Page 33 of Off The Rush
“Sure did,” Luka responds halfheartedly, his gaze fixed on the table.
“Yep,” Alec agrees, nodding without looking up.
The silence returns, heavy and uncomfortable. I rack my brain for something, anything to say that would alleviate the awkwardness. But before I can come up with something, Luka stands up.
“Goodnight, guys,” he says, barely raising his voice above a whisper.
“Night, Luka,” Alec mumbles, still avoiding eye contact.
“Goodnight,” I echo, feeling a wave of disappointment wash over me.
With that, we all retreat to our rooms, the quiet following us like a dark cloud. I sit on the edge of my bed, staring down at my phone, hoping for some sort of distraction.
Nothing comes.
With a heavy sigh, I lie down on my bed, close my eyes, and try to find some solace in sleep.
Chapter 15
The icy air inside the hockey arena sends a chill down my spine as Tessa and I settle into our seats. I glance over at her, excitement bubbling up within me. “Thanks for coming with me, Tessa. It means a lot.”
“Of course, Emma!” Tessa responds, her hazel eyes twinkling with anticipation. “I wouldn’t miss the chance to see your man in action! Or men.”
I ignore the men comment.
“He’s not my man,” I remind her softly.
Tessa rolls her eyes. “I can tell you like him, don’t try to pretend otherwise.”
I glare at her. “Fine, if this was a normal situation then I would for sure be crushing on him but it isn’t. We are spending time together under false pretenses which means I have no idea how he feels. So, I can’t like him without knowing if he likes me back.”
Tessa slowly tilts her head with every word I say.
“You sound ridiculous. It is possible to like someone who doesn’t like you back which he clearly does by the way. He’s flirting with you when he has no reason to.”
This stupid kernel of hope settles in my chest. “You think?”
Tessa nods enthusiastically.
“But, Tess, the thing is-” I don’t want to admit the rest.
“Yes?”
“I like all of them.”
Tessa’s smile grows. “That’s great! You’re not actually dating Alec,” she whispers, “Which means you can get to know all of them guilt-free and see where it goes.”
“Tessa! They’re all roommates and teammates. That’s crazy.”
“Yes, that complicates things but you still can.”
Audrey joins us and I introduce her to Tessa.
A buzzer sounds, indicating the start of the game so I turn and mull over Tessa’s words.
As the game begins, I’m immediately drawn into the exhilarating atmosphere. The players skate across the ice, their speed and precision captivating me. I immediately spot Alec, JD then Luka out there.
Alec has lined up next to the puck for the face-off. I may have done some light research on the game before this.
