Page 140 of Break the Ice
“There’s no proof it was from The Fellowship. I mean, it fits their modus operandi for sure, except when Elijah called, his father refused to take his call until he threatened to call the cops.”
“So?”
“Why would they send the lamb’s head and then not take his call? Why go through all the effort of stalking and harassing us when they’ve cut us off?”
“I guess it doesn’t make sense. Then again, that whole place is a mind fuck...”
“Elijah’s father said it wasn’t them. At first, I didn’t believe it because I’ve seen how they torment deserters. Now, the more I think about it, I wonder what if they’re telling the truth? What if it wasn’t The Fellowship?”
“If not The Moonies, then who?”
“That’s what doesn’t make sense.”
The elevator doors open and I pause at the sight of Elijah’s and Jayden’s doors ahead of me. The lingering weight in my gut eases at the reminder that I’m going to see them at the game later. Even though Elijah isn’t playing, I’m excited to be there for him...withhim... and Jayden.
“So... you and Eli are rekindling,” Christina croons, nudging my hip with hers. “What’s happening with seventy-four?”
“You can call him Jayden,” I tell her, opening Elijah’s door.
“Then I might get too attached.Now, that would be awkward.”
I close the door with a sudden knot in my stomach.
Does she like Jayden?
“Relax, Amish, his kind of tall doesn’t work with my kind of short. Even horizontal there’d be a lot of logistics to work around… and anyway, he’s too chill for me,” she says, wrapping her arm around my shoulders so we’re glued together as we go through to the living area.
It reminds me of the night Elijah kissed me for the first time in years. The memory sets off a warm thrum in my chest that boosts the giddiness I’m already feeling.
“I’m so ready for lunch. I started doing this intermittent fasting thing, and I’m starving right now. I brought some meats and cheeses for lunch... and wine!”
“Wine?”
“Yup, wine, meats, and cheeses. It’s the holy trinity of food. Don’t worry, I went with the weak stuff that won’t go right to your head. But we’re celebrating and every celebration needs bubbles.”
“What are we celebrating?”
“For one, Eli is back to hockey life…yay!!!” she sings when I press the button on the home system panel to open the new curtains and slide the balcony doors open to allow the fresh air inside. “Aaaaand… your new job. I’m so happy for you. You’re going to love working with Summer.”
We move through to the kitchen area where she pulls a grocery bag from her large purse followed by the bottle of wine.
While Christina empties the grocery bag, I set my purse down and message Jayden like he asked.
Finley
I’m home! X
Three dots pop up right away, while I wait for his reply, I grab a platter to arrange the meats and cheeses.
How was your first day? X
I pause in the middle of the kitchen, platter in one hand, chopping board under my arm as I reply.
It was great. X
It was great?
It’s a lackluster reply that I instantly wish I could erase. If he hadn’t read it already and those three dots weren’t on my screen.
