Page 11 of Icebound Attraction

Chase rolls his eyes.

“Blonde, blue eyes, pretty smile, hot. Sound familiar?”

I pretend to think, even though I know exactly who it is. And deep down, I can't help but be delighted that she came looking for me.

“Ah, yes, Emily. She's from the student newspaper and she's going to write several articles about us this season.”

Chase nods and looks at me skeptically. I know I can't get away with my terseness in front of him. After so many years of friendship, I'm an open book to him.

“You're interested in her, man.”

“What? No! She's not my type at all. She seems uptight. And what did she say to you?”

I keep a detached air. Chase laughs and pats me on the shoulder.

“I know you, Liam! When was the last time you had any real fun, huh?”

“Last weekend, thank you so much for worrying about my sex life,” I reply, annoyed.

Chase raises his hands in defense.

“Anyway, she doesn't look like a one-night stand, if you ask me,” he adds. “And yeah, Coach was clear about that, we need to ease up on the extras.”

“It's true that you're not defeated, man!”

“I can't complain. But I'm going to class, so Franklyn's giving me a break. You should try it,” he retorts.

Touché.

When he gets up to leave, he thanks me for the beer, and I take the opportunity to give him back his notes.

“I only understood a third of it, but thanks all the same,” I say with an imperturbable smile.

He just nods, throws me the packet of peas he had on his eye and leaves.

Alone again, I turn on the TV and flick between channels until I discover an old action movie. I make myself comfortable and immerse myself in another world.

At some point, I wake up, feeling cold and it's pitch-black outside. I yawn and stretch before lying down in bed. Falling asleep with a distraction is so much easier than waiting for sleep with my thoughts running in circles.

***

“It's good to see you on your feet so early in the morning!” exclaims Chase, intercepting me halfway to the classroom building and walking beside me.

After a refreshing shower, a cup of coffee and a muffin, I felt ready for class. If I'm honest, the coach's admonitions and the fact that I didn't get to train were also enough to motivate me. Today, I'm even enjoying the morning sunshine and fresh air, something I haven't had the chance to do in a while.

“Dude, are you escorting me or what? Are you afraid I'm going to run off?” I ask my best friend skeptically.

“Some people would kill to have a bodyguard that well groomed!” he retorts cheerfully.

Once in class, the teachers' monologues seem incredibly long, and I can't wait to get out onto the ice.

The professor wakes me from my half-sleep with a question to which I have no answer. A few students laugh until Chase saves me and whispers what to say. I nod my thanks.

I'll never be a model student. My talent is on the ice. If I didn't need this damn diploma to ensure a ‘future’ and never miss another training session, I'd certainly be somewhere else. That's for sure.

An eternity later, the torture is finally over. Chase and I meet up with the rest of the team for lunch in the refectory before heading off to train. We chat animatedly and joke around together.

I love these weekly lunches together. It's like an informal sports get-together. The family atmosphere and camaraderie are good for me. It's a bit like everyone else, given that we're away from our loved ones for the most part. We've become a family in our own way. Crude, with a dubious sense of humor, and a little alcoholic on the side.

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