“Practice and games are at the rink, but I’m here for my job. I teach kids Friday mornings as part of the outreach program with the school. I’ve been teaching kids for as long as I can remember.” I point over to the kids who are currently leaving the ice.
Her face falls, and she swallows. “Y-yeah. I guess I forgot about that.”
“Really? Because I haven’t forgotten anything about you.”
Did that come out a little stronger than I intended? Yup, but I can’t help it. I have no filter when it comes to her.
“Ugh. You’re insufferable,” she mutters before she starts to slowly crawl across the boards. When I say slowly, I mean I’ve seen snails move faster. At least she’s putting one skate in front of the other. That’s a start.
I shift slowly, watching her feet.
“Um, Laura. I’m not trying to be a dick, but it looks like you’re a beginner, so I’d probably recommend one of those penguin assists, if you don’t want my help. I can get one for you if you'd like?”
“No, thank you. I'm fine,” she growls.
She waves her gloved hand in my face, trying to mask the strain, but it's obvious. Her body is literally shaking as she tries to hold herself up beside me.
“I don’t have to get it. I could just put it on the ice and push it in your direction.”
“Stop talking, Scotty. Please.” Her voice cracks. “Please just leave me alone.”
I back away a little, but I can’t go far. I can’t leave her.
“What if I don't want to?” I admit. Laura seems to hate me, but I'm hell-bent on understanding more about her.
“Why? Because you want to embarrass me some more? Show off to your friends that you can douse me with water, or make fun of my career, and I'll still come crawling back to you like every other girl at Covey U?”
My mouth opens but I honestly have nothing to say to that because I’m shocked that she thinks that at all.
“That’s not what’s going on here, Princess.”
“I told you to stop calling me that.” Her lip is trembling, and she's now dragging herself with her hands on the boards to get away from me.
“I'm sorry.” There’s another grunt of annoyance from her. “And I’m sorry I’m going to do this.”
I take her hand and place it over my shoulder, then wrap my arm around her waist to keep her from face-planting again. The wild part? It actually works. Her shaking stops, her breathing evens, and—God help me—she relaxes right into me like she forgot she hates me.
“What the hell is going on?” a girl’s voice says from behind. “I go and check my phone forone minuteand you’re being scooped up by a hot hockey guy who looks like he’s two seconds from proposing on the ice.”
Maybe I was.
“Seriously? I’ve been skating for nearly fourteen years and the closestIget to a romantic moment is Nick freaking Caine offering me a ride on his roller guards.” I hear her gag. “But you? You face-plant like a trembling baby giraffe and suddenly every hot guy on skates is racing over to catch you. It’s unfair. Offensive, even.”
“Nick Caine? As in St. Michael’s center?” I glance over my shoulder, and nearly slip on my skates, something that only happens when Laura’s around.
“Oh, do you know him?” She smiles brightly. “Don’t be fooled by his easy-going charm. He’s an idiot!”
Of course. Same face, same eyes—just different vibes. Laura looks ready to bolt, and her sister? She’s smirking at me like she knows exactly who I am and what I did.
“You aren’t doing much for my sister’s perception of hockey players by asking that,” she says, skating around so she’s facing us. Meanwhile, Laura stays silent. She’s staring at her skates, and her jaw is tight while she pretends she’s not holding on to me for balance. Her fingers curl in my sleeve and I’m trying really hard not to read into that.
Her sister holds her hand out. “I’m Noelle.”
I take it and shake, the name suddenly sparking recognition. A recognition I don’t dwell on since I know how bad it makes Laura feel. “Hi, Noelle. I’m Scotty.”
She pushes out a breath and rolls her eyes. “Please. Do you really think I don’t know who you are? Your dad inspired me to play.”
“I’ll let him know.” I give her a forced smile and inadvertently hold Laura a little closer. She might be the only person in the world who gets the same feeling I do when one of our family members is mentioned.
