She lights up. “The romance recs? Yes! That’s perfect.”
“I mean, you don’t have to read the whole list. It’s pretty ambitious. But you asked for where to start reading, and I got kinda carried away.”
“I’ll walk back with you, too,” Maya says. “Reagan sent me on a mission to get that new cowboy release.”
The three of us make our way through the coffee shop.
On our way out, Candace giggles. “You know, I think this is the most you’ve said to me so far. So the way to your heart is books, got it.”
I think this means we’re friends. I never would’ve expected this when we first met at the hockey game. I glance between her and Maya. The corners of Maya’s eyes crinkle with her smile. She gives me a thumbs up.
A spark of happiness expands my chest. I tell Candace about the books I included on the list on the short walk to the shop, adding more options off the top of my head when she responds with her own bubbly enthusiasm.
For once it feels easy to connect with someone unexpected.
TEN
ALEX
It strikesme that I’m becoming obsessed when I’m standing on the quad waiting for the three dots floating in my text thread with Lainey to turn into words. In fact, I’m notbecomingobsessed, I’m already there.
It’s time I admit to myself how much I look forward to texting her, thinking about the next time I’ll see her, even reading books she likes just so I have more reasons to talk to her.
Hockey has been the only thing to dominate my attention since the first time I held a stick in my hands.
A girl has never come close to competing with my focus on hockey, let alone surpass it.
Yet Lainey occupies all my thoughts after a week and a half. When I’m at practice, weight training, on the team bus for an away game, kicking the rookies’ asses on Playstation, during classes, between classes, eating,sleeping—all the fucking time.
I’ve always kept girls at arm’s length, believing they’d be a distraction I couldn’t afford. It helped weed out anyone who thought I could give them more than something physical. Sex is an outlet for me. It’s fun. Blows off steam. I didn’t think I’d care about the other things that make a relationship work—thefeelings, thinking about another person all the time, considering their needs before mine.
I never knew it could be like this. Not even when I suggested this fake dating cover as an impulsive excuse to be around her.
Is it weird to go from someone who is strictly hookups only to wanting to spend all my free time with the girl I’m supposed to be pretending to date in such a short time?
Maybe.
Do I care?
Not one goddamn bit.
My boys can bust my balls for it all they want. I’m owning my shit: I’m obsessed with my teammate’s sister.
I want to laugh at myself because my heart does an odd squeeze in my chest when she responds.
Lainey
In the library. I came to study and start my next paper, but I finished that. Now I’m working on final BFB prep.
It’s only been a handful of days since I last saw her, yet I’m pushing my legs to move faster.
The dopey ass smile on my face is out of my control. Theo would give me so much shit for acting like this if he saw me.
Alex
Don’t go anywhere. My class ended early. I’m heading your way.
Lainey
