AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Easton decides to chime in. “Yeah, and don’t forget his beauty sleep. Gotta maintain that pretty face for the ice.”
“Hey, it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it,” Blake says.
“Well, you know where to find me if you change your mind.”
Blake’s smile drops as he pulls me closer to him. “I’m good right here. It isn’t nice to hit on a guy in front of his girl, yeah?”
Well, that wiped the smirk off her face.
“You’re an asshole.”
“And you’re being rude.”
She flips her hair over her shoulder and stalks off. I sit there, stunned. Did that really happen?
“Dude, that was legend,” Ryan snorts. “But you could’ve let her down a little more gently.”
“Whatever. She was the one disrespecting Amanda.” Blake leans in, lips grazing my ear. “You okay?” There’s a genuine concern hidden beneath the layers of our pretense.
“Perfect,” I lie, my voice lost in a laugh that sounds more like a hiccup.
“Good,” he says, and even without looking, I can tell his smile is all charm—the same one that no doubt convinced a thousand girls before me that they were the only ones for the night. But with Blake, the lines blur; his affection feels too sincere for someone simply playing a part.
My gaze drifts to the scruff on his jaw, to the way his eyes sparkle when he laughs at something our friend says, and I’m caught—hooked on the momentary illusion of normalcy. I want this, the easy camaraderie, the warmth of his body next to mine, but not like this, not built on a foundation of lies.
And certainly not with a wealthy athlete who has the power to crush souls and ruin lives.
The team started talking about their plays, and I zoned out. My mind races, thoughts colliding into a tangled mess. I can’t help but replay the events of the night, Blake’s protective gesture, and his genuine concern for me. In those moments, I see beyond the façade he wears, catching glimpses of a deeper side to him that only a few are privileged to witness.
Perhaps I was being too harsh in judging him and his family. Truth be told, his parents aren’t anything like the privileged ones I had contact with back in Boston. They were pretentious and rude. They had no qualms about ensuring people like me knew where we belonged—serving them rather than mingling.
Yet Blake isn’t like that at all.
And as much as it pains me to admit, neither are his parents.
I take a deep breath and focus on the surrounding conversation. Ryan is animatedly describing a play from tonight’s game, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Andrew chimes in with his usual dry humor, and Easton follows suit with a witty remark.
“Hey,” Blake nudges my side. He raises his drink to clink against mine when I look at him. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” I echo, the word a knot in my throat. Our eyes lock over the rims of our bottles, and it’s there again—the undeniable pull that tugs at the corners of my heart, whispering dangerous things like maybe and what if.
I break away first, taking another gulp of beer to drown out the reckless thoughts. We’re just two people, two friends, putting on a show. Nothing more.
But as his thumb brushes a stray lock of hair behind my ear, laughter bubbling from his lips, I feel the façade crack just a little. And I’m terrified of what might flood in if I let it.
“I’ll be right back.” I stand abruptly and head straight to the bathroom. I ignore the annoyed look the girls vying for the team’s attention give me. It isn’t an easy task, considering Juliette’s glare outshines them all. A small part of me fears she’ll follow me, but I manage to escape without incident.
As soon as I stepped into the hallway, Blake was there waiting.
“Hey, you okay?” His hand finds mine.
“Yeah, I just needed some air.”Some air? In the bathroom?I mentally chastise myself because what the fuck? He’s going to think I’m an idiot.
“Sorry about earlier,” he starts, his voice threaded with an unexpected earnestness. “About the kiss.”
The admission hangs between us, raw and unfiltered.
“Me too,” I admit, matching his vulnerability. My pulse quickens, betraying my calm exterior.
