Page 13 of Ice Me Baby

“Yes, the crushing would be bad, and it would be easy to crush on you.”

His smile widens. “So… you find me handsome?”

I roll my eyes but laugh. “Yes, you are handsome. As I'm sure the puck-bunnies have told you many times”

“But you could never have a crush on me?” His eyes glisten with mischief as he continues to grin down at me.

I pause before I mutter, “Correct.” What is he getting at?

He takes a step back, then quickly boops me on the nose. “Challenge accepted.”

He runs back into the house before my brain can reboot and make sense of what he said.Challenge accepted? Wait… he wouldn’t… would he?He’s inside before I can reply, but I yell anyway. “Wait. Wait! That wasn’t a challenge!”

What did I just get myself into?

Chapter Five

The group chat with the boys has been blowing up all weekend. I debated turning my phone off, but that would probably have only made things worse. The owner of the local ice rink had reached out to me before I moved, asking if I had any interest in teaching the children's figure skating class. To which, I immediately said yes, on the caveat he understood that once the hockey season started, he would need to find another teacher to take over. I won’t be able to make it every weekend. Between the amount of regular season games the team plays and the travel to and from away games, there’s not a lot of time left in my schedule.

Saturday is spent filling out paperwork and skating on the ice to clear my head. Not that it helps. The boys continue to blow up my phone, and Oli’s words still ring loudly in my head.Challenge accepted.Does he actually like me, or is this all a game? He can’t possibly like me already; we met a week ago. Well, almost a week. But still.

Sunday greets me with audio clips in the group chat since I didn’t answer their texts. Most of them are from Vicy and Taz.They are acting like little brothers, which I find oddly endearing and only slightly annoying. As an only child, I don’t know if it is normal that I find their antics both irritating and hilarious.

When I press play on the first audio message from Vicy, there’s a whine in his voice as he says,“Roe Roe! Answer our texts. We are getting worried!”

Rolling my eyes, I click on the next clip from Taz, who sounds equally disgruntled that I haven’t answered.“Yeah! Come on. At least let us know you are still alive!”

As I’m debating whether to text them back or not, Oli’s voice in the next message has me caving.“Ignore them, Chérie. Text us when you have a moment. No hurry.”

Huffing a sigh, I send a quick text, refusing to send a voice message.

I’m alive; I’ve just been busy.

It isn’t a lie, but it isn’t the whole truth, either. Truthfully, I’m not sure how to act around them now. I like that I am growing closer to the boys, but the fact that it’s happening so fast has me second guessing myself. I should be acting like a professional instead of their friend. Almost as soon as my text is sent, I’m greeted with responses from Vicy and Taz.

Vicy

She lives!

Taz

Finally! We were getting worried Roe Roe!

You’re acting as if you haven’t spoken to me in months. I just saw you on Friday at the party.

Vicy

You ran out! We didn’t get the chance to say bye.

Taz

Yeah. We wanted to make sure you were okay.

For the record, you two are acting like annoying little brothers.

Vicy

We heard there was an opening.

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