Page 14 of Twisted Collide

He peers from my wrist to his own. A beautiful and very expensive watch clings to his. “I hate watches.”

“Story there?”

“They’re pointless. Everyone has a cell. They’re basically a way for men to show off their wealth.”

He does have a point,pun intended. There’s really no reason for them at all.

My eyes lift to the television above the bartender’s head, a clip of some hockey game playing on the screen. I’ve never been a fan. I find it boring, if not a bit violent.

“I hate hockey,” I say, looking down into my half-empty glass.

The stranger next to me chokes. “Hockey?”

My finger runs around the rim of my glass, wiping the liquid away absently. “Yes. I find it to be a stupid sport.”

“Stupid?” he says, one side of his mouth tipped up.

“Stupid.” I nod my head for good measure.

“I’m not much of a fan myself.” He looks at me. “I’m curious why you seem to loathe it. You appear to hate spiders less.”

I chuckle. “No. Spiders top the list, but hockey is a close second.”

“Why?” he presses.

“It’s the dumbest sport ever.”

“I’m not sure I’d go that far—”

“Nope. It’s terrible,” I say, cutting off his defense of the sport. “All you do is watch a bunch of grown-ass men chase rubber around a ring. Pretty lame if you ask me. And don’t get me started on the fighting.”

“Don’t knock the fighting. That might be the only thing worth watching.” He grins, and I return it with one of my own.

“I’m not a Neanderthal,” I say, motioning for the bartender, who appears to be ignoring me.

“Wow, you really do hate it.”

I lift my shoulders. “What? You said you hated it too.”

“No, I said I’m not a fan.”

Not like that’s abnormal. I feel like hockey is an acquired taste. People tend to love it or leave it; much like golf.

“Semantics.” I roll my eyes. “I also hate baseball.”

“Is there a sport you like?”

I think about that question for a moment, not wanting to speak without thought. In the end, I realize sports are just not my thing.

“Not really,” I say. “But hockey takes first place for the most hated sport of all time.”

“Noted.”

I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Anything you hate as much as I hate hockey?”

He sucks on his teeth before sighing heavily. “Parties.”

My eyebrows knit together as I try to unravel this man. “Is it the crowds? Or the socializing?”

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