Page 12 of Hot As Ice

four

stevie

Unknown Number

Hey there, princess

I stare at the text message, heart pounding.

It’s Hunter, isn’t it? It has to be. He called me princess the day he rescued me. I remember every single word he said to me that night and keep replaying it over and over in my head. I literally have not stopped thinking about him since that night.

I like thinking about him. I like conjuring his perfect face in my mind.

I like thinking of how safe he made me feel, with his strong arms around me, telling me to relax.

I’m standing in the middle of my bedroom, staring at the phone in my hand. Dazed. With no idea how to reply. I don’t even know how he got my number. I’m not sure I want to know.

Becca enters without knocking and I look up at her.

“What’s wrong?” she asks right away.

I hand her my phone. “I just got a text from an unknown number. I think it’s Hunter.”

She reads the text. “Princess? He’s calling you ‘princess’? Be still my heart.”

I snatch my phone back. “It’s nothing. He probably just calls all girls that.”

Becca sits down on my bed, crossing her legs. “Maybe. Aren’t you gonna reply?”

“What should I say?”

“Hello, my prince,” she says, then falls back on my pillow, cackling.

“Well, you’re no help.”

“Just say ‘hi’ or something. ‘New phone, who this?’” She grins maniacally. “This is very exciting. My love life is nonexistent, so I’m glad you’re having some fun.”

I frown at her. “I’m not having fun at all.”

She rolls her eyes. “You got a text from an unknown number calling you ‘princess’ and it could very well be the hottest hockey player in the whole university. I call that fun.”

“Fine. I’m texting ‘hi’ and nothing more.”

Becca nods and I shoot off the text. Immediately, three dots appear in a bubble. “Oh god, he’s typing.” I bite my lip and look to Becca for help.

“Um, yeah, that’s typically how communication works. Not that my ex ever understood that.” She blows out a frustrated breath.

Unknown Number

What are you doing Sunday night?

I nearly drop the phone.

Becca comes over and reads the text over my shoulder. “Holy shit, he’s asking you out.”

“We don’t even really know if it’s him.”

“Oh, it’s him, alright.”