Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 92422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
I loop my arm through hers and steer us to the side and out of pedestrian traffic. It’s like a swiftly moving current, and it’s only a matter of time before we get swept away by the crowd.
“Are you here for the game?”
Her face scrunches as she gives her blonde head a shake. “Nope, just finished up on the ice. I was hoping to get out before the horde descended.”
I glance around. “Looks like you’re too late for that.”
“It would seem so.”
With a shift, I throw out the offer. “Any chance I can convince you to stay and watch the game?”
She glances at the building and nibbles her lower lip. “I don’t know…”
“I bet your dad would appreciate your show of support,” I cajole.
A reluctant smile hovers around the edges of her lips as she shakes her head. “Damn. You fight dirty. Know that?”
A chuckle escapes from me as I grin. “Always.”
“Fine. You talked me into it. I’ll watch the game with you.”
“Yay! Now you can meet the friends I’ve been telling you about.”
“Let me throw my bag in my car and then we can head inside.”
Ten minutes later, we navigate our way through the thick crowd inside the chilly arena. I stop and look around for the girls. It takes a few minutes to spot them. As soon as I do, Juliette pops to her feet and waves.
I give Ava a little squeeze. “You’ll like them. They’re really nice.”
Sometimes I get the feeling that Ava isn’t necessarily comfortable around people our own age. Like me, she was homeschooled so she could focus on training. She knows that I had private teachers as well, but she doesn’t know the reason for it.
“We’ll see,” she mumbles, sounding none too sure.
I get her skepticism. Girls can be catty and mean. From what I’ve gleaned from our conversations, it’s even more so in the ice-skating world. Everyone’s in competition with each other. They might smile and be nice to your face, but they’ll stab you in the back the moment it’s turned. Even though I don’t know Ava well, there’s something delicate about her that brings out my protective instincts.
As soon as we reach our seats, I make introductions. Just like I knew they would, everyone welcomes Ava with open arms. Especially when I tell them that she’s Coach Philips’ daughter. There’s a ton of questions and friendly banter. It doesn’t take long for Ava’s muscles to loosen as she jokes around with them.
“So, Britt,” Fallyn says, mischief sparkling in her blue eyes. “Is there a reason we didn’t have to twist your arm to meet us here tonight?” Instead of waiting for a response, she taps her chin with her finger and pretends to ponder the question. “Hmmm. I wonder what that could be...”
Carina snorts. “Let me guess—what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas?”
My eyes widen and my mouth tumbles open. There’s no way she could have found out that we tied the knot.
I haven’t told a soul.
And it’s doubtful Colby did either.
No matter what he said at the coffee shop, we’re not staying married.
“Excuse me?” I squeak as my heart constricts. “What do you mean?”
All the girls turn their attention my way.
Fallyn gives me an odd look before saying with a laugh, “Just that you two shared a room for the weekend.”
Oh, right...we shared a room.
Air escapes my lungs as I force a smile. “Sorry, forgot all about it.”
Lie.
It’ll be a long time before I forget about that weekend. Or can look at a floor-to-ceiling window in a suite without remembering what it felt like to be pressed against it and thoroughly—
Yeah.
Carina leans around Juliette, who’s seated beside me. “Then you two didn’t sleep together? Because from everything I’ve heard, forgettable is the last thing Colby is in bed.”
Warmth rushes through my veins before pooling in my core until I’m squirming.
She’s not wrong.
“I wouldn’t know,” I lie. “We’re just friends.”
Kind of.
Maybe.
Stella waggles her brows. “Are we talking strictly friends or friends with benefits?”
“Strictly friends.”
“Interesting. I didn’t realize that Colby McNichols had friends who also happened to be girls,” Viola chimes in. “Someone needs to write this down.”
Ugh.
The last thing I want to do is lie to my new friends, but there’s no way I can tell them the truth.
My attention gets snagged by Colby as he rounds the corner and heads our way with his stick slung over his shoulder blades. He’s a big guy. Tall and broad with muscles for miles. In skates and padding, he looks larger than life.
Our eyes catch and hold as he glides past.
Even after the connection is severed, my focus stays fastened to him.
“Friends, my ass,” Ava whispers with a nudge.
That comment is enough to rip me out of the Colby-induced trance that’s fallen over me. When she raises her brows in silent inquiry, a smile simmering across her lips, my shoulders slump.