Page 99 of Butterfly Effect

My heart melts.

“She acts like it doesn’t matter, but it mattered to me. Gabe loves matar paneer—it’s the same dish, but with peas—but Ihatepeas. She wouldn’t let me eat something I hated because she knew I didn’t have the option with my siblings. We’re the same age, but she’s the big sister I never had.”

“Why is she the best?” I intone through a sigh. “So how do I make it?”

“I only know of one person who can help you.”

I side-eye Maddie and give her and her phone camera a nice stinky face wash on the way onto the ice for warmups. I’m the last one out, but I scan the already-buzzing crowd to find the only person that matters to me right now.

And there she is.

On the far side of the rink, Gabe is surrounded, one girl primping her hair while another does her makeup. I skate up and glide to a stop, spraying ice onto the glass and scaring her unsuspecting camerawoman.

Time to turn up the charm.

I clear my throat.

She stops adjusting the large lens.

Mask tipped up to the top of my head, I wink at her. “How’s it going, Denise?”

She tightens her top knot and smooths down her undercut. “Sup, Boehner?”

“Could you get my girl for me?”

“What’s in it for me?”

“The delight in knowing your friend is happy?”

“Emotional blackmail. I like your style.” She shakes a silent finger gun in my direction. “Psst. Finch. Your boyfriend’s here.”

Gabe’s eyes stay shut as the cloud of powder and hairspray evaporates. She signals for her staff to stop working with a held-up finger and glances my way.

I wave excitedly, wearing a lopsided smile.

Her eyebrow perks. “Yes?”

“Wanna see something cool?” My tongue stretches to grab the collar of my jersey below the league’s logo. I catch it betweenmy teeth, and I tug upward, then side to side, letting out a short growl.

Denise’s cheeks puff before she splits into laughter.

Gabe’s irritation seeps through an unnatural grin. My balls retreat into my gut when she leans forward. Her mouth is unbearably close to my jaw, breath tickling the stubble lining it.

And I’m hard.

“You’re a dog, you know that?”

I startle her with a bark. “I’ll be whatever you want.”

The girls holding hairspray and makeup brushes giggle and snort behind her.

That gorgeous red tinges her cheeks and fills her eyes with a fire. “Did you need something?”

I wet my lips to loudly proclaim, “One pre-game good luck kiss, please!”

Shehmphs. “Never needed one before.”

“Radek gets one every time.”

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