Page 46 of Ice, Love, & Other Penalties

Indie: They were childhood friends. I wouldn’t say best.

Ty: So, I’m right. It was him.

Indie: Don’t you have anything else to do tonight?

Ty: Probably, but all I can think of is you and our deal. You’ve been great at avoiding me by the way. Sending Lyric, then Jude . . . tomorrow is a sleepover with Cora and her cousin. Ingenious.

Indie: We don’t have a deal and I’m busy. Mom needs my help.

Ty: Just say yes, darling.

Indie: Good night. I have things to do.

Ty: Oh, I’ll have the best night. I’ll be dreaming of your mouth, and the things I’ll do to your body once you say yes.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Tyberius

It’s just a little past ten o’clock when I pull up to Indigo’s place. After dropping Myra off at school, the car almost steers itself in Indigo’s direction. Okay, that’s a pretty lame excuse, when I had to call Harper to beg her for her sister’s address. That sleepover on Saturday was . . . helpful. I got to meet Lyric and Harper in person. Also, I got their phone numbers in case I had an emergency on Sunday.

Of course now that I stand in front of her door, heart thumping in a rhythm that feels too loud in the quiet of the morning, I’m regretting my decisions. I’m nervous with anticipation. Me. Tyberius Brynes who’s used to facing down opponents on the ice and play in front of big crowds, I’m fucking nervous.

It’s probably because I’ve never been in this situation. Knocking on the door of a woman who’s turned my life around in a matter of weeks—no, days. A few moments pass, stretching out longer than I’d like, and then the door swings open. Indigo stands there.

“Tyberius? What are you doing here?” she asks, her voice laced with a note of annoyance, her eyebrows knitting together in a glare that’s meant to be intimidating.

I stare, momentarily caught off guard, not by the unexpectedness of the confrontation but by her beauty. It hits me, as if seeing her for the first time. It’s that sharp intake of breath when you’re confronted with something so stunning it momentarily disorients you.

The air between us crackles with an intensity that’s both exhilarating and terrifying. For a fraction of a second, the world seems to pause and I forget how to speak.

Calm the fuck down, Tyberius. This is just a quick visit to settle things between you two. Take the awkwardness away, not make it worse.

Right, those were my motives.

Pulling my shoulders back, I clear my throat. “I wanted to say thank you. For everything you’ve been doing for Myra . . . for us. I know I made things awkward, but I want you to know that I really appreciate everything.” I hold out the offerings I’ve brought with me—a small bouquet of flowers, tea from the place Harper mentioned, and an assortment of pastries from the bakery near Myra’s school—also Harper’s suggestion. Indie’s sister is nothing but a fountain of knowledge and she seemed to like me after we had a small chat.

Indigo’s eyes widen slightly at the sight, a smile breaking through her annoyed façade. “You didn’t have to do this, Ty,” she says, but she steps aside to let me inside her home.

“I know I didn’t have to. I wanted to,” I admit, stepping into her space.

As I enter her house, I’m greeted by an open, airy space where natural light floods in through large, floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the eclectic mix of textures and colors. It’s like walking into this cool, modern space but with a total bohemian twist. A comfortable, light pink sofa that just pops against the sage green walls. And the walls? They’re not boring at all—covered in these colorful, abstract paintings that just make the whole room vibe, just like Indie.

“Though I want to believe you, I think you’re here because you want your answer,” she states with a serious face.

She then proceeds to take the tea and pastries, setting them on a nearby table, then turns to accept the flowers with a soft, “Thank you.”

When our gazes lock, there’s an undeniable charge, a surge of electricity that courses through the very air between us. It’s a moment so brief yet so intensely charged, it feels as if the world around us falls silent, acknowledging the gravity of our connection.

This isn’t just attraction. It’s a magnetic pull, as inevitable as the tide drawn to the moon. Our bodies seem to lean closer of their own accord, as if drawn by a force beyond our control. The air between us vibrates with a force I can’t fight. Our breaths are about to touch, I’m ready to surrender when she takes a step back.

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath.

“I’m still thinking about your proposition. You can’t just barge into my house with my favorite flowers, tea, and even pastries,” she says with a firm tone that leaves no room for argument.

“It’s just a gesture to erase the awkwardness between us.”

She chuckles and shakes her head. “And trying to kiss me was to . . .” Her voice trails, as if expecting a lame excuse.

---