Page 54 of Heart Check
Maybe not being on Team Dawson really had me missing out.
The guys have matching shit-eating grins, and Dawson narrows his eyes. “Talking about me?”
“Of course not,” Alex says at the same time Ryan says, “Obviously.”
Dawson grins. “Just don’t scare Harper away, okay?”
I raise an eyebrow. “I’m not that easily frightened off.”
His eyes crinkle with humor, but there’s an intensity to their depth too. “I’ve kinda figured that one out.”
Alex whistles, low and soft. It seems to bring Dawson back to the moment, and he asks, “No Noah tonight?” His tone is light, but if there’s something that legitimatelywouldfrighten me off, it would be Noah and his asshole behavior. And Dawson probably knows it.
“Nah.” Ryan’s eyes flick to me for a split second, so fast I probably imagined it. “Said he has some morning meeting with the Gamblers tomorrow and wanted an early night.”
Dawson nods. “I hate to say it, but he hasn’t exactly been captain material lately,” he says, brow furrowed. “Everyone else played really well at this week’s away game, but he wasn’t on the same wavelength. Almost like he’s more invested in next year’s team than this year’s.”
“I think it’s less about the teams and more about whatever’s Team Noah,” Alex says carefully. He stares off above our heads like he’s not used to saying anything critical and can’t quite make eye contact while he does it.
The guys are tense, all their shoulders hunched. “Well, I’m not mad to miss him,” I say to break the tension. “Give myregards to harperhater001, will you? And hawksupremacy99, while you’re at it?”
Ryan snorts. “Yeah, that man is not known for his subtlety.”
Alex pushes back from the wall and leans forward in a dramatic racing pose. “Well, I for one am glad he’s not here, because that means I can beat your ass to the other end of the ice!”
“Oh, no you don’t—”
And then Ryan and Alex are off again, blazing past innocent students in a whirl of speed and skill. I can’t help laughing. Those two are totally harmless. Puppies on skates.
Puppies who’re attracting plenty of admiring glances from the students they almost topple over. Those hockey perks are alive and well.
Dawson turns to me with a grin. “You probably thought hockey was all big plays and glory, huh? But it’s at least half babysitting two idiots with more energy than they know what to do with.”
“I don’t know,” I say, smiling back. “I kinda like them.”
Even Marissa would like them, if she got to know them. The two of us have been judging from such incomplete data all these years.
“Oh yeah?” Dawson takes a step forward, putting his face only inches from mine. My breath catches. “Even though they’re a bunch of bullies on skates with… how many years left before we’re dreaming of the glory days, again? Eight?”
“Ten, actually,” I manage to choke out. Dawson giving me shit is very, very hot. For some reason I can’t take my eyes off his lips. My pulse is racing and we’re not even skating yet. “But I’m starting to reevaluate my position on that.”
Dawson smirks down at me. He’s kinda interested in my lips, too.
“Harper!” a voice calls. Sabrina’s skating toward us wearing a cotton-candy-pink coat and matching hat. “Hey, I’m so glad to see you! I’ve been waiting to be reunited with the best foosball partner I’ve ever had!”
I can’t help grinning back. “Yeah, where’s our trophy?”
“In the mail, I think. In the meantime, what do you say we race some of these guys?” She nods after Alex and Ryan. “Looks like they already have a tournament going.”
This girl iscompetitive. “I hate to say it, but I don’t think I’m up to that task. Not the best on these skates.” When I stand up, the wobble in my ankles proves my point.
Sabrina grins. “Yeah, I hope you have someone who can help you practice tonight.” She raises a challenging eyebrow at Dawson, and I swear the boy blushes. But she turns her focus right back to me. “I’ve been thinking about your jewelry, by the way. How would you feel about making some school spirit stuff for the game against Northview?”
I gape at her, momentarily lost for words.
“I know that hasn’t been your niche so far, but it’s a built-in audience. Could help with the business troubles you’ve been having. And honestly, I just want some cuter stuff!” She throws up her hands in exasperation. “Everything we usually sell is sobasic. But see, this is what I love about Hamilton Lakes athletics—it brings people together!”
Sabrina’s enthusiasm is infectious. It’s so different from the way Marissa and I always looked at these teams, but after everything I’ve seen these last few weeks, I have to admit: she’s not wrong.
