“I saw that look. This has nothing to do with whatever just went through your mind. You said yourself, there’s something freeing about talking to him about whatever you want to without fear of judgement.”
Cleo nodded. “You’re right, I’m just…”
“Self-loathing? Self-deprecating? Self-destructive?”
“Yes.”
“Well, knock it off. Be nicer to my bestie, or I’ll be forced to beat you. You’re pretty awesome and he’d be lucky to have you on his arm. You hear me?”
Cleo nodded, fighting back tears. If that was true, wouldn’t he want to meet her? He hadn’t brought up the idea again. In fairness, neither had she, but she was scared. Was he scared too? Or was something more than fear holding him back?
Chapter 12
Lincoln
“Maybe it’s what’s-her-face with the nose ring?” Finn shot the puck down the ice at the freshman goaltender, Sébastien.
“Lucia?” Austin accepted the puck back from Seb and lined up a shot.
“Yeah, maybe it’s her.”
“It’s not her.” Russ put himself between Austin and the goal, skating backwards in an attempt to block the shot.
“How do you know?”
Linc groaned and covered his face with his glove at Will’s voice joining the conversation.
“Are we talking about Linc’s mystery phone chick?” Johnny skated past him, joining their group and accepting a pass from Austin.
“Who the fuck told him?”
No one spoke. Somehow everyone knew about Elizabeth, and they’d been talking shit about her for the last forty minutes of practice. He’d hoped they’d lose interest at playing ‘guess the girl’, but the names kept coming.
Johnny took a shot and skated back toward them along the boards. “I bet it’s a dude.”
Russ slowed as he passed Johnny, threw him a glare and jerked his chin toward the locker room. “Go hang out with people who, for whatever reason, like you. This doesn’t concern you.”
“Ah! Stewart’s still on his period.” He held his hands up and skated away from them toward the tunnel. “No one’s good enough to join the secret seven, eh?” He pulled off one of his gloves and flipped them the bird before leaving the ice.
“On n’est que six.” Sébastien squirted water through the grill on the front of his helmet.
“I think he’s trying to be funny.” Will turned to face Linc and patted him on the chest. “We’ll find out who your Cinderella is, Prince Charming.”
“No. Don’t do that. Absolutely, donotdo that.” Linc’s jaw ached from clenching his teeth.
“We gotchu, boo.” Finn skated up behind Linc, slinging a heavy arm over his shoulders.
“No. I don’t need getting. Go find someone else to annoy the shit out of. I’m good.”
“Nuh uh. We’re the Hardy Boys, we solve mysteries. We’ll get to the bottom of this.” Will fist bumped Finn.
Finn pointed finger-guns back at Will. “Dude’s right. Detectives ‘n’ shit.”
“Someone put me out of my misery and kill me right fucking now.”
“I have never seen this guy so bent out of shape over a chick before. For all he knows she’s Uncle Fester, but he’s smitten as fuck. Attached to his phone 24-7 these days.” Russell, the traitorous bastard, picked up the spare sticks lying at the side of the rink, skating off toward the tunnel.
Linc shot him what he hoped was a withering glare, but his friend simply chuckled in reply. “I don’t want this to be a thing.”
