Page 60 of Cloudless
Of everything Kam has done for me and the twins.
Of how lost I would be without him. Not just because of how much he helps with the twins, but because I now consider him my friend.
Of how heartbroken I would be if he called someone else ‘Sunshine’.
Of how devastated I would be if he was looking at anyone else the way he’s looking at me right now. Surrounded by his teammates, but with his full attention on me.
It takes a village.
But Judge Harris never said my village needed to share my blood.
My voice is watery as I admit something that terrifies me. “I’ve been an idiot, E.” My watery eyes lock onto hers with a sense of pleading that’s palpable. “I’ve been such a fool.”
Her eyes turn soft as she envelopes me in a hug that muffles her voice. “It’s okay, L. We’re all stupid sometimes.”
She smooths my hair as she pulls away from me. I rub my nose with my shirt sleeve as I search her eyes, which are so similar to her brother’s. “What am I going to do? I’ve turned him away. I told him I just wanted to be friends.”
Her brows dip before determination lights her eyes. Her shoulders square and her back straightens like she’s preparing for battle. “You tell him. He’s not going to try again unless you lay it out for him. Girls can take the lead, too. Find your inner strength and use it, L.”
“My inner strength?” I pull my bottom lip between my teeth as nerves take hold.
Her hand tightens around mine. “Yes! Find it and use it! You’re an independent woman who doesn’t need a man, but youwantone. And you wantthat one.”I follow her finger as Kam skates around on the ice to get in position. “So go get him. It’s time for you to take what you want, L.”
My palms start to sweat from nerves and how tightly she’s holding my hands. “Right now?”
She looks around like we could magically press pause on the game. “Um, maybe wait until after the game?”
I nod my head as my eyes return to the ice. “Probably a good idea.”
Cheers erupt around us as the whistle blows and the game resumes. My thoughts move as quickly as the players on the ice as everyone takes their seats.
My inner strength.
It can’t be that hard to find. Right?
CHAPTER 29
GOOD LUCK CHARM
KAM
I dodge the passing servers and congratulatory pats on the back as my eyes scan the dim restaurant.
I pass over all the familiar smiling faces in search of one that I’m positive is the cause of me playing the best game of my college career tonight.
A sinking pit of disappointment opens up in my stomach when I don’t spot her. I reluctantly sink down into the seat next to my sister. The conversations around me turn into a jumbled mess of noise as I force my focus onto the abandoned straw wrapper in front of me.
The wrinkled paper crinkles easily in my hands before it tears in half.
“There’s no need to take it out on the wrapper, Goose. She’ll be here soon.”
I sit up straighter in my seat as all my senses zero in on my ever observant sister. “She, uh, she will?”
“Yep.” She pops the ‘p’ as she chews on her straw. She doesn’t even try to hide the smirk that appears at my obvious excitement at her news. Her eyes gleam as she looks over my shoulder at the entrance of the restaurant.
“Hey, Trouble.”
A bolt of lightning flows through me at the sound of her voice.
