Page 48 of Weak Side

“Where are we going?”

She glanced over at me, tightening her high ponytail on the top of her head with a flirty grin. “You’ll see. But for real, how good were the guys? I didn’t know hockey could be that fun to watch. We’ve gotta come to more games. I already invited Rose and Harlow to the next home game. You’re coming if you’re not working.”

I didn’t pretend like I was turned off by the idea, because the thought of going to another game was exciting.

Tay slowed her steps as we grew closer to some chatter. We weren’t close enough for me to make out what people were saying, but I could feel the uptick in energy.

“Theo’s really good.”

Taytum peered over at me for a second. “There’s a reason his nickname is Wolf.” She paused before turning away to mumble out her next few words. “That and his reputation in the bedroom.”

I was thankful she didn’t glance over and see my expression because I felt the warmth blossom on my cheeks. I was absolutely certain that he lived up to his reputation in the bedroom by the one, meaningless kiss he gave me.

“How is it going with him anyway?”

“What do you mean?” My question was panicky, and Taytum noticed.

She pulled me back by my wrist and stopped me from walking any farther. “Is the whole roommate thing still going okay?”

My lips rolled together as I tried to come up with a way to avoid the conversation altogether. I didn’t even allow myself to think about Theo unless it was in an innocent, informal way, and the reason for that was so I didn’t get wrapped up in something that wasn’t even there.

Were we friends now? I wasn’t sure. But he did watch me break in half, kissed me after I nearly embarrassed myself with desperation, and then continued on with life like nothing had happened.

“Claire?” Taytum snapped her fingers in front of my face, and her face quickly came back into focus.

“Yeah, things are fine. He…” I lifted a shoulder, unsure of how I felt about him, especially after last weekend. “I was wrong about him.”

Her eyebrow quirked, and I put my hand up.

“Don’t get that look. He just isn’t what I had expected.”

“What did you expect?”

“I expected him to sleep with a new girl every other day and then treat them poorly afterward, like the stereotypical jock. But that’s not really true.” I rolled my eyes and contradicted myself a moment later. “Well, he does have multiple girls following him around, but he’s at least up front with them and doesn’t fuck every puck bunny that comes into sight. And he’s…” I stumbled over my words, trying to find the right way to describe him. “Respectful. Although, he likes to irritate me too. Shit.” I breathed out an exasperated sigh. “Theo is just…Theo. I don’t know.”

Taytum waited until I was done nervously rambling. It was obvious I was confused about the rooted preconception of jocks that my mother had instilled in me because of my father and his absence. Was I becoming impartial to jocks? To Theo?

“He took care of you.”

Although I wanted to deny it in every way, I didn’t. I simply nodded at Taytum and agreed, because he did, and she didn’t even know the whole story.

“And you let him.”

I sighed at the obvious elephant in the room, but the mouth of the hallway Taytum and I were slowly walking down opened up, and my attention was immediately stolen. My gaze went directly to Theo like he was the only one standing there, but he wasn’t. A posse of girls—excuse me, puck bunnies—was surrounding him like he was Jesus Christ himself.Are they going to drop to their knees too?Ford was leaning against the wall right outside of what I assumed to be the locker room with Jett and Alicia. Alicia was Jett’s girlfriend who had disappeared from the stands the very second the game ended, telling us she was going to meet Jett by the locker rooms like she did after every game.

Taytum’s phone dinged, and I glanced down at her screen.

Ford: Well, what are you two doing just standing there? You are invited to the VIP area.

Taytum playfully rolled her eyes and put her phone away without texting him back. I kept my attention away from the four girls that were vying for Theo’s attention and mumbled under my breath, “Seems like our VIP spots are taken already.”

Ford, Jett, and Alicia met us halfway, but I noticed that Theo stayed back with the girls. I held back my eyeroll at the thought of a scrunchie being on my door later.Maybe I should beat him to it and put my own scrunchie on the door.

A laugh escaped me, and Taytum nudged my shoulder with hers. “What’s funny?”

Without meaning to, I turned my head and locked onto Theo. My voice disappeared when I saw him staring at me instead of the four girls competing for a spot on his roster of girls he’d slept with. His jade eyes weren’t bright with amusement like usual when he’d looked at me. Instead, they were intense and piercing. Goosebumps covered my arms, and I briefly heard Ford say, “Oh.I think it’s funny, too. No matter how many times he tells them to leave him alone, they just won’t stop. Look how annoyed he is.”

I couldn’t seem to look away. Theo’s brow hooked upward, hitting just below the brim of his backward hat. His arms went across his chest, and that damn lip of his curled upward, and before I knew what I was doing, I took a step toward him.Damn you, Theo.

---