Page 22 of Break the Ice
“You do the flowers?”
“Maintenance does. This is a serviced condo, so… yeah.” I fish my keys free. “It’s convenient and they keep the place nice.”
“Do you know your neighbors?”
“Jayden lives there.” I nod toward the door several feet down. “Broussard’s in the penthouse. Hillierwasin the other penthouse, but he bought a place in Thompson and Andersen’s neighborhood when his family moved in…”
Her breath hitches. I turn back fast. She’s upright, but the fine tremor in her hand tells on her. Wrists and ankles already tell enough of the story.Ask. Get it out.The words dry up on my tongue.
I couldn’t protect her then. I can’t rewind Havenview.
Christina was right. I never should’veaskedFinley to leave with me—I should’ve taken her. If I had, would her wrists look like that? Would her smile be this close to breaking?
“What’s wrong, Fin?” When she shakes her head, I try, “Are you okay?”
Stupid question. But it’s all I have.
She bites her lip. “This is… You’re…” A breath, steadying. “This is really nice, Elijah. You’re all like a family.”
“Coach is big on that. On the team being close and?—”
“In sync...” The nose-scrunch that follows is almost a smile.
“Yeah, in sync.” I offer my hand. When her fingers lace with mine, something in my chest loosens. I guide her inside.
I dim the entry lights, so they glow low and warm. The curtains are open across the living space; the city glitters ahead and, below us, the ocean blinks silver-black.
“It’s not huge. This was a starter place the franchise had when I moved here, and I don’t need bigger. We’re at the facility most days. Sometimes JJ and I leave at dawn and get back at night.”
I open cabinets, show her the basics. Her attention snags on the counter—Jayden’s infamous bottle: rhinestones, his name down one side, number down the other. Hideous. Indestructible.
“You’re close with him?” She rolls the bottle in her hands, sets it back exactly where it was.
“We spend a lot of time together. Training, working out, watching tape… We’re partners, so we have to be in tune and?—”
“Makes sense.” Her hand finds mine and squeezes. “Jayden seems like a good person.”
“He is.” I check my phone without thinking.
Eli
Need anything?
JJ
A do over of the game?
Stop watching tape.
Can’t sleep...
Count sheep.
I slide the phone away.
We move down the hall. When I open the door at the end, she looks up at methrough her lashes.
“It’s your favorite color, right?”
