“What’s up?” Cameron asks.
“I’ve gotta dip.” Noah flicks Cameron’s hat on his way around our circle. He holds up his phone with a jaunty wave. “I’ve got the green light from Amanda, half a mile away.”
The guys bust out with a drawn out chorus ofohhhh, smacking and elbowing him playfully. Madden’s the only one that doesn’t join in. His jaw works and he keeps his gaze locked on the fire.
“Have fun, man.” Grinning, I fold my hands behind my head, propping my feet on the warm stones surrounding the flames.
It’s still strange to think I was having the same kind of fun not long ago, yet the idea of going back to random hookups islong gone from my mind. That’s just not the guy I want to be anymore. Not now that I’m enjoying getting to know Maya.
Other girls have ceased to exist to me. She’s the only one I’m interested in.
We’re still taking small steps, but she’s not fighting this thing between us as hard as when she first realized I’m a hockey player. I’m holding on to that, willing to take this at her pace while I work for my chance with her.
A startled yell and a thump draws our attention to the picnic table. McKinley swings a bewildered look around from the grass, rubbing his hip after rolling off the table.
“You good, dude?” I check with an amused rumble. “You’re in the yard. You fell asleep on the table.”
“I dreamed Gritty was chasing me,” he mumbles. “I couldn’t get away. The ice just kept going and going.”
“The Flyers mascot?” Cameron bursts out laughing.
“He’s just so—orange.” McKinley shudders, scraping a hand through his hair.
The rest of us lose it, our wheezing laughter echoing off the trees with embers from the fire floating into the night sky.
TWELVE
EASTON
Walkingout of my midweek journalism class with an A on my test feels damn good. I’ve got some time to kill before my next class and head for the coffee cart to see if I can get a snack.
My good mood improves when I spot Maya sitting on a bench with her notebooks. We must have an overlap in our schedules. I never noticed her around campus before, but now she’d be impossible for me to miss.
Her hair is twisted up in a blue flower-shaped clip. I drag my gaze down the uninterrupted view of her neck, fighting back the urge to kiss it.
I smirk. “So you do wear Heston blue.”
I’m hoping for a smile, but all it gets me is a tired sigh that makes my chest constrict. I scan her face and my stomach tightens. She’s upset.
My bag drops off my shoulder and I kneel in front of her, covering her hand with mine. “Hey. Are you okay?”
She meets my gaze with a guarded look, eyes glistening. They’re puffy and bloodshot, like she’s been crying for a while. My heart bolts into my throat. I want to make her feel better, willing to do anything to take whatever pain she’s carrying away.
“What’s wrong, baby?” I rub her skin with my thumb. “Do you have any other classes today?”
Maya shakes her head. “Why?”
The defeated, flat tone of her voice hits me square in the chest.
I take her hand and urge her up. “Come with me. I know what will help.”
“Don’t you have stuff to do?” She grips my hand like a lifeline.
“It’s fine. It’s not important right now.”
She sniffles, threading her fingers with mine. I brush my thumb over her knuckles to comfort her as I lead her to where I’m parked.
I’ll email my professor later to let her know I missed class because I had a personal matter to handle. I haven’t missed a class yet, so hopefully she’ll be understanding. But if she’s not, I don’t care.
