Page 91 of Break the Ice
FINLEY
LA is beautiful. A tantalizing landscape of desert meets city meets ocean that’s got me speechless. Maybe the company has something to do with it. Jayden is unlike anyone I know. He’s funny and sweet, but there’s always a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. Not to mention that when his serious side comes out, the intensity of it blows me away. It makes me believe that I’m safe with him. Safe enough that while we’re walking side by side around the busy mall, I find myself getting closer to him.
Last night has left me on edge. With a need to look over my shoulder, to check the shadows around me. It only adds to the churn of worry stirring in my gut. Elijah looked awful when Jayden brought him home to me. His feet couldn’t keep him straight on wobbly legs.
If he hadn’t begged me to leave him to sleep his migraine off, I would be at his side now. I know Jayden would too with the way he keeps checking his phone after he made Elijah promise that he would call or text if he needs anything—me, him… us to return.
“Before we grab dinner, there’s something you need.” Jayden’s hand grasps mine as we turn the corner and he guides me into a large tech store.
“Is Elijah really okay?” The guilt of leaving him at home all alone when he looked so terrible won’t dissipate one bit. So, I keep asking the same question in a myriad of ways, hoping that if Jayden keeps telling me he’s fine, acceptance will click into place, and I’ll be able to enjoy the moment.
Then I think about mine and Jayden’s almost kiss, and I know I won’t because what kind of woman falls for the best friend of the manthey love? Aches for both of their kisses? Both of their touches? Their smiles? And, God…
Christina’s right. I need to dosomethingabout all this pent-up yearning. Soon…
“Eli gets these headaches sometimes. When he has a migraine, the best thing to do is to let him sleep it off.”
“He never used to get sick like this.”
Jayden’s hand squeezes mine lightly. “There’s a lot of pressure right now to win. You know, we made it to the conference final last season… anything less and it’s not good enough.”
At his tense tone, I find myself inching even closer to him. My fingers thread through his like I might be able to take some of the weight from him. Alleviate the pressure somehow.
I think the only way to do it is to change the conversation. Even if the worry tightening my chest lingers as we continue walking through the store.
Noticing the way he keeps his head down and his Comets cap low over his face, I ask, “Why are you wearing a team hat to hide your identity?”
A grin hitches up on one side of his face. “Well, no one expects a Comets’ player to be stupid enough to wear one to blend into the crowd, so they don’t bother staring too hard.”
“That makes perfect sense, Hotshot,” I chuckle, looking around to see that very few peoplearelooking our way. Color me impressed; there’s method to his madness.
“So, what’s your favorite color, Lucky?”
“Purple. Like, you know, wisteria? It’s a flowering vine that used to grow around my grandma’s porch.”
His hand squeezes mine tight, the excitement beaming in his eyes palpable as a half-bitten smile cuts across his face.
“Called it,” he says, tugging me completely into his side before he drapes his arm over my shoulders. Like when he embraced me yesterday, I get a deep-seated spark of contentment in my belly. It makes it almost impossible for me to coordinate my feet when Jayden directs me to the side of the customer desk, down a corridor to a set of misted glass doors. “Bibi loves wisteria.”
“Bibi?”
“My grandma... she’s my mom’s mom.”
“Why do you call her bibi?”
“It’s the Persian endearment.”
“Persian?” I turn to him, assessing all his handsome features.
It makes sense.
“Bibi likes to tell us about her garden in Tehran… where she’s from. When they left, Baba brought some seeds with him, and they planted them when they found their home. It’s where she laid his ashes.”
“Baba… is that your grandfather?”
His cheeks flush. “Yeah. Sorry. It’s a habit.”
“Don’t be sorry, I like it. It sounds nice… cute…”
