“She was a suggested follow on IG the other day,” Lundy says, looking at Dame. “I didn’t click follow. Cassie loves her posts, but she’d probably fucking kill me if I follow Josslyn’s account.”
“She posts some damn good pics,” Hamilton says.
This time, I do chance a glance at him. He’s looking straight ahead, but I swear he’s doing this to provoke me. Knowing that should encourage me to shrug it off, but the anger remains. As we walk to the locker rooms, I take a deep breath. Soon, I’ll want to cover my nose every time I come in here, but for now, I enjoy the smell of brand new.
“That was cool of you to offer to go with her to the fundraiser dinner,” Dame says to me as we start taking off our pads and walk to the bench.
“It’s no big deal.”
“It kind of is,” he says, sitting beside me and unlacing his skates. “She won’t be upset if you back out, you know? I think she’s kind of expecting you to.”
My stomach tightens. “Why would I back out?”
We both stop messing with our skates and sit upright, facing each other.
“You know why,” he says, frowning.
“The pictures will be everywhere,” Hamilton says as he sets his gear down. “Hey, maybe it’s a good time to grow up and actually try to date.”
“Date?” I scoff. “This is for a good cause. It has nothing to do with dating.”
Hamilton shoots me a look.
Dame shrugs. “I’m just giving you an out. T doesn’t mind going with her.”
A dark, amused chuckle leaves my lips before I can stop it. “I bet he doesn’t.”
Hamilton’s brows lift. Dame shrugs again, then stands to put his stuff away.
“You going to the pool party?” Hamilton asks Dame.
“I … Maybe.” Dame scratches the back of his neck. “I have to check on Joss.”
The way he says it makes my skin prickle, and I realize I don’t like being left in the dark about what’s happening with her. Her mother and Olivia also seemed worried about how she’d be doing today, so it must be something big. Whatever it is, she didn’t post about it on social media.
“What’s going on today?” I ask. “Why’s everyone worried about her?”
Dame stops what he’s doing and looks at me for a long moment. “It’s the anniversary of her dad’s death.”
“Oh.” I blink. Not what I expected. “Were they close?”
“Very,” he says. “He was her favorite person. Total daddy’s girl.” He smiles softly, then clears his throat. “So, yeah, I need to check on her.”
Even as I nod, I feel myself frown.
Once he’s gone, Hamilton turns to me and makes a face. “What the fuck was that?”
“What?”
“What’s up with all the questions?”
I shrug. “They treat her like she’s fucking breakable, and I want to know why.”
“Why do you care?”
I stand up and keep sorting my stuff. “Don’t read into it.”
“Oh, I’m reading into it,” Hamilton says behind me, laughing again. “This just gets better and better.”
