Page 35 of Goal Line
“How long did you compete for?” I ask, trying to figure out why Jameson and Morgan are still staring at her expectantly.
“Uh . . . like . . . about ten years or so.”
“Jesus,” Jameson says, his voice low and gravelly. “Stop being like this.”
“Hey!” she says, turning toward him and swatting his chest. “Maybe I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, leaning back and feeling bad for asking so many questions. When I meet new people, it feels like things often go sideways. If I’m not friendly and talkative and don’t ask questions, everyone thinks I’m some sort of ice queen. But when I do, I always seem to overdo it somehow. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
Luke’s arm curls around my back, and he gives myshoulder a supportive squeeze. Then Lauren glances at me, and her face softens into a sympathetic smile. “You didn’t pry. You asked the questions anyone would ask when my fiancé and cousin are sitting here acting so weird.”
Morgan turns toward me, also clearly feeling bad about this. “Lauren was a nationally ranked singles skater. She was expected to take first place in nationals?—”
I gasp so loud the entire table turns to look at me. “No wayyyyyy.” My lips are parted in shock, and I can’t seem to make my mouth move, but then Luke squeezes my shoulder again. “I...Oh my god, I know exactly who you are. I can’t believe I didn’t realize it the minute you said you skated. You were, like, my idol when I was a kid.”
Lauren laughs lightly. “Now I feel old.”
“Oh my god, no. You’re maybe, what, six years older than me? But when I was a kid, I was at some of the same competitions as you, and I used to love to watch the older girls compete. You were my favorite...” I shake my head, remembering how Lauren Manning’s skating was the perfect combination of beauty and athleticism. Part of the reason I worked so hard was because I wanted to be her someday. I just didn’t have the same strength. “Your jumps were so beautiful. I’m so sorry about how your skating career ended.”
The fall she had at nationals completely knocked her out. I was watching it on TV, and it was scary as hell. She never returned to competitive skating after that.
“Eh.” Lauren shrugs. “It sucked at the time, but I’m very over it.”
“Do you still skate at all? Like for fun?” I ask, completely star-struck at meeting one of my childhood idols in person,and discovering that she’s just as sweet and down to earth as she seemed back then.
“No,” is all she says, and I can tell by the way she glances sideways at Jameson that there’s still more to the story. But now, I have the good sense not to pry further. I don’t know her, and I’m not entitled to the details of her past unless she feels comfortable sharing, which she clearly doesn’t.
“Well,” I say, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the table as I fold my arms in front of me. “It’s so great to meet you in person. Really...ten-year-old me would be absolutely dying right now if she knew I would meet Lauren Manning someday.”
I try to remember if I still have the hat I had her sign for me at a competition so long ago. I bet it’s in the chest at the end of my bed at my parents’ house. I’ll have to look tomorrow when I get home.
She shakes her head. “It’s a bit surreal for me, too. It’s been a long time since anyone knew who I was because of skating.”
“Well, if you ever want to skate together, you just let me know. That would be fun.”
The look on her face tells me she thinks it would be anythingbutfun. “Maybe sometime.”
“So, what do you do now?” I ask, hoping to steer the conversation to topics she’s more comfortable with.
“I’m the director of marketing for the Rebels,” she says, then tells me a little about how she got into marketing in the first place.
I take a sip of the drink I’d forgotten Luke set in front of me and marvel at how delicious it is. Why didn’t I know before now that there are drinks this good without alcohol?As all the chatter starts back up around the table, I lean my head back against Luke’s arm to look up at him. “This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
“Sounded like something you’d like. Peach, and all that.” He swipes his tongue across his lower lip, and I force myself not to wonder what it would feel like to kiss him.
Goddamn these pregnancy hormones.I long ago accepted that our friendship was only ever going to be that. Now, my body is drawn to him every time he’s near. I need to get this under control if I’m going to live with him, or it’s going to becomereallyuncomfortable for both of us.
His eyes are focused on my lips when he says, “Can I taste?” and it takes me a second to realize he’s talking about the drink in my hand. Man, I wish he wanted to taste it on my lips.
No. No, you don’t!my brain screams at me.
I raise the glass toward him, and he glances down, bringing it slowly to his mouth. I force myself to look away, because I’m way more turned on than I have any reason to be. Even though Morgan looks away before my eyes can meet hers, I don’t miss the way she was watching us closely.
“Thatisgood,” Luke says.
“I may need to come here daily for one of these,” I joke as I take the glass back and lift my head to take another sip, hoping to distract myself. It’s then that I notice how cozy we are, me leaning against him, him with his arm wrapped around me.
I sit forward in my seat, setting my glass back on the table and turning to chat with Morgan. Anything to forget about how unsettled I’m feeling about marrying this man who’s only a friend, but who I wish could be so much more.
