I preferred the outside section, and I inhaled the soil smell and almost smiled. There were four plants with brown stems that needed a home.
I figured it’d be a great way to break up the day after my workout and before heading to the bar for the night. The plants were annuals, but it was summer. They had three months to live their full life if I nursed them right.
A familiar laugh caught my attention, and I whipped my gaze toward it.Elle. What is she doing here?
Fuck. Her brother was with her. Gabe Van Helsing was great as a teammate on the ice, but he made it quite clear to stay the fuck away from Elle. Something I really didn’t want to do for reasons that made no sense to me. I could get with any puck bunny, any time, so it wasn’tthat.But just like my knowledge of power tools, I had no plans to figure it out.
“Start with two. Not a whole shelf.”
“But it would look cool!”
“I thought you were getting all weird about your money. Dani said you’re working too much at that damn bar. That place is a shithole, by the way.”
“Sure, but it’s awesome.”
That pleased me. Charlie worked hard to getJagsto be a home on campus. But why would Elle be getting weird aboutfinances? I didn’t like that. She didn’t need to be spending money on food for us if she had issues. Without being a total creeper, I placed the half-dying plants in my basket and maybe followed them.
“Okay, so your patio dream plant stand. You want wire shelving?”
“Yup, And all sorts of colors. Pots and flowers and succulents and spices. I want to add lights and everything. But today, it’s just pots and flowers.”
“There are such things as houseplants. Get one.One.”
“If you’re gonna rain on my parade, why did you offer to drive me? I could’ve taken the bus.”
“I have a car, and I was already at your place. Does Dani know about this idea?”
“Oh, don’t even start.”
I kinda loved how she didn’t let Van Helsing give her shit. I pretended to admire the snapdragons when suddenly, Van Helsing said my name.Busted.
“Cal Fucking Holt.”
My face flushed when I tried to think of an out. He saw me, which meant Elle did too. I couldn’t pretend I didn’t hear him at this point, and fuck, the silence went on too long. I nodded at him, unsure how to explain myself.
“You doing community service or something? Why are you buying plants?” He jutted his chin toward the basket. “Ones that look like shit, no less.”
Right.He didn’t know I was listening. I relaxed and lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Getting them for someone.”
It felt too personal and real to tell him the truth. Exposing a part of myself no one knew about. Elle joined at his side, her face lighting up for a split second. That moment of joy was enough to fuel me the rest of the day.
“Hey, Cal. Nice flowers. Not bad for discounted ones.”
“Thanks.” I cleared my throat and hated the awkwardness. Van Helsing stared at me, then his sister, then pinched his nose.
“Are you two friends now?”
“No,” I said, just as Elle said yes.
The joy was gone, and she almost seemed hurt. Which gutted me. “Well, we’re notnotfriends,” I said, frowning and hating the defeated look in her eyes.
If she knew the real thoughts I had about her, she’d laugh in my face.
“Oh, that’s perfectly clear.” Van Helsing stared at his sister. “Ready to move on?”
“Yeah.” She ran a finger over the handle of the cart, this nail orange, and she sighed. “See you later.”
“Right.”
