I lift my gaze from my skates, glancing at Shaw. “Huh?”
“Are you good, man? You played one hell of a game, but you’ve been quiet all night.”
“Yeah,” I nod as I slide my feet from my skates. “I’m good. Just tired.”
Theo looks at me at the same time I look at him. His eyebrows tug together subtly but he goes back to taking off his gear. He knows it’s a lie. Thankfully, he doesn’t call me out in front of everyone else.
It’s been a week since I took Jade out to celebrate. Everything went great that night until I dropped her off.
Everything except for the fact that I almost fucking kissed her.
She hasn’t alluded to anything in our texts all week, but she’s been keeping a safe distance from me since.
“Alright.” Shaw sighs, bobbing his head. He’s known me since our rookie season. We came into the league together, played for one other team each, and then both ended up in Hillford a few years later. “If something is going on and you want to talk, I’m all ears.”
Both of Cameron Shaw’s moms are therapists. He’s the therapy king around here.
“Thanks, Shaw. There’s nothing going on, but I appreciate the concern,” I explain as I slip off the rest of my gear.
“Are you still talking to that author?” Cross chimes in as he turns around from his stall. He’s our captain and plays defense on my line. He was traded to the Hillford Ice Hawks the season after me.
I tilt my head to the side. “I am.”
“Have you read any of her books? Are they any good?”
“No, I haven’t.” I shake my head, confusion washing over me before realization dawns on me. “No way.”
Cross frowns. “Come on, we said we were going to start a book club, so why not read one of hers first?”
“Wedidn’t say anything,” I remind him. For Cross’ birthday in the fall, his grandma gifted him a book, telling him he needed to keep his brain stimulated. He tried to con us all into reading it with him, which clearly didn’t work.
“Okay, boys, I’m serious about book club now.” He looks around the room. “Who wants in?”
Theo stifles a laugh. “I’ll do it if Shaw’s doing it.”
“I’m in.” Shaw shrugs his shoulders. “I like to read.”
I stare at the two of them in disbelief. No way is this actually happening right now. “Isn’t this weird, to read one of her books?”
“Why would it be weird?” Cross counters, pushing his dark blond hair away from his face. “She’s an author, she writes to provide an escape and entertainment for other people.”
“Does she write under her real name?” Theo asks as he pulls out his phone.
“I don’t know,” I admit with a shrug. “I never thought to ask.”
Shaw cocks an eyebrow. “Did you even plan on reading any of her books?”
“Well yeah. I was waiting until she finished the one she’s working on.”
Shaw clicks his tongue at me, shaking his head. “That’s not very supportive of you.”
“Okay, Dr. Shaw. Would you suggest I read one of her books?”
“Absolutely.”
“We can all read it together,” Cross says with excitement in his tone.
Theo lets out a laugh. “I don’t know the last time I read a book.”
