Page 20 of Stealing for Keeps
“R-U-D-E.” She bumps me back harder.
I take a bite of my ham and cheese sandwich. Andie and Brandon go back to talking between themselves, and the table falls into a comfortable silence. I’m happy to just be for a bit. No talking. No expectations. No having my life figured out.
Until Lacey breaks that silence. She can’t help it. She’s an only child, and her mom died when she was a baby. But that must be where she got all her extrovert genes, because her dad is this super introverted researcher who gets lost in his work for days at a time. “I was thinking now that you don’t have figure skating every day after school, we can hang out in the afternoons when I’m done with cheer practice.”
My reply gets stuck in my throat.
Her eyes widen, and then her black lashes drop, making her look like a hurt puppy. “I’m so sorry. God, Claire. I’m an idiot. That was a crummy thing to say. I just meant—”
“No, you’re right. I’m wide open, and I’d love to hang out in the afternoons. It’ll keep me from dying of boredom.” I haven’t figured out what to do with all the extra time I have without skating. The moping and feeling sorry for myself that I did all summer filled that void, but now…now it’s time to do something. I’m just not sure what.
She squeezes my arm and drops her voice low. “I’m sorry. Truly. I should have thought before I spoke. I think I used my brain too much already today.”
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “Really.”
Her gaze lifts, and a slow smile spreads across her face. “If it’s any consolation, the new guy looks like he wants to take full advantage of your empty schedule.”
I glance up to see Austin walking toward us behind Rowan. The latter tips his head toward us.
“Hey, Rowan.” Lacey laces her fingers together and rests them on the table. “Hey, New Guy.”
Rowan stops, holding his tray in one hand. “Have you met Disco?”
“Briefly.” I feel his gaze turn to me, but something else has stolen my attention.
Vaughn. He’s several feet behind his teammates like he was on his way over. His stare volleys between me and Austin, jaw clenched. My stomach drops. I can feel the hurt and anger radiating off him even from ten feet away. I know that I shouldn’t feel bad for him, but I can’t help it. For all the ways he let me down, I still never want to be the reason he’s hurting.
The whole interaction lasts only seconds, but it feels like an eternity before he gives me his back and stalks in the direction he came.
“Right, Claire?” Lacey elbows me.
“Sorry, what?” I refocus on the two guys who are both looking at me expectantly.
“They should sit with us.” Lacey waves her hand to the empty spot next to me.
Andie is already moving over to make more room.
I can’t think of a single good reason to say no, so I nod.
“How’s the first day?” Rowan asks to the table.
Lacey jumps in for all of us. “Amazing. I just love the first week of a new semester. Everyone looks great, and the drama is relatively low.”
“That’s because no one is weighed down yet with homework and the constant social pressures that turn us into anxious, hormonal assholes,” Brandon points out.
“True.” Andie nods her head in agreement.
“What about you, New Guy?” Lacey asks Austin.
“What about me?” he asks in a slow drawl that oozes confidence. He’s wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. The white is a stark contrast to his dark hair. It’s a touch shorter on the sides than when I saw him last.
My cheeks grow warm at the memory. I have worked really hard to forget about that kiss. Cocky soccer players are not on my new year to-do list.
“Where are you from?” Lacey asks. I’m thankful that she’s mid-interrogation, and no one is paying attention to the shade of pink I’m sure my face is turning.
“Arizona,” he says.
“What position do you play?”
