Page 80 of Ice Mechanic

My body’s burning.

Sweat leaks from my crown to my chin.

I flare my nostrils, breathing through the exercise.

“Chill out, man.” Max looks down at me with concern. “If you keep this up, your arms will be noodles. Forget getting on the ice, you won’t be able to hold your hockey stick.”

I grunt and push the iron bar up, ignoring him.

“Chance.Stop.” Max’s firm command is followed by him grabbing the weights and forcing them into the cradle while I’m still holding on.

The urge to grab the weights back and push myself to the limit fills me. Working out is my go-to when I’mreallystressed. Right now, I’m filled with the kind of anxiety my fidget spinner can’t handle.

“What’s going on?” Max demands, tossing me a clean towel.

I dab at the sweat on my face and arms. In the gym’s mirror, I see a man with dark, wet hair sticking to his forehead, cheeks a ruddy red and eyes a little wild and lost.

I look insane.

Pulling at my grey tank, I control my breathing so my chest stops pumping like it’s filling up a tire. Then I shake my hair so I look a little less like a wet dog.

Averting my eyes to my cell phone, I open the screen.

No new notifications.

Navigating to the message icon, I open to April’s number.

The messages I sent since last night blare up at me.

Me: Hey, April. I forgot to mention I’m back in town.

Me: Hey.

Me: Are you asleep?

Me: Morning, April.

Me: I stopped by the shop in case you were there and wanted tacos.

M: Are you at your dad’s?

Me: Don’t forget our date tonight after the game. I’m really looking forward to it.

“Ugh,” Max’s voice sounds close to my ear.

I look over and find him cringing at my texts.

“Hey!” I pull the phone to my chest.

“Why are you blowing up April’s phone?”

I glare at him, my mouth wired shut.

Max clips his nose. “Do you smell that? Smells like desperation in here.”

“You must be smelling your BO.”

He laughs loudly. “I never thought I’d seetheChance McLanely get ghosted. Is this karma for all the hearts you broke in college?”

---