Page 12 of Ice Princess

“Whoa,” a feminine voice says. “Careful, Gunner. You were about to break that champagne flute with your bare hands.” Pale hands cover mine. A moment later, the cup I’m holding is removed from me.

I meet a pair of familiar eyes that belong to my ex-girlfriend.

Stunned, I step back.

Victoria sets my cup on one of the standing tables. “Since when did you drink champagne?”

I don’t.

Earlier, I overheard Rosalie and Cecilia Davis tearing into Rebel and headed over there. But that square in the suit got there first. To hide my original intentions, I swerved left and pretended I was getting champagne from the table.

“Aren’t you going to ask me when I got back to town?” Victoria arches a brow.

I glance away.

“As talkative as ever, aren’t you?” Laughter crackles through her words. “Believe it or not, it’s really good to see you, Gunner. I missed you.”

Rather than answer, I stretch past her, grab the champagne again and knock the entire glass back.

Tastes like carbonated water.

Laughter trickles from Rebel’s side of the barn.

There are conversations all around and country music pouring from the speakers but, somehow, Rebel’s delight cuts through the noise. It’s like the bell mom used to ring for lunch on the farm, a pealing sound I would hear even if I was in the farthest parts of the orchard.

What on earth could that boring guy be saying to make her laugh like that?

Victoria seems determined to keep talking to me, despite my lack of interest. “I hear congratulations are in order, by the way. The Lucky Strikers are headed to the play-offs. Not that the town expected any less.”

I flick my eyes down to her.

She smirks a little harder when I finally look her way. “Yeah, I kept up with the team. You’re doing really well with Chance McLanely in the lineup. Not that the team wasn’t doing well before. You were a great captain. It’s because of the foundation you built that Chance could come in, acting like a hero.”

It’s an empty and unnecessary consolation. When Chance first rolled into town, I despised him. But after everything we’ve been through as a team—not to mention him ditching the pros and coming all the way back to Lucky Falls to play with us, I’d pretty much take a bullet for him.

Plus, reality can’t be argued with. If it wasn’t for Chance’s relationship with April, his girlfriend, he’d be tearing up the ice in a way bigger city. The guy’s in a totally different league than us.

“Really? Still nothing? Even though I’m talking about hockey? Your favorite subject ever?”

I frown at Victoria. Since when was hockey my favorite subject?

“If you keep quiet like this, Gunner, I’m going to take advantage,” Victoria says with a mischievous smile.

My eyes narrow slightly.

“Like,” she steps closer and lowers her voice, “will you go out with me this Friday? If you say nothing, that means yes.”

I open my mouth to disagree when mom comes trailing in, “Victoria! You made it!”

“Carol! It’s so good to see you!” My ex girlfriend squeezes my mother tight and the two of them exchange a bunch of words that mean absolutely nothing.

What facial masks are you using? You look so young, Carol!

Darling, I’m just trying to keep up with you! I love the hair!

I tune them out and notice that Rebel and the suit are walking away. Are they leaving together? Is he taking her home? Or worse… taking her out for a date?

There’s no reason I should care this much. Despite growing up together, Rebel’s been doing her own thing since as long as I can remember. And it’s not like I’ve cared one way or another what she does with her dating life.

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