Page 97 of Ice Princess

I wave a hand in acknowledgement and focus on getting Gunner to a bench. He immediately leans his head against the wall and closes his eyes.

“What was that about?” he asks wearily. “Did the Ladies insult you again?”

“The opposite.” I settle beside him. “Marjorie offered to support me joining the Society.”

He peeks one eye open. “In exchange for what?”

“Doing more community projects like today.”

He makes a disbelieving sound in his throat.

“I’ll meet the donor and find out if it’s legit before I agree to anything. Don’t worry. I won’t be led into a trap.”

“Good,” Gunner croaks.

“Good,” I say.

His eyes fall shut again and his breathing deepens. He’s asleep.

I study the way his dark hair falls against his forehead, the straight slope of his nose and his firm, pink lips—lips that, for once, aren’t hardening into a scowl or tightening into a straight line.

My heart stirs strangely. When Gunner’s asleep, he’s way less intimidating. The hard planes of his face soften until I can see echoes of the little boy I’d been obsessed with when I was five.

My phone rings.

I jolt and answer the call, setting it against my ear. “Hello?” I whisper.

“Is anyone around? Can you talk?”

“Benji? Uh, yeah. I can talk.” Gunner’s out like a light, so I’m basically alone.

“Good,” Benji says. “Because what I want to tell you can’t be repeated.”

At that moment, Gunner’s head moves against the wall. It slides down, down, down… until it lands on my shoulder.

I gasp and look at his pale face.

“I’ve been holding myself back because it’s your business and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I know what’s going on between you and Gunner.”

“W-what?” My heart jumps with guilt.

“I know he only said you two are in a relationship to get you into the Lady Luck Society.”

“Benji—”

“I asked around. The whole town said that you and Gunner were like enemies. People who went to high school with you guys were surprised when you started dating.”

“Yes, but?—”

“It’s not right that you’re forced to date your enemy for the sake of joining the Ladies.” Benji clears his throat. “As your friend, it bothers me a lot. So I did something about it.”

My throat gets dry.

“I offered a donation to the Lady Luck Society and I specifically asked to work with you.”

Marjorie’s proposal echoes through my mind and it all clicks into place.

“It wasyou?You’re the donor?”

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