Page 211 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

"Do you think Coach would notice if we replaced all the motivational posters with framed pictures of kittens?"

I close my eyes. "Liam."

"What?"

"I was genuinely concerned."

"You should be." He sounds offended. "This is a serious artistic discussion."

Despite myself, I laugh.

"I needed that."

"I know."

His tone changes just enough for me to notice. "You sound weird."

"I do?"

"You haven't made fun of me once."

"I've been distracted."

There is a pause. Then Liam says something I wasn't expecting. "Is this about Annette?"

I stop walking. "What makes you ask that?"

"Because every Tuesday and Thursday for the last two months you've come back smiling."

Another pause. "Today you didn't."

I lean against the porch railing. "Do I smile that much?"

"You really don't know?"

"I guess not."

"You've been insufferably cheerful."

"I have not."

"You started complimenting people."

"I've always complimented people."

"You complimented Coach."

"He looked nice."

Liam snorts. "Exactly."

I can't help laughing. Then the laughter fades.

"I think something's changed."

"What kind of change?"

I tell him about the past two therapy sessions. How nothing specific has gone wrong. How Annette is still kind. Still patient. Still encouraging. Just...farther away.