Page 59 of Cold Front
I could feel the tension in my chest tighten again. How the hell was I supposed to explain any of this to him?
I tossed my phone onto the nightstand, the soft thud of it landing breaking the silence. “Nothing’s up.”
Roman sighed, loud and dramatic. He leaned back against the headboard, twisting the towel in his hands. “Is it school? A girl… or a guy? Your roommate?” He gave me a sideways glance, then smirked. “FYI, Eli seems like a cool guy. But something’s definitely up.”
My stomach dropped. “What?”
“Caldwell, I’m not an idiot.” Roman stretched, cracking his neck. “You’ve been off since we got here. Your game these two nights? Absolute dogshit.”
I gritted my teeth, jaw tight. “Thanks. Last I checked, we all fucked up.”
Roman didn’t flinch. “Yeah, but I know that look. You’ve been carrying something, but it’s more than just hockey. And when you’re like this—holding everything in? You get even more grumpy than usual.”
I shifted in my seat, avoiding his eyes. “I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
Roman’s eyes softened for a split second, then sharpened again. “No, it’s not nothing. And it’s messing with your game. You’re not the kind of guy who lets shit get in the way of hockey, but whatever’s going on? It’s got you distracted.”
I swallowed hard, feeling exposed. Roman was right.
CHAPTER22
ELI
Absence really did make the heart grow fonder.
Two days since Niall and the team left for Colorado and I felt like I was caught in a tug-of-war between missing him and wondering what things would be like when he got back. Would he want to talk about what happened? Would he ignore it? Did Niall even think about me the way I thought about him?
I shoved his hands into my jacket pockets as I stepped into the Summit Falls Gallery, the space already buzzing with voices. The scent of paint, fresh wood, and something faintly metallic filled the air. Students milled around, chatting in small groups, their conversations a mix of excitement and critique. The whole place had this artsy, industrial vibe—exposed brick, polished concrete floors, and track lighting to highlight the displays.
“Eli! Over here!” Asher’s voice cut through the noise.
I spotted him hurrying toward me, waving with one hand, the other tucked into the pocket of his oversized sweater. His hair fell over his eyes as usual, but there was a spark in them, the kind he always had when he was in his element. Gigi walked beside him, bouncing on her toes, dark, tightly coiled hair framing her face as she grinned.
“You actually showed up,” she teased as they reached me. “I was taking bets with Asher that you’d bail.”
I scoffed, pulling off my jacket. “Good to know you have so much faith in me.”
“Hey, we wouldn’t have bet if we didn’t care,” Asher said, smirking. “But seriously, glad you’re here. You looked like you needed a distraction.”
He wasn’t wrong. The whole day, I’d found my mind drifting to Niall. Was he settling into the hotel okay? Was he already on the ice, going through drills? Did he miss me the way I missed him?
Pushing the thoughts aside, I forced a smirk. “All right, let’s see what the two of you geniuses put together.”
Gigi nudged me toward her section first. “You’ll be amazed.”
Her pieces were set up in the corner, and Eli immediately noticed the contrast between them. One was a twisted metal and glass piece, tangled yet balanced, like controlled chaos. The other was a delicate ceramic flower, cracked along its edges, the imperfections making it even more striking.
“Damn,” I muttered, stepping closer. “These are incredible.”
Gigi grinned, crossing her arms. “Say that louder for the people in the back.”
I chuckled. “Not even kidding, though. I don’t know much about art, but these… they make you feel something.”
“That’s the goal,” she said, satisfaction clear in her voice. “The cracks in the flower? That’s intentional. Beauty in imperfection.”
I traced a finger near the sculpture’s edge, careful not to touch. The cracks reminded me of how I felt lately—like something fragile that had been handled too roughly. Maybe that’s why it hit me so hard.
“All right, my turn,” Asher said, shooting me a grin as he led the way to his display. “Prepare to have your mind blown.”
