Page 33 of Enemy Games

I looked into his eyes as hard as I could. “Okay.”

“Where did you grow up?”

“Green Glens, New York.”

“No way.” His eyes got small again. “I can’t believe it.”

“You lived in West Lake.” I nodded. “Thank heaven we didn’t go to school together. That would have been horrible.”

“Presley Stone.” He said my name like it was the first time he’d ever put the words together.

“That’s me!” I sang.

“But you were …”

“Ugly. Yeah, you told me that at least a hundred times.”

He rubbed his hand over his face.

“And I think I proved you wrong. Girls can play hockey! Look at us! We play for the same school!” I laughed. “Bet you didn’t see that coming.”

“No. I really didn’t.”

Ha! He admitted I was right. Point for me!

“No leotards for me. Nope. I didn’t quit even after you told me I should every day for three years.” A smile lifted my lips. It felt nice. “I was so happy the day you left the arena to join the traveling team. I cheered. All the girls on my team cheered. We didn’t like you. You were so mean, but mostly to me.”

“Presley, we were kids. I’m––”

“But we were friends first. That’s what I don’t understand. One day you were nice, and the next, you were just…not. You made fun of me. All the time.”

“Maybe we should talk about this later.”

“It doesn’t matter.” I waved my good hand in front of me. “You remember me now. I got to prove to mean Shaw that I didn’t give up. Nope. Not because of him or anyone else. I’m going to the Olympics! Even you can’t say that.”

I closed my eyes and reveled in the darkened peace, and didn’t move again until the door opened. I snapped my head up to see the nice trainer, Matthew, smiling at me.

“Hey, Presley, how are you feeling?”

“Good.” I rubbed my face before reaching to free myself of the seat belt.

“That’s a relief. You scared us.” He helped me out of the truck and to the waiting golf cart. “Coach Jarry and I just want to have a look at your wrist for ourselves.”

“Okay.” My hair whipped around me as he drove to the arena.

Coach greeted me with a worried look. “How are you, Stone?”

“Better than I thought.” I walked with them through the hall to the training room. It wasn’t until I was sitting up on the exam table that I realized someone was missing. Where had Shaw disappeared to? It didn’t really matter. He was a meany, and I got to rub it in his face that he didn’t win. If I never spoke to him again, it would be too soon.

Chapter 10

Hunter

How was this even possible? Not only had I seen this woman a dozen times over the last two weeks, but I sat across from her for an hour with plenty of opportunities to make the connection. Not once did I have even the slightest inkling that she was someone I’d grown up with.

The answers I was looking for weren’t on my ceiling, despite how long I’d been staring. I couldn’t sleep. Again.

She was in my head. Making me relive every poor decision I’d made back then.