AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m not a rookie now!”
Sanchez shrugs. “You’re a rookie till we get a new rookie. I don’t make the rules.”
Rankin skates off mumbling curse words under his breath, and Jankowski shoots me a conspiring grin. “Coach gonna give us a break anytime soon, you think?”
“He’s never been big on breaks, as I recall,” I point out.
“Fair,” Jankowski concedes. His grin turns sly then. “You wanna tell us about this situation with you and Baker’s sister?”
“You know damn well there’s not actually a situation.”
“That’s what you and Jack are singing, but seems like a waste to me. Dee is hot.”
I feel a prickling sensation in my chest, tamping down an influx of bad feelings that don’t make any damned sense. “Watch it,” I warn.
“Ooo,” Sanchez chimes in gleefully. “Sensitive subject? You know we don’t step on another man’s territory. Team rules.”
“There’s no territory,” I huff. “We’re just doing this to help each other out.”
“I can think of a lot of ways you could help each other out,” Jankowski says, waggling his eyebrows.
That prickling feeling intensifies, and I scowl back at him. “You want to finally lose a few teeth? That’s Jack’s sister you’re talking about.”
“Mhm.” Jankowski’s eyes are practically sparkling. “That’s all it is, I’m sure.”
“Hey!” Coach shouts from the other side of the rink. “If you have time for chitchat, you have time to get your asses over here and run speed drills!”
Another elbow nudged in my side as Jankowski laughs. “Come on, Old Man. Let’s get shit done so you can get home to your sweetheart.”
“Is it cheesy to say you’re on thin ice?”
Jankowski gives me an innocent look. “Dude, I was talking about Jack.”
I glide after him over the ice as he takes off, cackling, and I have to remind myself that I like Jankowski.
“Fuck, I’m sore,” Sanchez groans.
“I think even my balls are aching,” Olsson gasps, bent over at the waist. “Is Coach trying to kill us on day one?”
“Funny, I feel fine,” Rankin pops off, his hair drenched in sweat and his face startlingly red.
Sanchez shoves him, nearly knocking him off-balance. “Fuck off.”
“Knees still good?” Jankowski teases me.
I roll my eyes. “They’re holding up. If you don’t stop acting so concerned for me, I might start to think you have a crush on me.”
“You’re not my type,” he answers. “I’m saving myself for Coach.” He perks up, clapping me on the shoulder. “But speaking of types…”
I follow the nod of his head to the railing on the edge of the rink, spotting a familiar mass of brown waves piled high above what I know to be bright eyes and a brighter smile. It’s been less than twenty-four hours since Lila and I agreed to our little PR endeavor, and even though I know there’s nothing real about this thing we’re doing, I still feel a tiny flutter in my stomach at seeing her so soon. Like I haven’t had enough time to properly figure out how I’m going to approach the whole thing.
Jankowski straightens, smirking at me. “Think I’ll go say hi to Dee.”
God, I really do like the guy, but he’s asking for an ass kicking with this shit.
My body moves on its own to follow him, so quickly that it’s like my brain has no say in the matter. Jack gives me a bit of side- eye when I sidle up next to Jankowski below the railing where he and Lila are huddled together; we had a long talk last night about everything that’s going on, and I know (or at least, I think) he’s cool with it, but I get the sense that there’s still a bit of weirdness he’s sorting through. He’s definitely not the only one.
Lila immediately brightens when I approach, her lips curling into a wide smile and her eyes crinkling at the corners, and the electricity of it paired with the knowledge that there are a few dozen people meandering around the arena with their eyes on us has that flutter in my stomach intensifying to something that feels like it’s crawling up my throat. Her tight jeans and her soft green sweater make her look delicate, the color making her already big brown eyes seem wider, sweeter even. Not to mention her smile. And that goddamned dimple.
