All I could think about was how much I’d fucked up. How I was avoiding Cam because of the guilt. How I was pretending everything was fine to save a wedding that wasn’t even mine. How Cam would hate me after I confessed, and how Harlow was barely speaking to me.
That one landed differently. Heavier. For reasons I couldn’t explain and definitely wasn’t ready to examine, I really didn’t want Harlow to hate me, and yet I kept digging myself deeper, like an idiot with a shovel.
My skates hit the ice, and my gaze lifted, connecting with Cam’s.
My heart launched itself into my throat and started doing backflips as we skated toward each other.
“Hey.” Her lips curved into a smile that was trying so hard to be casual, it almost hurt to look at.
“Hey.” My eyes met hers for half a second before the awkwardness grabbed me by the throat. I looked over her shoulder where a figure skater was attempting a jump. “What are you doing here?”
“What do you mean?” She laughed, but it sounded forced. “I’m always here in the mornings.”
No, she wasn’t. Not since we’d started dating. “Not lately.”
Part of me wondered if she’d been avoiding me as much as I’d been avoiding her. Maybe we were both cowards. Maybe that’s why this never worked.
“True.” She shifted her weight, skates scraping against the ice. “I actually came because I wanted to see you.”
My throat went dry. “Uh…” I glanced back at the guys, who were pretending to stretch but were absolutely, one hundred percent eavesdropping. “I’m kind of busy this morning. We’re running some drills.”
“Okay.” Her words came out slowly. “What’s going on, Owen?”
“What?” My chest tightened, but I arranged my face into shocked innocence, like I had no idea what she was talking about.
“You’ve stood me up twice.” Her voice was quiet. “I’ve hardly talked to you since Jax’s bachelor party. You’re avoiding my texts, my calls…”
“Cam, I’m really busy right now.” The words tumbled out way too fast. “School and hockey, plus Jax’s wedding…” I shook my head, eyes darting everywhere but her face. “It’s nothing.”
The lie twisted in my gut like a knife, but even if I could tell her the truth right now, this definitely wasn’t the place. Not with Bennett, Jake, and Ty listening.
“So.” She lifted her chin. She didn’t look convinced. She looked like someone who’d been lied to before and recognized the taste. “Do you want to go to dinner with me tonight?”
The question was a test, and we both knew it. I didn’t want to go to dinner with Cam. I wanted to avoid her until the wedding was over and we could really talk.
“Yeah.” I forced a smile. “Why don’t we go to Harry’s for seafood?”
Her face split into a grin. I knew she loved seafood and Harry’s was her favorite restaurant.
“And we can figure out driving arrangements to the beach house for this weekend,” I added, because apparently I was committed to this performance until the bitter end.
“Okay.” She nodded, something like relief softening her features. “I have to get to practice.”
“I’ll see you tonight.” I shifted to leave, escape, really, but she grabbed my wrist.
Her fingers were warm against my skin. I stopped.
“Do I have to ask for a kiss?”
Fuck. “Oh.”
Kissing her was wrong. It felt misleading and cruel and…
But then again, so was her fucking Trystan the night before we started dating.
I shook my head at the thought and leaned in. Pressed my lips to hers in a kiss that was quick and friendly and absolutely nothing like what a kiss should be.
Then I disappeared and didn’t look back.
