Page 112 of Breaking Away

I should storm away.

But then the compliments start, and I can’t move. The center of my face heats.

“He’s reliable to the point where you have no idea how to return the favor, you know?”

“Secretly nice.”

“Great burgers, I thought.”

“The kind of person who would help you hide a body.”

“A fucking sick defenseman.”

“His eyes, man. They see into your soul.”

“A threat on and off the ice. In a good way—obviously. Not likethreatening.”

It’s unearned, the praise they are giving me. I look at Kavi and see her eyes dance. She’s holding back a smile as if she agrees with everything.

I slip my hands into my pockets and look away.

“How many words?” she asks, throwing me a lifeline.

Getting myself together, I lift one finger.

“Okay. One word,” says Kavi, looking around the group. “What could it be? How many letters?”

I lift four fingers.

Real guesses are thrown at me.

… face, nuns, orgy…

It’s a whole list of them.

… salty…

I groan. That one isn’t even four letters. This is going to take forever.

I gesture to my chest again.

“MAN DESPERATELY IN NEED OF A BEST FRIEND!” yells Hughes. “IF ONLY HE KNEW SOMEONE INTERESTED.”

“That’s not four letters!” I yell back.

“No talking!” Quinn turns to Hughes and says, “Be serious or I’ll kick you out of the game, Captain.”

Hughes pouts.

I scrub a hand down my face.

“Come on,” Kavi urges, leaning forward. “You got this. Just act it out.”

I pace, pent-up frustration making me eat up distance, back and forth. Then I go to the center of the room and swear again.

“You can do it,” she urges, clearly believing in me.

I stare at her, finding myself moving closer… until our legs bump. Without thinking, I drop to one knee and take hold of her wrist, pulling until she’s leaned forward more. The tips of my ears burn.

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