“We aren’t fuc—it’s not like that,” I sigh. “The problem I’m having has nothing to do with her being on my ass. The problem is, she wants nothing to do with me.”
“A girl repulsed by Declan Sanderson’s good looks?” Brooks smiles. “I’ve gotta meet her.”
I roll my eyes and head toward the showers.
“Seriously, man, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a girl running from you. Quite the opposite actually, but—”
“Did she start running from you before or after you slept together?” Zeke questions. “Because if it was after, you might want to think about your um… game.”
“We didn’t sleep together.”
And now I remember why I don’t share certain things with them. I know that if I opened up about my parents, they wouldn’t treat it like a joke, but sometimes they don’t know when to let something go.
“Because she wants nothing to do with you?” Fletcher continues as I turn on my shower. “Or because she’s Bowman’s little sister?”
“Both, I guess.” I run my head under the water, their voices becoming muffled. “And she’s not his little sister; they’re twins.”
“Are you saying if she wasn’t related to Bowman, you’d be trying to get with her?” Brooks asks, and I can hear it clear as day.
I watch the water run down my body and avoid the question. Not that I don’t know the answer to it. There’s no attraction there. Ember isn’t my type.
“Nope.”
“You sure about that?” He pushes.
“Not my type.”
I turn the water off and grab my towel that’s hanging outside. I run it through my hair before wrapping it around my waist and returning to the lockers. The guys are still there, talking about my so-called love life, I’m sure.
“Don’t you guys have classes to get to or something?” I wonder, avoiding their eyes.
“We do,” Brooks says, “but so do you. With your special lady friend.”
“And this is why I no longer tell you guys things.” I shake my head, looking at Jaxon, who gives me an apologetic look.
I don’t know if I was trying to make myself feel better by that comment, but it did. And it’s not like there’s actually anything to tell right now. My parents are fighting. Parents fight. Probably not always, but they do.
“You gonna at least tell us her name?” Zeke smirks.
“So you can go sleep with her? No, thank you,” I reply. “Pretty sure she’s not interested in hockey players anyways.”
“You’re just saying that because she’s not interested inyou,” he says.
I roll my eyes but answer anyway. “Ember.”
“Ember Bowman?” Jeremy questions. “Why does that name sound familiar?”
“We’ve been playing hockey with Cam for years,” I reply. “It probably came up.”
While they try and piece everything together, I take the opportunity to get dressed.
“No, that’s not it.” Jeremy shakes his head.
“Fucking hell,” Brooks breathes. “That girl, our freshman year.”
My stomach sinks.
“What, girl?” Fletcher wonders.
