Page 51 of One Shot

I haven’t checked the weather, but as long as it doesn’t start snowing yet, I’ll be happy.

“Maybe.” He shrugs, chuckling under his breath. “I’m not sure. I just needed a way to ask you if you had plans Tuesday night.”

Is he asking me out? I want to spend time with him so badly . . . Then I remember, I have my date that day. I can’t use that excuse; he won’t like it.

“I do have plans. I’m sorry,” I reply, feeling guilty.

It shouldn’t matter. I don’t owe him anything. I shouldn’t feel guilty. This date is supposed to help me figure out what’s going on with me and my stupid heart.

Lucas looks at me, perplexed. “Oh, what are you doing?”

A lump starts to form in my throat, and my hands grow clammy. I don’t want to give him an answer.

“You’re going on a date, aren’t you? What happened to swearing off dating, Lauren?” Lucas sneers, “Or is it just me you are swearing off?”

The words stay lodged in my throat beneath the lump I can’t seem to swallow.

“Great,” he coldly states. “Enjoy your date.”

Lucas starts to storm out of the room, fury in each step.

“Wait,” I call before he opens the door.

His rage and hurt-filled dark eyes look back at me. Why did I say that? I’m suddenly mute and can’t come up with anything to say.

“What?” He launches the word at me like a knife.

“It’s just a set up with Tyler’s friend, it’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big d—” Lucas stops mid-sentence frustrated. He opens the door to leave.

Frantically, I grab Nick’s notebook and throw it at him. “Here, give it back to me in two weeks. Be careful not to destroy it.”

“Destroy it? It’s a notebook with incredibly helpful information in it, why would I do that? It’s not a heart; I won’t destroy it.”

I stay quiet but my pulse loudly races like a driver at Daytona.

“I won’t destroy it, break it, or ruin it. I take care of the things that mean something to me, Lauren.” He releases a heavy breath. “And forthe record, I wouldn’t break your heart either. Like I said, I take care of the things that mean something to me.”

Slamming the door behind him, Lucas leaves a hollowness that wasn’t in the air before.

I sink back into my chair. Was that him telling me I destroyed his heart? I didn’t even do anything wrong. I wasn’t trying to hurt him. I just . . . I’m not ready to be with someone like that again. Now I have to go on this date, he’s going to ask about it, or find out through mutual friends.

Chapter twenty-five

Lucas

She’s going on a date? You’ve got to be kidding me. This girl that I have been swooning over, who claims she has sworn off dating and sworn off love, is going on a date with someone that’s not me? I am going to have to restrain myself from punching my good friend Tyler in the fucking face. He has to know how I feel about her.

Shaking off those thoughts, I start to go through Nick’s notebook and find some of his running routes. Perfect, I’ll run one of his routes to get my mind right, then focus on these next two games before confronting Tyler. I might have it bad for Laur, but we have a hot winning streak going, and I won’t let my anger ruin that.

The first game against the Jaws is smooth sailing. We win 4-1, which is followed by a day off to rest in between games.

The second game isn’t as smooth. It’s tied 1-1 after the first period. In the second period, the Jaws score on a breakaway. Then Mitchell gets himself put into the penalty box. Fucking prick. He’s too much of a hothead. They are now leading 3-1. During the second intermission, I almost let my temper and distress get to me.

“This should be an easy win for us. What’s going on? Mitchell, get your shit together, you know better than to start shit. They shouldn’t have gotten that second goal,” I complain when we get into the locker room.

Liam and Tyler pull me aside.

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