Page 55 of Ice Princess

Yep.

Am I potentially standing in the way of Gunner’s one true love.

Pfft, so what?

He’s the one who announced we were in a relationship and convinced me to go along with it. It’s too late to change his mind.

Besides, he and Victoria’s family have been close since the town was founded. They’re practically an arranged marriage waiting to happen. Fate itself can’t stop these two distinguished families from forming an alliance.

I’m not cocky enough to think that I’ll make a dent in the illustrious Kinsey history books. I’m just a tiny footnote in a chapter of Gunner’s life.

“Enough chit-chat,” Carol says, gesturing to the door. “We better get a move on or we’ll be late. Rebel, this way.”

I follow Carol, noticing how Victoria walks a little slower to keep step with Gunner. Twisting around, I watch them together and feel a pinch in my heart.

They look perfect as a couple. The tall, quiet Gunner Kinsey, the darling child of Lucky Falls. And the polite, classy Victoria—the fancy lawyer who lowered herself to come back to a small town like ours to lend her skills to our community.

Pouting, I whirl back around and make my way into the parking lot.

Carol tries to link my arm in hers. “You can ride with me, Rebel,” Carol says. “And Victoria can?—”

“Why would I drive with anyone other than my girlfriend, mom?” Gunner interrupts in a quiet, firm tone.

“Rebel doesn’t mind, son.” Carol speaks for me. “Plus, Victoria’s just got back and you two need time to catch up on all her adventures. After all, Rebel’sneverleft town, and you see her all the time, so you won’t be missing out on much.”

The dig at my lack of travel history lands where it’s supposed to and I flinch. Would I like to travel more? Sure. But there was never any money for that growing up and now I have the garage to take care of, so I still don’t have time to travel.

I hate that I can’t snap back at Carol but, until I secure my position at the Society, I’m not getting on her bad side. Resigned, I take a step toward her car.

Suddenly, Gunner’s large fingers wrap around my wrist and he tugs me behind him. I stumble, nearly slamming into his large frame.

Victoria’s eyes assess Gunner’s hand on mine and she frowns.

“My passenger seat belongs to Rebel,” Gunner growls. “No one else can sit there buther.”

My heart skips a beat. I sink my teeth into my bottom lip.

Without another word, the solemn hockey player tugs me to his car on the other side of the parking lot. I’m surprised when he opens the door for me, but I figure his mom or Victoria are still watching us.

Off-kilter, I scramble into the car and Gunner closes the door behind me.

When he climbs into the driver’s side, I stare at his face. The street lamps above, brush his strong profile in streaks of silver. He’s wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and a long, white shirt beneath a grey pullover.

On and off the ice, Gunner is a picture of the perfect male athlete, muscles hewn to perfection, chest broader than a V8 engine. From this angle, I can sorta-maybeget why the girls in town call him ‘mouthwatering’.

He’s still a cold jerk though.

His fingers are tight around the steering wheel and a muscle in his jaw is flexing.

“Are you angry?” I ask when the silence becomes unbearable.

“No.”

My gaze returns to his very active jaw muscles.

Gunner Kinsey has always been a little scary to me. As a child, he’d been smiley and carefree but after we stopped hanging out, he turned extremely sullen and quiet. Everything about him was cold and heavy.

I’d resented that about him. Here was a guy who had everything.Everything. Money. Parents who were together and loved each other. A big, happy family. A name that could unlock every door that was closed, every loan from the bank, every opportunity—what did he have to be sad about?

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