Page 5 of Body Checked By the Defenseman

Being near him and not having him ignore me causes a rush of memories from the past to flow through my mind. Macklin was always the sweetest, most caring guy. Having him practically ignore me never sat right with me. Abuela thinks he just has a lot on his mind when he goes back home and that’s why he’s quiet, but I’m not so sure that is the case. Abuela has been living with her boyfriend in a home for the past year, and Macklin doesn’t have to revisit his memories in the crummy apartment. Macklin was never the type of guy to share what his life was like before coming to live with Leila, but then again, Hayden and I didn’t like talking about our pasts either. Life was good with Abuela and we all tried to live in the moment. What I did know was Leila was an alcoholic who treated Macklin poorly. It was Hayden who got Macklin involved with hockey. However, it was Abuela who paid for his skating classes and, eventually, hockey because she didn’t feel like it was right that he had no one to support him, and he was naturally talented.

“Periwinkle?” he asks with concern, and I realize it’s because I haven’t answered the question because I sadly got used to him ignoring me.

I blink. “Besides the bump forming on my head, yes,” I reply, giving him a small smile.

“Shit, can I get you ice?” he offers, moving toward the kitchen.

“I’m fine, Mack. I was joking. If anything, my ego is bruised more than anything,” I confess.

“Why bruised?” he asks, looking thoroughly confused.

“Oh, come on, Mr. Womanizer. You’ve seen tons of naked woman and. . .”What the hell am I doing? Shut up, Ruby.

“What were you going to say?” He smirks.

“Nothing.” I clear my throat. “I have to get to class.”

I duck past him and grab my backpack.

“I can lock up,” he says after me.

“Okay,” I say without looking back. I head onto the street, walking quickly toward campus.

Staying in the hockey house tonight is going to be super embarrassing. I just have to put Macklin out of my mind and act like it never happened. I make it to my kinesiology class a few minutes before the lecture starts. Two bad things happened this morning, and I am just waiting for number three to strike. When the hot guy I’ve been checking out walks into class and takes a seat two seats away from me, I worry how I will embarrass myself next.

“Have you heard good things about the prof? I kind of felt like she was monotone,” he asks, leaning over and looking at me.

I turn around to make sure he isn’t talking to someone else and he isn’t. “No, I’m not a kinesiology major. I just took the course for interest,” I say nervously. The guy is hot. I do not have the best social skills around guys like him. He looks like an Abercrombie model with blond hair and blue eyes and muscles that are so defined he looks like he was cut from stone.

“Cool. I’m Knox, by the way,” he says with a perfect smile.

“Ruby, nice to meet you,” I reply.

“That’s a pretty name.” He smiles.

I blush. “Thanks.”

The prof starts to lecture, and we stop talking. The lecture is fifty minutes long and I feel his presence beside me the whole time. I wonder if he’ll ask me out, but I know it’s wishful thinking.

When the class is over, I am slipping my laptop in my bag when Knox moves in closer to me. “Would you like to grab a coffee or a bite to eat sometime?” he asks.

Yay, my inner self cheers. He wants coffee, which means he is interested in talking. I find most guys don’t care what you haveto say. They just want to get in my pants, and I can’t bring myself to go out with some horny guy I care nothing about.

“Sure,” I return, unsure of what should happen next.

“Can I get your number?” he asks.

“Yup,” I reply, and I give him my number.

“Are you free tonight?” he continues.

“I don’t think so. I have to get settled into my brother’s house. My dorm flooded,” I explain.

“Oh crap, do you live in Campbell?” he asks.

“Yeah.” I frown. “It was a rude awakening.”

“I heard. I have a friend who lives there. He has nowhere to crash tonight,” he says.

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