Page 214 of Break the Ice
His eyes flick between our screens, between her and me. “We… I…”
Don’t stop, please.
He frowns at the phone, concentration pinching his brows as he stills. The temperature in the room drops a degree. Something in his posture tightens.
“I have to go. I should… I… I have…” He jerks up so fast, the bowl of fries pitches to the carpet, cheese smearing across the rug. “Fuck…fuck, I’m sorry…”
He’s on his knees immediately, hands shaking as he scoops slippery fries back into the bowl. Every time he bolts, it slices. I crouch too, take the bowl gently from his fingers and set it on the table.
“I’m so sorry,” he blusters, eyes skittering away from mine.
“It’s okay. Just fries, right?”
It’s not. It’s my heart on the floor and him trying to scrape it up before it stains.
“I’m sorry.” He finally looks up. There’s fear in him. Not of me, not exactly. Of something between us he doesn’t have words for. “S-sor?—”
“Stop apologizing, Eli.”
He nods and stands when I do. He’s halfway to the door before I can find something to lasso the moment back.
His hand lands on the knob, then he pauses. “It’s not you. Tonight. Tonight wasn’t you. You’re great, Jayden. Great. You’re always great.”
The door shuts, and the suite echoes. I stand there, hands empty, replaying his words like there’s a code I can crack if I just go slow enough.
But all I get is the ache.
The mood snaps tightthe second Shayne, head of media relations, steps onto the bus with Cecilia. They never ride back with us unless something’s about to hit. Benches creak as guys shift, a ripple of side-eye and muttered guesses.
In the static hum, one absence roars. No Eli. Coach pulled him after practice, and he hasn’t reappeared. My thumb is already on our chat.
Where are you?
Are you okay?
I force myself to stop there. If he’s spiraling, my texts won’t fix it. My screen goes black. The team chat detonates.
Ansel
Who fucked up?
Erik
It wasn’t me
Matheo
My dick is in my pants…
Dylan
No one cares about your Weiner
Matheo
I beg to differ
Erik
