Page 70 of Axe-identally Married
“And Molly Johnson?”
“She’s a nice person.” I shrugged. “I think she’s a dental hygienist in Connecticut.”
“Yes. Perfectly nice. But not even in your league.”
Seriously? He threw those words out without a moment of hesitation. Like he really believed them. That was strangely comforting.
“Eh. Not to Jonathan. She was small and skinny and didn’t have opinions.” I shrugged. “You know, the kind of girl guys love.”
I stood, keeping my focus averted. It was getting late, and we should probably clean up all pucks before we left.
He stood next to me, his eyes darker than normal and filled with heat.
“No. Not all guys want that.”
With one brow raised, I got back on the ice. The Cole I knew was not the man who had dated Lila. That was true. But he was still the guy who’d spent eight years with the local beauty queen.
He was the kind of guy who’d only been seen with beautiful, sparkling arm candy. That was fine. He was a gorgeous man. It made sense. But I really didn’t want to hear it right now. Especially after we’d come so close to kissing earlier.
Because this little trip down memory lane had reminded me of exactly why it was imperative to keep my guard up.
It was the story of my life. Ever since I’d filled out an F-cup at fourteen, boys had wanted to hook up with me. Not one of them had ever wanted to date me, to claim me, though. The world gaslit women, telling us it was in our heads. That there was a person out there for everyone. But that was pure bullshit.
My body had been weaponized against me from my earliest memories. Every time I thought otherwise, I ended up sorely disappointed. And right now, I liked Cole too much to risk being let down by him.
Seeming to get the message, he quietly cleaned up the pucks and pushed the nets back into their place.
With the bucket of pucks in hand, he met me at the gate.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice back to its soft default and his brow furrowed. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I studied him for a quiet moment. He was a good person and a good friend. I couldn’t hold him responsible for every injustice I’d experienced with other men.
“It’s okay. I’m sorry for dumping all the teen romantic drama on you.”
“I’m glad you did,” he said, practically boring a hole in my head with the intensity with which he was looking at me. “I want to learn all your secrets, Willa. I never liked Jonathan Billings. You know that? And now I’ve got an excuse to kick his ass. So thank you.”
“Do not.” I held up a hand. “It wouldn’t be a fair fight.”
“He lives near here, right?” Ignoring my command, he clomped over to his giant hockey bag. “Insurance?”
“I’m not telling you.”
“It’s fine. Can’t wait to bump into him in town.”
“Cole Hebert, you do not need to avenge teenage Willa’s broken heart.” That logic came straight from thirty-one-year-old Willa, but inside, teen Willa was positively giddy that a boy was determined to fight for her. Sadly, with the caveman act he was putting on, teen Willa was currently winning.
He tore his gloves off and tossed them into his bag. Then he strode toward me in his skates, only stopping when he was inches away.
With more gentleness than seemed possible from such a big man, he tilted my chin up with his fingers.
“I want to,” he rasped. “I hate that he made you feel unattractive and unworthy.”
I sucked in a breath at the earnestness in his tone.
“No one treats my wife like that.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
