Page 34 of Why Not Us?

He nods. “If Lis doesn’t mind.”

We walk down together, Dani a few steps ahead.

“I’m sorry if I said something I shouldn’t have in front of your sister,” Nate says.

“What do you mean?”

“About getting us spots.”

I wave a hand as we reach the ground floor where the offices are. “Don’t worry about that. The only reason I tell her we can’t get her a spot to sold out events is because she asks so often.”

“Did she say something to you?”

I glance at him. “When?”

“After you walked her to her seat. You looked a little pale when you came back to the front.”

He’d noticed? “She did, but I try not to take it personally. It can sound like she’s being mean, but that’s how she is with everyone. I’m not special or anything.”

Nate catches my hand, forcing me to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. “What did she say?”

There is no way I’m telling him the part that really hurt, about how someone like Nate would never be interested in someone like me. Instead, I say, “She said the event better not be boring.”

“It wasn’t. I don’t even like painting, and I had a good time.”

“Thank you. Speaking of which. There’s one more paint night if you guys want to come.”

We turn to watch Dani approach Lis, who already has Cerberus connected to his leash. The girl crouches down to give the dog some scratches while his tail thumps against the floor.

He sighs. “Put us down for it. Dani will beg me to take her, so might as well have it booked. Though I feel like I should pay you guys.”

I shake my head. “Not for these first ones. Maybe in September when we get them going again. These first ones were tests, anyway.”

We fall into silence for a minute, watching Dani and Cerberus together. Calista’s words keep stinging me.It’s not as if someone like him would be into someone like you, anyway.

“So, about our thing,” Nate says.

My breath catches in my throat as the kiss flashes through my mind again. Of course, that’s not what he’s referring to, but it’s what I think about.

“Are you busy next Tuesday night? There’s a block of time set aside at the rink I go to for individual hockey practice. 5pm to 6pm.”

I swallow. “I haven’t been skating in ages. Maybe we should start with a public skate before I get a stick in my hands?”

He smiles, the expression more in his eyes than on his lips. “Nope. Comfort zone, princess. You’re the one who wanted out of it.”

With my sister’s words fresh in my mind, I take a breath and lift my chin. “All right. Tuesday.”

Chapter 12

Nate

I’m surprised at how slow the time ticks by between Friday night when I saw Adalie last and Tuesday night when I get to see her again. She’s already waiting for me when I arrive at the rink, standing outside in yoga pants and a tight long-sleeved t-shirt.

“Am I dressed okay?” she asks as I get closer.

“You look perfect,” I tell her, watching as her cheeks turn pink at my compliment. I want to compliment her again so her cheeks will stay that colour.

She turns to enter the building. Her hair is pulled into a thick ponytail, held back with a pink scrunchie with purple hearts. And the way her yoga pants mold to her ass has my fingers twitching with the desire to grab it. Thankfully, I have the hockey gear in my other hand, so I concentrate on that instead.

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