Page 78 of Lose You Twice

Weston, three feet away pretending not to listen, raises both hands. “I heard nothing.”

Coach mutters a few choice curses under his breath and walks toward the rest of the coaching team.

Wren takes her key card and turns toward the elevators. I pick up her bag before she can.

She stops. “Kai.”

I look down at her bag. “What the hell did you put in here? It’s heavy.”

She snorts. “I know. I packed it, which means I can carry it.”

“I know.”

Her eyes narrow, but there’s less heat in them this time. More exhaustion. “Then why are you holding it?”

Instead of saying I need something to do with my hands other than touch you, I tell her, “Because it’s what a friend would do.”

Grayson coughs into his fist.

Wren stares at me before her lips tip up in a small smile. “Compelling argument.”

“It’s my specialty.”

“No, your specialty is overcomplicating simple things.”

Touché.

We walk toward the elevators with Grayson beside us.

The doors open, and Wren steps inside first, and I follow with her bag before Grayson steps in.

The elevator doors slide shut, trapping us in the small mirrored space with silence full of every bad idea I’ve ever had.

Wren looks straight ahead.

I do too.

In the reflection, her eyes lift, finding mine.

My chest tightens so hard it almost hurts.

The elevator climbs.

Second floor.

Third.

Neither of us look away. Not until the doors open.

12

WREN

Leave it to me to have bad luck even at an away game. Thankfully, Harlow was able to pitch in with the twins this weekend since my mom has to work tomorrow. The elevator doors slide open on the third floor, and none of us move.

Grayson clears his throat. “This is us.”

“Excellent.” I tear my gaze away from Kai’s reflection in the metal doors. “We’ve learned our numbers. Big night.”