Page 23 of Captured Love

That makes me chuckle. “Are you cool with being seen with me? I know how much you don’t like being around me because of my status symbol as a hockey all-star and?—”

“Shut up and I’ll make an exception this one time. Stop being annoying.”

“But that’s my job,” I say. “Look, I just got home so I’ll shoot you a text and we can figure out lunch.”

“Perfect, I’ll talk to you later then.”

“Later.”

I put my phone in my pocket, drop my gear near the door, and walk into the kitchen. The fridge hums softly as I open it and look inside. A couple of leftover takeout containers, some beer, and a sad-looking lettuce head are all that greet me. We need to go shopping at some point soon, I guess. I grab a beer, twist off the cap, and take a long pull. I shouldn’t be drinking this early, but here we are.

And then Selene enters my brain once more.

I wonder how she's doing right now. Is she still angry? Of course she is; she looked rightfully pissed when I walked up to her this weekend. I fucked this up royally. The thing is, I didn't mean to push her away like that. It all happened so fast—us getting together, the incredible high of it, and then the crushing fear that followed. Fear of feeling something more than just physical attraction.

I take another swig of beer and pull out my phone again, staring at the screen like it's a crystal ball that can show me the future. Should I text her and apologize? Would it even make a difference at this point?

But the truth is, it has gotten to the point where I can’t stop thinking about her and no one else holds my interest. No one else holds a candle to her.

Maybe it is time to try to fix what I’ve so irrevocably broken.

10

SELENE

This is exactly what I needed.

The bass thumps through my body as I move to the beat, my red hair whipping around me. Isla and I are in the thick of it, laughing and dancing like there's no tomorrow. Deciding to go out and party tonight was the best decision I made in a long time. I’m considering it a reward for myself because I managed to make it to the gym three times this week and I’m already feeling stronger.

Not sure that I’m looking any stronger, but that’s a discussion for another time.

“This is our song!” I shout over the music. It’s “After Hours” by Kehlani, and as I’m singing the lyrics, I grab Isla’s hand and twirl her around.

She throws back her head and lets out a carefree laugh. “Hell yeah it is!”

We lose ourselves in the music and it’s almost the perfect cure. Tonight isn't about worrying or overthinking; it's about living in the moment.

Isla pulls me closer and yells, “I'm getting another drink! You want something?”

My body is buzzing from the two vodka cranberries I've already downed. “Just water!” I shout back.

She nods and starts to weave through the crowd toward the bar at this house party. I keep dancing, letting the music take over, closing my eyes and imagining that I’m the only one on the dance floor.

My mind drifts, and for a moment I let myself think about Knox. It's been over a week since I saw him and distance really makes the heart grow fonder and because the number of times I think about him has increased tenfold. But then the beat drops and I'm pulled back into the present.

“Selene!”

I turn to see Isla waving a bottle of water in the air, her other hand clutching a neon-green drink that looks toxic but delicious. She makes her way back to me, half dancing, half stumbling as someone bumps into her.

“Drink up,” she commands, thrusting the water into my hand. “You're turning into a lightweight.”

I unscrew the cap and take a long swig. The cool liquid is a relief on my throat, which is already starting to feel raw from singing and shouting over the music. “That sounds like something I would say to you,” I tease her.

She smirks, taking a large gulp of her own drink. “Roles can reverse, you know. And if you want some of this, let me know.” She gestures to the cup in her hand.

“Ah fuck it,” I say as I take the drink from her and hand her my water bottle.

She raises an eyebrow and gives me a mocking yet approving nod. “That's the Selene I know.”

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