Page 89 of My Last Dance

“I really hope one of those is for me.” I stared longingly at the concession stand cups, which I knew were filled with hot chocolate.

He laughed as he handed one of the hot chocolates to me, then waited until Mer was done speaking with Kaia. As soon as the buzzer sounded to end the session and Kaia skated off, Colt leaned over the boards and dropped a kiss to Mer’s cheek.

Colt whispered a little story to her, making her laugh. There was a clear happiness in her face, a calmness in his, and it suddenly felt like I was intruding.

I tried to slip away, but the damn team box door creaked, making Mer look up. “You don’t have to go.”

“It’s okay.” I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “We’ll talk later.”

“Okay, if you’re sure?” She didn’t look sure at all.

I gave her a firm nod, but as I turned, my heart squeezed painfully in my chest. The two of them had such an easy time showing and accepting love.

Why wasn’t it ever simple for me?

_________

Walking into my apartment, I knew why it wasn’t simple.

Because I stupidly gave my heart to the man-child wearing a headset and holding a controller currently camping out in my livingroom, making it smell like a fast-food chain. He seemed to have two modes—playing video games or sleeping—and there was no in between.

Stomping into my place, I grabbed my kitchen garbage can and started throwing away all of his goodies littering my couches.

“Hey! I wasn’t done with those!” he argued, trying to steal back his bag of Cheetos.

“Yes, you are,” I fumed, going for the collection of water and Gatorade bottles he was starting to accumulate.

“Wait, hold up,” he argued.

Finally looking at him, I gasped. “What happened to your face?” He had angry scratch marks on his cheek, forehead, and neck.

“Your damn cat happened to my face. Again.” He blew out a sigh. “Guys, I gotta go,” he said into the game.

“What cat?” echoed from the headset.

“Who are you talking to?” I recognized the voice as JP’s.

“You got a girl over there, Kap?” another guy asked.

He ripped off his headset and scrambled for the controller to exit the game.

My arms went lax, dropping the garbage bag. “They have no idea that you’re here.” I swallowed hard. “They don’t know what you’re doing, do they?”

Kappy’s forehead creased. “Why should they? It’s not their business.”

“You haven’t even told your coaches you’re not going back, have you?” I swallowed hard. “You’re still not sure, are you? You might still back out?”

He just stared at me.

Shit, shit, shit.

My brain went haywire. The longer we tried to make this work, the more time I was losing to find another partner. Wehadto make this work. In another week, there’d be no going back for me.

“I have an idea,” I said suddenly.

He rubbed his forehead. “Really?”

“Yeah. I think we should get to the rink early, just the two of us.”

---