Page 54 of Love on the Ice

Three wins in a row.

That almost never happens.

And yet, it has.

I know it’s because I’m angry about the misunderstanding, and I want to get home to Lorelai. She still hasn’t returned my calls or texts. It’s bullshit. I want to be done with her because this is childish, but then I think about the tables being reversed. I can’t say that I wouldn’t act the same way, probably worse.

Climbing onto the bus, I grunt because I know that this is a two-fucking-day trip back home. Two whole days left until I can clear all of this up. I am feeling great about the wins but a bit on the fence about the girl.

My phone buzzes in my pocket the moment I sink down into the bus seat. The only decent part about traveling this way is that we are on a chartered bus, so the seats aren’t completely horrible—just marginally.

I slide my thumb across the screen without checking the name before I answer.

“Shit,” I hear a woman’s voice hiss.

“Who is this?” I demand.

Silence greets me. I hear some rustling around, but that’s about it. There aren’t any words, not that I could make them out if she was speaking quietly anyway, with all the noise from the guys climbing onto the bus and getting ready to go home.

“Who is this?” I ask again. “What is going on?”

Otto flops down next to me, the whole side of the bus moving when he does. I almost laugh because he’s not even the biggest on the team, and he can make the whole fucking bus shift around? What the hell is happening with these shocks?

“It’s Karlie. God, Lorelai would be so pissed if she knew I called you,” she mutters.

“Lorelai? Is she okay?” I bark.

I know I sound more eager than I should. I can’t help it, though. I’ve been trying to get ahold of her for days, and I know she’s pissed, but she doesn’t know the story yet. I haven’t had a chance to explain. She hasn’t given me one.

“She’s okay…” Karlie says, her words trailing off.

“But?”

She clears her throat before she continues. “That professor. He assaulted her. She’s okay. He didn’t really hurt her. Scared her more than anything. We’re at the police department right now making a report. I just thought you should know. Brooklynn told us that you went down to the school and had a talk with him.”

Red. Hot. Rage.

It flows through me at the thought of that asshole touching Lorelai. The fact that he’s violated her in a way where she went to the police to file a report means it was serious. She didn’t even report it to the school when he sexually propositioned her.

This all pisses me off even more.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I grind out.

She's silent before I hear her little voice squeak. “She’s okay. I promise. We are taking care of her.”

Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh. “I know you are, Karlie. I appreciate it. I just wish I were there.”

“Understandable,” she replies.

Thanking her again, I remind her that I’ll be there as soon as possible, but it may take me a few days. She promises me that Lorelai is fine and they’ll take care of her. I thank her a third time before I end the call.

“Do I even want to know?” Otto asks, his gaze facing straight ahead.

I didn’t realize he’d heard any of the conversation. “You don’t,” I confirm.

“Does it have to do with that teacher?”

“Nail on the head,” I grunt.

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