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Still, I open my locker carefully, keeping an eye on the guys just in case they have something else planned.
“Why do you look so paranoid?” Eli asks.
“I figured if you guys heard, you might react differently.”
“If Parker was going to choose someone—other than me, of course—we’re glad it’s you,” Alec says.
“She never would have chosen you, man,” Van says, and then an argument breaks out about who Parker’s hypothetical second choice would be.
Felix steps up close, adjusting his goalie pants. “I think if it were anyone other than you, this would have gone a whole other way.”
“But why?”
The only reason I can think of is that the guys might want to curry favor from someone who’s played at a higher level for years. Not that I have much sway right now with anything at all.
Felix gives me a look, like this should be obvious. “Because we like you.”
“Oh. That’s …” Not what I expected. And it has me feeling slightly overwhelmed. In a good way. “That’s cool.”
Of course, like me or not, this doesn’t mean they don’t give me total hell the minute we’re on the ice. Still, I can tell it’s in good fun. And they respect Parker enough not to say anything about her that would require me to murder them.
“Boyfriend, eh?” Van zips by me on the ice, smacking the back of my thighs with his stick. “I didn’t know you knew what that word meant.”
He’s righter than he knows. Considering my lack of ever actuallybeinga boyfriend—including now. Since my boyfriend title is actually fake. For now.
I ignore Van. Which is to say, I don’t slam him into the wall. But he distracts me just enough for Alec to steal the puck.
“Where’s your head at, man?” Alec teases, leaving me standing on the ice like an idiot. The smile he throws over his shoulder tells me he didn’t even need to ask.
I briefly consider giving chase, tripping him, then skating right over that pretty face.
“I think we all know where his head’s at,” Eli says, grinning. “And it’s right up there.”
He jerks his head up. And sure enough—there’s Parker. Leaning over the metal railing, filming. My pulse ratchets up, and I quickly glance away.
I haven’t seen her since she shoved me out of her apartment this morning. When I knocked on her door to see if she wanted to ride together, she had already gone. Which I tried not to take personally. Or as some kind of sign of something.
To tell the truth, I have no idea where we stand or what we’re doing. Only that I’m going to steer this ship out of the fake zone.
I remember my first day of practice, seeing Parker up on the catwalk. It feels like ages ago. Or maybe it’s just that so much has changed. Even things with the team feel different. It’s almost like my life has been made up of disjointed pieces, and they’re now starting to slide into place. I feel … solid. This is something I’m not sure I ever knew I was missing until now.
As I go after Alec and the puck, my eyes keep going back up to Parker. I’m sure the catwalk is structurally sound. The stadium is fairly new, and I bet it was built with exacting safety codes.
Still—does Parkerhaveto be up there?
I’m already having a hard time focusing today. Obviously. But worrying irrationally about Parker getting hurt makes it worse.
“She’s not going to fall.” Felix doesn’t look up as he says this, blocking Alec’s shot and sending the puck my way.
“I’m not worried,” I mutter.
There’s no way Felix knows the double meaning his words carry. But I can’t miss it.
Parker’s not going to fall—foryou,an ugly little voice in my head tells me. I have a sneaking suspicion it sounds so ugly because it’s the truth.
While I’m all-too aware there are many women who would want me just for my looks or the money or the fame, I’m not sure any of those are reason enough for Parker.
And what else do I have to offer someone like her?
