Page 7 of Icebreaker
“Oh.”
“I think you’re right about housing telling you to just deal with it. It’s only a couple of months before the end of the term. At best, they’ll send you guys to mediation or whatever.”
Brennen wasn’t saying anything I hadn’t already figured out, which was a bummer. It was one thing for me to imagine housing’s solution, but it was another to have it confirmed as reasonable and likely. Bottom line? I had to figure out how to navigate the last few months of the year. If Landon’s new girl dumped him, it would solve all my problems.
“Yeah, sounds like. I’m glad you agree I’m cooked.”
Brennen remained pensive while he sat on the couch, looking like a snack.
“I didn’t say that.” Brennen pulled his phone out of his pocket, sent a text, waited for a response, responded, and then put it away again. Afterward, he slapped his thighs like an old man and pushed himself off the couch. I was more than a little sad his hands were no longer within touching distance. He hadn’t actually touched me—other than my shoulder—but he could have, and that counted for something. No one was more shocked than I was when he reached back and offered me his hand after he got to his feet. I was stunned enough to take his offered hand. “Let’s go.”
“Are you about to turn me in to Coach or security?”
“Nope, we’re going to get some boxes and pack your stuff.”
“Pack my stuff?”
“Yeah, you’re moving into my spare room today.”
CHAPTER THREE
BRENNEN
I knewEllie thought I was making an impulsive decision, but I wasn’t. I knew what I was doing when I made the offer. The room was empty, so there was no reason he couldn’t use it. Shortening Ellis to Ellie? Yeah, that part was a surprise to me. But he did work with the hockey team, which meant he needed a nickname. It was our fault for not giving him one yet. When it came out of my mouth, it felt right.
“I thought I heard you say you had a roommate?” When Ellie was confused, his brows knitted together, and if I wasn’t actively trying to avoid thinking of him as cute, it would’ve been adorable.
“He moved out last week because he’s doing a semester abroad in Vancouver.”
“It’s the middle of the term…” Ellie offered hesitantly.
“Yeah, he was about to fail all his classes, so he withdrew early, and he’s going to go hang out up there until the new semester starts.”
“Can you do that?”
“I don’t know if you can, but he is.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket as my teammates responded to my text. There was one from Coach too. I turned away fromEllie so I could go through them all without him seeing my expression. The coaches agreed to cut practice a little short and let me skip out on it today if I made up for it later. They knew I was good for it. Our record might suck, but we never slacked on our workouts. My teammates agreed to come help us after practice. If we hurried, between Ellie and me, there was a decent chance we could have everything packed up by the time practice was over and the guys got there.
“Look, I truly appreciate you offering to let me move in, but I can’t pay rent and my food is covered by my housing. I need to figure out how to talk to my roommate and come up with a schedule. It’ll be fine.” Ellie’s words came out in a rush, and he looked panicked. I didn’t fucking like it.
“You have more faith in our housing department than I do, but about rent, when Dean, my roommate, left, his dad paid the balance of the lease. Rent is handled. As for food, you aren’t technically moving out of the dorm, so you can still eat here, and I don’t mind sharing my groceries. There’s no way you eat more than I do.” If Dean heard me, he’d fall over himself calling me a fucking liar. I hated sharing my food, but when I said it to Ellie, I absolutely meant it. It’s not like I’d let the kiddo starve.
“It doesn’t seem fair to live rent-free in your apartment. Like I said, I appreciate you trying to help, but I’m not a damsel in distress who needs charity.” Ellie sounded so defiant, and it would’ve hit better if I couldn’t see how his hands shook the entire time. It pissed me off that his roommate had put his need to get off over Ellie’s need for some fucking sleep in his own damn bed.
Shit. I brought people home myself, but I had my own room, so it hadn’t been a factor. And I could just put on the Manhole app that I wasn’t down to host anymore. It wasn’t that big of a deal, but if I brought a bunch of people home, Ellie probably would think it was a big deal, given the reason he had to move.
“I’m not asking you to accept charity and I don’t think you’re incompetent.”
“I didn’t say I was incompetent. I said damsel in distress. I’m no princess.”
“You sure about that, Ellie?” From the way his eyes narrowed at me, I could tell he wanted to unload but was making an active effort not to do it. Too fucking cute. “How about this? You can help me around the apartment, like room and board or something?” What I thought would be an out for Ellie to say yes had him looking more worried than before.
“Oh. I’m not sure I can do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m messy.”
