Page 210 of Break the Ice
“Welcome to Los Angeles nightlife,” Christina mutters. “Men are animals.”
Alice leans in, chin on her fist. “So, Finley, tell me all about this hoe before I met her.”
Just like that, conversation opens up. It’s easy. By the time our food hits the table, I’ve stopped bracing. The world feels bright and big and safe enough to explore for a night. I miss Elijah and Jayden so much my ribs ache with it, but I’m also… okay. Held by the hum of girls’ laughter, the scrape of plates, the little ways Christina brushes my shoulder when she reaches for salsa like she’s reminding me I’m not alone.
On our way to live music night, my phone trills. SportsCenter. A Comets goal alert. Then one of the news pings Christina set for Elijah and Jayden. I leave the second for later, the words blur when I look too long.
“Remember,” Alice says as we step into Summer’s husband’s hotel, “you don’t pay for anything at the bar. Give them our table number or sweet-talk a VIP server.”
The place gleams, palms in polished pots, brass and glass catching light. It’s grand and warm at the same time. My stomach skitters when we pass the pool’s blue edge, so I drift back with Christina to the city-view side. Away from the water, I breathe easier.
Alice bypasses the elevator line for a side corridor, and we spill into the lobby bar where Summer and another woman, soft smile, bright eyes, are waiting.
“Hey, bitches,” Alice sings, hugging and smacking air-kisses.
“How many jugs?” Summer asks, deadpan.
Christina snorts. “I swear, it wasn’t my influence this time.”
“This time,” Summer mutters fondly, then turns to me with a grimace. “I totally owe you for leaving you to those two.”
“It wasn’t so bad,” I say.
“I don’t believe you,” she teases, then gestures to her friend. “This is Honor. The level-headed one.”
“Hi,” Honor waves, a little shy.
“Nice to meet you,” I say, and it’s true. They’re sassy and sweet and safe. The kind of girls I used to imagine existed somewhere else, in a life I couldn’t reach.
“Intros done, time to head up,” Alice trills, checking her reflection. “My buzz is dying!”
“Is it your buzz or your willpower to stay away from a certain someone?” Honor threads her arm through Alice’s and steers her toward the staff elevator.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Alice sings back.
“So, you won’t be sad that Harrison isn’t coming tonight?” Summer calls, sliding between Christina and me, linking our arms. “Harrison is Parker’s best friend and Alice’s fuck buddy. They deny it, but they’re humping like dirty little rabbits in heat.”
“True story,” Christina giggles as we pile into the elevator.
“The fuck it is,” Alice huffs. “Harrison and I are not buddies. I don’t even like fucking him. He just happens to be super good at it. There are dicks and then there aredicks, and Harrison has adickthat fills all the holes like,” she kisses her fingertips, “chef’s kiss.”
“Oh my God,” Honor groans while Summer bursts out laughing. “Stop. I can’t deal with all this Harrison sex talk. Last night she talked about him eating her ass all the way through my favorite episode ofThe Big Bang Theory.”
“Wait,” Christina gasps. “Eating ass, specifically your ass, is true love. The shit that comes out of you like, all the time…”
Honor snorts so loudly I can’t help giggling. The elevator doors open to bass and lights and a spill of cool night air. For a second I imagine Jayden here, the way he’d move, and Elijah just behind me, a hand at my back, present, grounding. The thought leaves my skin humming.
Before we step out, I sneak a look at my phone for the final score. Lost by one. I scroll until I find Jayden’s assist, Hillier to Anderson, and trace the line with my thumb like touching the play can send him something steady through the ether.
“Come on, babe,” Christina tugs my wrist.
“They lost,” I tell her. “Hillier got an assist, though.”
She squishes my face. “I don’t want to know. I’m not interested.”
The smug lift of her mouth says otherwise. I would bet my next breath she’s thrilled for Matheo.
Summer leads us through the rooftop crowd to the VIP section. The pool glitters nearby, so I angle away again, toward the city side. The DJ warms the room with moody beats, and I can feel how much Jayden would love this. Elijah would endure it for me, silent, protective, counting the minutes in that way he does, until I tugged him into the night and made him breathe.
