Page 42 of Ice Mechanic

“No. But thank you for stepping in again.”

“I hope there’s not a next time, but if he ever calls like that, text me. Or better yet, the next time he calls, let me answer.”

I laugh. “I don’t think he’ll call again.”

“I’m serious, April,” he says sternly. “I’m your fake-boyfriend. Protecting you is in the job description.”

“I know how to handle a wrench, remember?”

“At least give me a heads-up. If I’d passed by too late, I wouldn’t have seen you.”

His stern look is equally hot and equally irritating.

I glance away.

An earnest Chance McLanely is far too appealing and I haven’t built up enough of a resistance yet.

“The point is youdidsee me. And that was by design. I chose to meet Evan here knowing you were close by.”

Chance’s facial muscles relax. He starts driving. “Is that so?”

I squirm in my seat. “I’m sorry about your hoodie. I wanted to return it.” I smooth my hands over the sweatshirt. “But it looks like I’ll have to wash it again and return it another time.”

“Keep it.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s your hoodie. It literally has your name on it.”

“Keep it.” Slowing the car in front of the arena, Chance turns to me. He has an odd look on his face as he stares at the hoodie. “Yeah, keep it,” he says again. “My name looks good on you.”

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

CHANCE

I thinkI might be losing my mind. Or maybe I’m more stressed about tomorrow’s game than I thought.

Because I mean it when I tell April that I like seeing my name on her.

I like it a lot.

She laughs loudly, as if I told the funniest joke, and I let her laugh because it covers the fact thatI’mnot laughing.

I’m not even smiling.

I like seeing my name on her.

What does that mean?

That I want to own her?

No, not that.

It’s just…

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