Page 14 of Guarded Love

"Willow? Is that you?"

I freeze at the sound of his voice. Slowly, I look up to find Leo standing right in front of me, his perfect white teeth on full display in that camera-ready smile.

"Leo," I say, keeping my voice deliberately neutral. "What a surprise."

"I thought that was you! What are the odds?" He moves in for a hug before I can stop him. I stand stiffly as his arms wraparound me, the scent of his expensive cologne bringing back memories I've tried hard to forget.

"What are you doing here?" I ask when he finally releases me, taking a step back to create some distance.

"Supporting the team, of course," he says, gesturing vaguely toward the arena. "I'm doing a collab with some of the players for my channel. Sports content and gaming is really popping off right now."

Of course he is. Everything is content to Leo.

"That's...great," I manage, searching desperately for Hailey. I spot her making her way back through the crowd, a tray of drinks in her hands and a concerned expression on her face.

"We should catch up," Leo continues, either oblivious to or ignoring my discomfort. "It's been what, almost two years? You look good."

Is he trying to gaslight me? That’s cute. He can save his little performance for his fanbase and get a sponsorship out of it. Heavy emphasis on little. That is when I notice his eyes traveling down my body in the way that used to make me feel special but now just makes my skin crawl.

"I'm actually here with family," I say, relief washing over me as Hailey finally reaches us. "And friends. We should get back to our seats."

Leo's gaze shifts to Hailey and back to me. "Of course. Family and friends first, right?" His tone makes it sound like an inside joke, but there's nothing funny about it. "But seriously, we should talk sometime. I've been thinking about you."

"Have you?" I ask, unable to keep the edge from my voice. "That's interesting, considering how things ended."

His smile falters just slightly. "Water under the bridge, babe. People grow up, you know?"

"I'm not your babe," I say, taking the drinks Hailey offers me. "And some bridges stay burned."

Leo laughs like I've said something charming instead of telling him off. "Still feisty. I always liked that about you."

Hailey clears her throat. "We really need to get back."

"Right, right," Leo says, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I won't keep you ladies. But, Willow," he pulls his phone from his pocket, waving it with that same practiced smile, "I'll message you. For old time's sake."

"Don't bother," I say, but he's already backing away, throwing me a wink as he disappears into the crowd.

"So that's Leo," Hailey says, her voice flat as she watches him go. "He seems..."

"Like a complete tool?" I add in as I help Hailey with the drinks.

"I was going to say exhausting, but tool works too." She studies my face. "You okay?"

"Fine," I say automatically, then catch myself. "Actually, no. Not fine. He's the last person I expected to see or talk to tonight."

And if he has any intention of reaching out to me, I knew it wouldn’t be the last time either.

4

BLAISE

Living with three other guys means our house never truly falls silent and tonight is no exception. I slip into my room and close the door with a soft click. I swear this is the first real breath I've taken all day. Through the walls, I can still hear Wilder's music and banging from Knox attempting to cook something for Selene. But here, in my space, there's order and calmness.

Just how I like it.

I drop my backpack next to my desk and scan my room, making sure everything is where it should be. My books stand in perfect rows on the shelves. Political science to the left while some of my fantasy novels are to the right. The small collection of gaming figurines I've allowed myself to have here are sitting dust-free on the top shelf. All in their proper place.

Some people think it's weird, my need to keep neat and organized. But they don't understand how a messy room translates to a messy mind. And I can't afford that, not with hockey and keeping up with my courseload.

---