Page 108 of Off The Ice

It didn’t come as a surprise. I should’ve known better. No matter how steady I thought I’d been, this call was a reminder that I’d never been on solid ground to begin with.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Liam

Fuck, I’d been about to tell her.

If Maggie hadn’t interrupted, I would’ve told her—hell, I don’t knowwhatI would’ve said. Everything that was happening to me regarding that girl was so far beyond my control that it should’ve scared me.

But it didn’t.

The only thing that I was afraid of was the thought of messing it up and scaring her off. But how the hell was I supposed to function when every moment I was with her, I wanted to grab her in my arms and tell everyone who would listen that she was mine?

Would she leave me if I told her? Would she leave me if I didn’t?

And which of the two scenarios meant I got to keep her?

“What the hell are you doing?” Maggie slapped me back to reality with the hand that came down hard against my arm.

“What the hell areyoudoing?” I countered, looking down at her scowling face. “Why’d you hit me?”

“Because dumbass,” he retorted. “You were just way too close and personal with my best friend. What was that about?”

I paused. I couldn’t tell Maggie when I hadn’t even told Cassie.

“Everyone’s supposed to think we’re together,” I offered by way of explanation.

What did Maggie even see? It wasn’t like I pulled Cassie in for a kiss.

Though I wanted to.

“They alreadydidthink that without you staring at her like you’re in love with her or something!” Maggie threw her hands in the air. “I mean, what the hell was that about?”

“You’re yelling at me forlookingat her?”

“No, I’m yelling at you because Cassie is way too fragile right now to have her head messed with by you.”

“I’m not messing with her head, Maggie. Jesus.”

Maggie narrowed her eyes on me, searching for something. I shifted on my feet as she watched me.

“You like her, don’t you?”

Deny. Deny. Deny.

“Of course I like her.”

“You know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do! You’re wearing your lying face!”

“Okay, so what? I like her. A fucking lot. But I know it’ll never go anywhere. So we don’t have to talk about it.”

“Of course we do!” Maggie exclaimed. “Liam, this is the first girl you’ve ever really liked, and it’s my best friend!”

“Not true,” I defended. “Jesus, Mags. I’ve had girlfriends before.”

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