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“Yeah, I’m getting ready,” I lied, glancing at myself in the mirror. Maybe I should go.
“Have fun. I’ve been thinking, remembering that article about Asher that I read…He’s warming the bench thanks to those damn transfer rules. He barely played in Denver, it’s ridiculous. Should your old man see what can be done about that?”
I sank down at my desk. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I know a few fellas who work in the federation, and I’m sure I could put in a good word. These rules are bent all the time if you know the right people. If I’m going to meet this boy who claims to be good enough to date you, I want to see what he’s like, on and off the ice.”
“That’s really considerate of you…if it’s no trouble.”
“For you, pumpkin, anything. I’ll make a few calls. Don’t forget to organize the dinner,” he reminded me.
“I won’t.” After I hung up, I turned over what he’d said in my mind. Maybe he could get Asher off his no-play ban faster. That would be amazing. Surely Asher would appreciate it and do whatever I asked him to? Yes, I was sure he would. I couldn’t let up. I was going to win this game with a hell of a trump card.
Selena came in as I was getting dressed. “Whoa, where are we going?”
“The Hellions’ match, but first, I need to stop by and see Eve. She has my outfit,” I quickly responded before grabbing my things and heading for the door.
Winter
“So, let me get this straight. You don’t want to date Trent enough that you are pretending to already have a boyfriend, and the person you chose to pretend to date is Asher Martino?”
I’d had to tell Selena in the end. Her not knowing was too much of a liability around my father and Trent.
“Yep, that’s right.”
She shook her head. “Girl, do you have a death wish? Are you a masochist?”
Maybe.
I just shrugged.
“He’s an Ice God, a mean, hot testament to male perfection…you don’t want to get on his bad side. He’ll make your life miserable here,” Selena continued.
“I didn’t really have a long line of applicants for the position. I could only think of one person to ask, and now I’m in it…I have to get him to agree.” I spun away from the mirror and struck a pose. “How do I look?”
We were in the bathrooms at the ice rink, along with about fifty other girls, all pushing in to see in the mirrors.
Selena gave me a critical once-over and then nodded. “Like Asher Martino’s girlfriend.”
“Perfect.”
I turned around. I was wearing a hockey jersey with Asher’s number and his name across the back. Eve had stolen it from his room for me. It was a standard “girlfriend’s only” move. I paired the jersey with tight jeans and had even painted a small crest of the Hellions’ logo on my cheek.
“I don’t know what kind of game you and my brother are playing, but I’m putting my money on you. Give him hell.” Eve had been positively gleeful about me messing with her brother.
Oh, I intend to.
The rink was packed when we got inside to the seating area. We moved to our row, and as soon as we sat, a ripple of whispers started up around us. I took a deep mental breath and lowered my jacket, showing off Asher’s jersey.
“You’re all kinds of exciting lately,” Selena remarked, enjoying every second of the attention.
Down on the rink, the ice girls were warming up the crowd and the players were doing their pregame exercises. Asher was standing with Coach Eric. He was wearing his jersey with his future number, for when he could finally play, and he and the coach were in deep conversation.
I rubbed my hands together, trying to get a little warmth there. I was cold, despite how packed the place was. Then again, it was January at an ice rink. Cold seemed right.
It was funny. Until recently, I’d never really cared about or even noticed the cold. I was the Ice Queen, after all. Cold, alone, isolated, aloof. It felt comforting. The control over my surroundings and the people who’d intrude in on my solitude was soothing.
Tangling with Asher Martino had changed that. I felt freed from my bindings, like a pinned butterfly that had suddenly shaken free from its board and realized it wasn’t dead after all. It was a frightening and odd feeling. It felt dangerous. Like an addiction I couldn’t afford to have.
