Page 28 of Home Ice

My heart is in my throat, and I’m trying to ignore it bobbing there and strangling me as I lead the way out into the parking lot.

The Beemer is sitting right at the entrance, impossible to miss, and I still wish I had gone with the green, but I can’t deny the black is impressive.

When I hear them follow me through the doors, I turn and hold my hands out to the side.

“Ta-da.”

Barrett looks confused, but Kasen’s expression doesn’t shift.

“Did you get a new car?” Barrett asks.

Kasen doesn’t say anything.

Makes sense since I haven’t shown him everything yet. “Hold on.”

I round the car to the trunk and hit the button to open it. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Kasen take a tentative step closer, and fuck, I hope I’m reeling him in.

I pull out his blocker with one hand and the glove with my other. “Any other requests?”

I’m expecting a smile or surprise or shock.

All I get is a frown. “Leg pads?”

“Right here.”

“Good.”

Good. It’s on my mind to tell him he’s behaving like an ungrateful shithead, but I swallow that down. “Do you like your car?”

His gaze finally flicks to me. “It’s mine?”

“Well, legally, it’s under my name, but yeah. It’s yours.”

His expression clears an inch.

“But don’t drive like a dick in it.”

The frown is back, and I immediately kick myself for adding that. What did Ben say? Be his friend.

I clear the way my throat is trying to close over with nerves. “Maybe I could help you break the pads in?”

Kasen ignores me and slowly reaches out to run his thumb along the door. “Is that one of your conditions? To giving me this?”

Yes, you little shit. “No. No conditions.” None except you have to like me now.

My gaze finds Barrett’s, and he doesn’t exactly look thrilled by me either.

I huff. “What is up with you two? This is a good thing. Kasen should be excited—how many of your friends have a brand-new car?”

“Hawke, I think⁠—”

But Kasen cuts Barrett off. “Give me a lift home?”

My gut jumps. “Yeah, of course. How long until you can get your learner’s permit?”

“End of the year.”

Which puts his conception at … well, not long before high school graduation. I might have moved to Burlington and lived on campus during college, but I still visited home all the time. Still came home over the holidays. It’s not like I was far.