Page 53 of Tiny Fractures

“Maybe it’s just about finding the right girl,” Shane suddenly chimes in with a small smile, and I swear I see him glance at me with a knowing look in his eyes before they lock on Vada.

Ronan doesn’t come back outside, and after a few minutes I conjure up needing to use the restroom as an excuse to go into the house to try and find him. I meander into the living room, then the kitchen.

“Hey, can I help you find something?” a tall guy with brown hair that flips up at his ears asks me with a warm smile on his face, his gray eyes sparkly.

“Oh, I’m looking for a friend,” I say, still looking around for Ronan.

“Who?” he asks, taking a small step toward me.

“Ronan?” I say, not totally sure if the name is going to ring a bell for him.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I just saw Ran on the deck in the front talking with Connor and Avery,” the guy explains, then grins when I raise my eyebrows at him. I have no idea who Connor and Avery are.

The guy chuckles at my confusion. “They all play hockey together.”

“Right,” I say, my lips tugging into a smile.

“I’m Eli.” He holds his hand out for me to shake, and I do so.

“I’m Cat.”

“Yeah, I know,” he nods. “I’ve seen you around at school. You’re on the softball team.”

“Are you on the hockey team, too?”

“Yep. Just got moved up to varsity, so I’ll be playing with Ran next season. Do you guys hang out a lot?”

“Yeah. Well, we actually just met a few weeks ago,” I say, wavering.

“Right, but you hang out with, like, Shane and Steve?”

“Uh-huh,” I confirm, nodding. “I’m good friends with Vada and Tori.”

“Oh, yeah, it’s a whole package deal,” Eli chuckles. “Good group of friends.”

“Yes, it is,” I agree wholeheartedly.

“There’s Ran,” Eli says, nodding his head in the direction of the front deck.

I turn my head to see Ronan walk back into the house. He spots me standing in the kitchen and changes course to meet me with a smile on his lips. It sends a rush of heat through me and I return his smile, unable to stop myself.

“Hey.” Ronan reaches for me, but then apparently remembers our plan to keep things on the down-low and resolutely shoves his hands into his jeans pocket.

“Hey, I was just coming to check on you,” I say, already regretting our decision to play it cool; I want to step closer to him, want him to wrap his arms around me. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, I was just catching up with some teammates.” He smiles at me, then looks at Eli and raises his right hand in a greeting. “What’s up, Eli?”

“Not much. Happy birthday, man,” Eli says.

“Thanks,” Ronan says, then looks back at me. “I’m going to head back out there. You coming, too?”

“Sure,” I say, trying hard to keep my voice steady while Ronan gives me my favorite half smile, then turns to walk back out to Shane and the rest of our friends. “It was nice to meet you, Eli,” I say, smiling.

“Hey, Cat,” Eli says, looking slightly unsure of himself, his eyes moving from me to Ronan and back again in an apparent attempt to determine what my connection is to Ronan. I notice Ronan stop a few feet behind me, waiting for me. “Could I… Could I ask you for your number?” Eli asks sweetly, one eyebrow raised. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you for a while, but I never really got the chance at school, so…”

“Oh,” I say. “I’m sort of seeing someone,” I tell Eli apologetically.

“Right. Yeah, I figured.” He smiles and looks at Ronan again. “But I thought I’d put myself out there just in case. No regrets, right?” he says with a chuckle.

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