“Well?”
“I didn’t respond to your messages so youstalkme? Because heaven forbid AlexanderThe GreatHart is being ignored!” I throw up my hands in utter disbelief. The audacity of this guy!
“Don’t be ridiculous, Van der Hoff,” Hart grumbles, one hand rubbing his neck. “I didn’t stalk you. I just– we should talk about a few things here. Since we’re going to play together next year.”
If we’re going to play together next year, the mean voice whispers in my ears again, but I’m not going to share my doubts with him.
“I don’t have anything to say to you.” I cross my arms over my chest as I wait for him to get out of my way.
Hart, however, leans against the driver’s side of the car, effectively blocking my only escape route.
“Really? How about an apology?”
“No, thank you.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Especially on the ice, yes.”
“With a bloated ego.”
“Coming from The Great.”
“Stop calling me that, for fuck’s sake!”
I grin at his outburst. Hearing Hart swear is like watching a pastor steal candy—it just doesn’t go together. He’s usually so focused on being thisgoodhockey posterboy. Drawing his brows together in disappointment is as far as he will go. It’s also why he doesn’t get into fights on the ice; probably doesn’t even know what the sin bin looks like from the inside.
I can only come up with one other time he lost his shit, and that was three years ago.
“What, you don’t like being called great? That’s news to me. I do like the sound of it. And all the room it leaves for additions! AlexanderThe GreatAsshole. AlexanderThe GreatPuckhoarder. AlexanderThe GreatAttention Whore. AlexanderThe GreatEgomaniac.”
“That’s rich coming from you, of all people.” Hart laughs, a bitter sound that makes the fine hairs stand at the back of my neck. “Considering your little stunt could have gotten Nate and you both kicked out of the NCAA.”
“Mylittle stunt? I did this for Nate. But you wouldn’t know about doing things for others, right? At least not when you can’t post about it on Instagram.”
Hart doesn’t have any siblings, so how would he be able to understand? Every time I think of Nate moving on to the NHL without me, my stomach burns with envy.
But I’ll get over it. My brother deserves to have his hard work recognized by the right people. Because contrary to what Hart thinks, having hockey player parents doesn’t mean we have ourseats saved for us. If anything, people would relish the fact that neither of the Van der Hoff twins managed to get signed.
“At least I don’t have a problem standing up for myself. Unlike you, who can only sneak looks at nudes when he thinks his teammates are asleep around him.”
My face burns when he reminds me about the busride. I didn’t look for nudes, but there’s no point in arguing about it.
“Jealous because you aren’t getting any, Hart?” I sneer, but for a split second my mind goes back to the way he leaned his head against my shoulder, and I suddenly have the subtle note of his generic shampoo in my nose.
Hart lets out hisI’m too old for this shitsigh, then pinches the bridge of his nose like he’s the head coach of a middle school hockey team. “Can you stop being a child for once and have a serious conversation?”
I can’t help but snort at that. “Serious conversation my ass! You’re only here to vent and blame me for the problems you created.”
“The problemsIcreated? I didn’t have any problems before you two decided to swap lives! Who do you think you are that you can lie and fuck with people’s minds like that? Mary-Kate and Ashley?”
I furrow my brows in confusion. “Who?”
He opens his mouth, undoubtedly to give me a lecture, then snaps it closed again, shaking his head. “...nevermind.”
“Look,” I groan, because I’m done freezing my ass off in the parking lot. I need to work on that grocery list before I have to fight Karens and Felicias over the last lettuce. “Whatever you think we have to clear up: Go tell it to Nate.”
“To Nate?”
