Page 40 of Twisted Needs

“Yep,” I nod. “How many de Sousas do you know?”

He shrugs. “Just you and him. Woah, man—you guys are, like, twins now that I’m seeing it.”

“Everyone says that,” I chuckle. “He’s my half-brother, though. Same mom.”

“But you share a last name?” he asks curiously.

“My brother adopted me and had it changed,” is all I say.

Seth doesn’t press for an explanation. Connor gives me a look that only someone from a broken home could understand.

My body reacts before my mind catches up. I see him across the ice, wearing the special red Sentinels charity jersey they always wear for this event. As the rest of the team files into the rink, a few retired Sentinels skate in after. The room fills with even more excitement, as if Gretzky himself is walking across the ice.

A few minutes later, volunteers are paired off with players. Aviva and I stand on either side of Calvin Malloy. Charlie makes an appearance for a brief moment to take a picture of her brother in his “cutesy little uniform” she calls it, before skating off to a different player she’s more interested in.

Gotta hand it to her—the girl is on the prowl.

“How does it feel?” I ask Malloy, rubbing my hands together and suddenly wishing I had gloves on. “Officially a rookie now.”

“It feels pretty sick not having to wear that annoying cage anymore.”

Aviva rolls her eyes. “If you break a tooth, I’m dumping you.”

He pretends to pout. “But you’re a WAG now. Told you I would make it happen, babe.”

“You’re right,” she sighs, wrapping her arms around her boyfriend. “Thank you for making my dream come true. You know I’ve always wanted to be in a WAG groupchat.”

“Keep looking that pretty and I’ll put you on my health insurance,” Malloy grins.

She dramatically swoons. “That’s even better than a marriage proposal.”

“You guys are making me sick,” I groan. “Get your lovey-dovey mess out of my air space.”

An hour or so goes by and the once organized structure has turned into some sort of free skate meet and greet. We were originally supposed to teach the kids to skate and help them learn how to handle a stick, but the kids are more interested in talking to the players and asking them to race.

Seth makes his way over to me and gives me a suggestive look. “Wanna get out of here? Maybe go have some grown-up fun?”

The lighting in here somehow makes his blonde hair seem even blonder than usual. His blue eyes appear darker, but the shadows on his face are perfectly casted in the light.

“I could be convinced,” I smirk. “What do you have in mind?”

“Sex,” he mouths.

I immediately choke, folding over on myself. “You’re impossible,” I snort.

“I don’t beat around the bush,” he shrugs. “Convinced yet?”

“Only because I like funny guys,” I smirk. “Let me go tell Aviva⁠—”

“Anderson.”

My stomach drops so hard at the sound of his voice that it feels like I missed a step on the staircase. And just like that, the rug has been pulled out beneath me. All of a sudden, nothing else matters in the room except for this one fucking person.

Fucking hell.

I turn around and force myself not to react when I see him skating up.

“There you are,” Parker smiles. “You didn’t tell me you were volunteering again this year.”