My heart rate kicks up, and sweat prickles at the back of my neck.
When did this happen?
Zach didn’t tell me?
Jenni’s smiling, and while the angle hides Zach’s expression, he’s leaning in, and I don’t see the animosity he swears exists between them.
Unknown:Makes you wonder… was that fight at the table real, or just a cover for why she was really on his porch without you?
“Honey?” Chris’s voice is closer than I expect. He’s reading the message over my shoulder. His jaw is tight and his eyes glare at my screen.
I swallow hard. “I should go. I’ve got some internship materials to review tonight.”
Chris doesn’t back off. He studies me for a beat, his expression unreadable, then it softens. “Or,” he says slowly, “I could take you somewhere quiet. No whispers. No stares. Just… you being you.”
I should say no.
I should go back to Zach’s house and try to put everything behind me, but the thought of disappearing, of breathing for an hour? It’s so tempting.
“Where were you thinking?”
Chris grins, holding his arm out to me in invitation. “You'll see. Trust me?”
I hesitate, then nod because I know I don’t want to be alone. “Yeah.”
My breath forms little clouds of air in front of me as I rub my hands together and watch the solitary figure glide across the rink.
When Chris said he’d take me somewhere quiet, I wasn’t expecting to come here.
“That’s my brother, Chase,” Chris explains, settling into the seat beside me. “He likes to get here at least an hour before team practice.”
“An hour? Surely, he’s exhausted by the time it starts?”
Chris smirks and shakes his head. “No. He’s used to it. Hockey runs in our blood.”
I nod, my eyes drifting back to Chase as I watch the way he glides across the ice so gracefully. The sound of his blades echoes across the empty rink, creating a sense of rhythm to his moves.
Chris clears his throat. “Have you ever been ice skating before?”
I shake my head. “Nope. Not unless you count the time my ex snuck me out to one at the mall. I spent more time on my butt than on my feet.” I smile a little. “I did equestrian growing up, so I wasn’t allowed to do anything that would jeopardize that.”
“Well, that explains your impeccable posture.” He smirks. “With my skater’s hunch, it almost makes us look the same height.”
“Oh, please. You’d have to slouch a lot harder to make me believe we’re eye level.”
“Wanna come skating sometime?” he offers. “I’ll prove just how terrible my posture is.”
The smile on my face wavers.
“Don’t worry. If you don’t want the other guys there, we could do it when it’s just us. No pressure, though.”
I let out a nervous laugh and shake my head. “Maybe sometime,” I answer, but I don’t mean it. It’s a kind offer, but I wouldn’t feel right doing something like that without Zach by my side.
“Cool.” Chris’s voice is a little lower now, and I can’t help but think I offended him. Instead of addressing it, I default to avoiding it by checking my phone.
No New Messages.
Weird.