Page 109 of Forever Wild

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“Seeing someone new?” he asks.

I’m grinning at my phone, but his words hit like a hammer and I lock the screen.

“No,” I say quickly.

His brows lift. “No?”

My insides heat. Fuck. I need to tell him but I don’t want to do that before Everly and I have talked about it first. Maybe she wants to tell him? We haven’t even established what we are, but I don’t want todo whatever it is behind Tyler’s back.

“Nope, not seeing anyone.”

“Really? I thought…” His voice trails off. “You’ve seemed different lately.”

“How so?” I take a sip of the beer. He’s right. It’s terrible, but I’m not tossing back shots tonight. Travel day or not, I don’t want to feel like shit tomorrow.

“I can’t explain it,” he says, gaze narrowing slightly. “Some guys lose focus when they meet someone new. Not intentionally, of course, but they spend a little less time at practice or they skip out on things to make room for the relationship.”

I nod. It’s a cycle I’ve seen time and time again. Not from me, but from my teammates. It doesn’t last that long and I know that hockey isn’t everything so I don’t hold it against them.

“But not you,” he says. “You seem somehow more focused than ever but less stressed like someone has taken a weight off your shoulders.”

My phone buzzes on the table. I glance down to see Everly’s name and another photo, but I don’t swipe it open just yet. Tyler doesn’t try to invade my privacy, but he grins like he knows it’s the person I claim to not be seeing.

“I’m just happy to be back,” I say. “Going out like that last season was torture.”

He nods and doesn’t call me out on it.

My phone buzzes again. I try to play it cool as I glance down and unlock my screen.

Everly

What are you doing?

Everly

Want to come over and help me shower?

I nearly choke on another sip of watered-down beer when I see the photo she attached. The white tank top is gone and the overalls clasp over her bare tits.

Fuck me.

Me

At the bar with the guys for a bit. Don’t shower yet.

Everly

But I’m filthy.

Me

And I’m sitting next to your brother with a hard-on.

Everly

Too bad.

Me

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