His best friend with the worst timing in hockey narrowed his eyes at him. “Hey. Everything okay?”
“Yup.”
“You’ve been ignoring my texts.”
“No. I haven’t read them.” He’d been busy.
“Hmm. You were suddenly…gone yesterday afternoon.”
“I’m trying to get a second career as a magician and have been practicing my vanishing act,” he replied dryly.
Fox snorted and glanced over his shoulder. “Since we’re alone, Temple and West are looking for Anna. Do you happen to know where she is?”
“I have no idea.”
“Hey, Austin!” Anna called out.
Lucas smiled.
Fox sighed and rubbed his face. “You can’t be fucking serious.Whatare you two doing?”
Lucas thought about the question for a few seconds, but in the end, the answer was simple: “We gave up,” he said quietly.
Fox raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Gave up?”
He nodded.
Fox looked at his face, scanning every inch of it. Finally, he murmured, “Good.”
“Good?” Lucas echoed, confused.
“Yes. Good.” The next moment, he turned and left.
Chapter Twenty
Twentieth encounter
“Do you have any hobbies?”
“Of course not.”
She laughed. “Because you don’t have time for them?”
He nodded. “Do you?”
“I’m studying medicine, what do you think?”
“Good. So we're done with foreplay?”
Anna had always been just as aware of the unspoken rules that governed her time with Lucas as she was of the ones he’d stated out loud.
They didn’t cuddle. They didn’t tell jokes because that was small talk. They didn’t talk about their personal lives. They didn’t go out. They didn’t spend any time together outside of bed…or the shower, the kitchen table, or the wall.
And man, what had she missed?
She’d thought Lucas was good at sex, but snuggling with him was maybe even better. When he put his arms aroundher and rested his chin on her head, it felt like a weighted blanket bringing her back down to earth — which wasn’t nearly as terrible as she’d always imagined. The fact was: The Hawks had won their last game and needed only one more win to advance to the second round of the playoffs. Still, Lucas didn’t talk about hockey for one second the next night, but instead, asked her if her father had contacted her again. Asked her if she wanted to talk about it. Yes, her father had emailed her his cell phone number and asked if he could call her sometime; maybe that would make him less nervous. So she’d sent him her number. Her unteachable heart had apparently never given up on him or the situation. But no, she didn’t want to talk about it. Nevertheless, his offer filled her entire body with warmth because he obviously found the topic more interesting than the four goal attempts he'd spectacularly saved that day. The fact was, Lucas could be funny without saying anything. He could tell entire anecdotes using only his body language. He was an excellent listener, exceptional at making her feel like every word she said mattered.
And when they boarded the plane again two days later, Anna felt like there were no rules at all anymore.
