Page 67 of Arctic Titans of Northwood U: Volume 3

“You don’t talk much, do you?” Sarah observed, not unkindly.

“Not when I don’t have anything interesting to say.”

The response was delivered with enough edge to make Sarah blink, and I saw her interest shift from intrigued to uncomfortable. Within ten minutes, she’d excused herself to find the restroom and hadn’t returned.

Chloe stayed longer, clearly more committed to whatever role she’d been asked to play. She was good company, funny and intelligent, the kind of person I might want to spend time with under different circumstances. When Phoenix excused himself to call Jaxon, she leaned closer to me across the small table.

“So tell me,” she said, her voice dropping to a more intimate register, “what’s it like being famous?”

“I wouldn’t call it famous,” I said. “More like temporarily interesting.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. My roommate has watched your episode three times, and she’s not even into sports.”

The compliment should have felt good. A beautiful woman telling me I was worth repeated viewing should have fed whatever ego had convinced me I belonged in the spotlight. Instead, I found myself glancing toward Andrei, who was systematically destroying a cocktail napkin while staring at something fascinating on the opposite wall.

Chloe followed my gaze and smiled knowingly. “He’s not much of a people person, is he?”

“He’s selective.”

“Must be nice, having someone who knows you that well. You two seem really close.”

There was something in her tone that made me look at her more carefully. Not jealousy, exactly, but recognition. Like she was seeing something more than was on display.

“We’ve been friends for a long time,” I said.

“It shows.”

When she suggested we step outside for some air, I found myself hesitating. The script seemed to call for me to follow her lead, to continue the flirtation into whatever romantic conclusion the cameras were hoping to capture. But looking at her expectant face, I felt nothing but a strange hollowness where excitement should have been.

“Actually,” I said, glancing back toward where Andrei sat alone, “I should probably stay with my friends. Boys’ night out, you know?”

Her smile faltered slightly, but she recovered with grace. “Of course. Maybe another time?”

“Maybe.”

She gathered her purse and coat, leaning down to kiss my cheek before she left. “You’re sweet, Griffin Shaw. Don’t let fame change that.”

As soon as she was gone, I felt the cameras swinging toward me like heat-seeking missiles. Jen appeared at my elbow with that smile that meant she smelled good television.

“Quick interview,” she said, gesturing toward a quieter corner near the bar. “Just a few thoughts on the evening so far.”

The camera operator positioned himself while I tried to organize my thoughts into something that would make sense on television.

“So,” Jen began once the red light was blinking, “interesting night. Two beautiful women, clearly interested, and you sent them both away. Our viewers are going to want to know why.”

I shrugged, falling back on the easy charm that had gotten me through every interview so far. “I guess it’s a boys’ night out.”

The words came out lighter than they felt, accompanied by the grin that usually smoothed over any awkward moments. But underneath the performance, I felt relief flooding through me like cool water. Relief that I didn’t have to pretend to be interested in someone I wasn’t. Relief that I didn’t have to perform an attraction I didn’t feel.

“Fair enough,” Jen said, though her expression suggested she wasn’t entirely buying it. “Friendship loyalty is admirable.”

When I walked back into the main bar area, Andrei looked up from his decimated napkin with genuine surprise.

“You’re back,” he said, and something in his voice made my chest tight.

“Where else would I be?”

Phoenix had returned from his phone call, his face bright with whatever conversation he’d had with Jaxon. “Everything good?” he asked, settling back into his chair.