Page 48 of Heart Check
“You don’t remember? She asked you out freshman year.And then you took Hannah to homecoming a few days later. It really hurt her feelings—like, were you laughing behind her back? Was she not good enough for you? You couldn’t just be honest?”
It’s like I’ve been walloped over the head.That’swhy Harper and Marissa hate me? Because they thought I was some asshole who lies to girls in service of his own ego?
So much suddenly makes sense.
“I’m sorry,” I say, not breaking eye contact. “I wasn’t lying when I said I was trying to focus on my game. I have this rule about not dating during the season. I only went with Hannah as a favor to Alex, because she knew the deal. He wanted to go with her friend, and thought he’d have a better chance if we proposed a double date.”
She frowns as the puzzle pieces rearrange themselves in her head. “You just went on that date for Alex?”
I nod. “That heart of his is fragile. You should’ve seen him moping around after Max before they got together—his whole day was either made or destroyed based on whether he smiled at him. Alex is a real soft boy.”
Harper raises an eyebrow. “And you’re not?”
I hold her gaze. “Not usually.”
Her cheeks flood with color.
Watching her try to regain her composure is a much-needed boost. This girl has done a really good job of pretending she wouldn’t care if I got run over tomorrow, so sue me if I’ll take any sign that she might care a little more than she lets on.
She clears her throat. “What about all the other girls since then?”
“What other girls?” I can’t help smiling. “The ones whoflirt with me? I can’t help that, Harper. I mean…” I gesture at myself in alook at memove, smirking so she knows I’m joking.
She snorts. “I always figured you thought you were too good for… normal people.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Normal people? Harper. You’re so far from normal.” Her eyes widen, pupils big and dark, and the air is so electric between us that, for a second, I think we’re about to have a repeat of that kiss. I drop my voice, adding, “Nothing was ever serious. I was trying to stay focused. Until I absolutely couldn’t anymore.”
“Oh.” The syllable is garbled; Harper blushes furiously. “Well, that… makes sense.”
I try not to smile too broadly. It’s stupidly fun to fluster the girl who’s typically so confident and unbothered. “Was there something else you’re sorry for?”
She fidgets, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. I can’t help reaching out for her waist to steady her, to give her some comfort. Her breath catches and she looks up at me, eyes bright and intent.
“I’m sorry for freaking out and ghosting you. I’ve been thinking a lot about last weekend, and… well, I misjudged you.”
Now I’m really grinning. “Oh, you did?”
“Don’t gloat.” She scowls, and even that is pretty. “But yeah. You’re not as selfish and egotistical as I thought.”
“Just alittleselfish and egotistical.”
“Dawson! I’m trying to apologize!”
I zip my lips theatrically.
“Anyway, it freaked me out. I’m not the kind of girl who goes to Skate Night with hockey players, you know? That’sout of my comfort zone. I kind of convinced myself you were playing a joke on me or something.”
“Harper.” I draw her closer to me, bringing our faces inches apart again. “I couldn’t be more serious,” I whisper.
Her breath is shuddery. There’s nothing I want more than to pull her into me and kiss her again. But we still have something important to settle.
“Do youwantto be the kind of girl who goes to Skate Night with hockey players?”
“Not really,” she murmurs, and I almost jerk back. But then she adds, “Just one particular hockey player.”
And then I can’t resist the way her face is tilted up to me, not defiantly this time, but open and vulnerable. I bend my head to hers, our matching grins brushing lightly at first, then more firmly, more urgently. My heart thuds in my chest when she parts her lips slightly, and dear Lord, this girl could make me forget I’m making out in the back of my parents’ restaurant. Something about it feels so right—like after the last few days, she already knows me a lot better than some people I’ve called brothers for years. Like I want to be around her passion and drive during every spare hour of every day—even with the tension between us, the times she thinks I’m an idiot, the freedom she feels to call me out.
Maybebecauseof all those things.
