up on the second ring. “Finally catching up, huh?”

I groan, dragging my free hand down my face. “I didn’t even say anything yet.”

“Kenzie, please. I know your avoidance patterns better than I know my own. I figured I’d be getting this call hours ago.”

I close my eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“I know. Now spill.”

I exhale slowly, letting my head drop against the back of the couch.

“I think I fucked up.”

There’s a pause.

Then a long, drawn-out sip, like she’s really settling in for this one. “Go on.”

I scowl. “Do you have to sound so smug about it?”

“Oh, absolutely. Now, tell me what happened.”

I groan again, then start talking.

I tell her about going to the rink. About standing there like a pathetic idiot, waiting for him to make this easier for me. About the moment I thought he was going to kiss me—and how, instead, he told me to go home.

When I finish, there’s silence.

Then—

“Well. That’s hot.”

I blink. “What?”

“I mean, the man finally put you in your place. That’s some prime romance novel shit.”

I groan. “You’re the worst.”

“No, I’m just not afraid to tell you what you already know.”

She lets the words settle. “You like him.”

I press my lips together. “Talia—”

“No, shut up. You like him. And it’s messing with you. And instead of just admitting that, you’re spiraling because it doesn’t fit into whatever bullshit rulebook you’ve been playing by.”

I open my mouth. Then close it. Because I don’t have an argument. I don’t answer. Because I don’t have one.

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