Page 25 of Huge Pucking Play

I snort, nearly choking on my potatoes. "Hardly. I'm still learning. But it helps with the stress, you know?"

"I can imagine," he nods. "Dealing with Marjorie sounds like it requires some serious zen."

"You have no idea,” I say shaking my head. “And how long have you been practicing yoga? There are so few men that come to class.”

“For quite awhile actually. It’s the only thing that keeps me sane sometimes.”

I nod, wishing we could take yoga classes together as a couple. I’ve always wanted a man in my life who shares my love of yoga.

"Hey, speaking of stress relief," Garrett says, leaning in conspiratorially. "Have you tried the new virtual reality arcade downtown? It's incredible."

I shake my head, intrigued. "No, I haven't. What's it like?"

His eyes light up with boyish excitement. "It's like stepping into another world. They have this one game where you're floating through space, surrounded by stars and nebulae. It's breathtaking."

"Sounds amazing," I murmur, caught up in his enthusiasm.

"We should check it out sometime," he suggests, then quickly adds, "As friends, of course."

"Of course," I echo, ignoring the flutter in my stomach.

We both reach for the ketchup bottle at the same time, our fingers brushing. A jolt of electricity shoots through me at the contact. I pull back, cheeks flushing.

"Sorry," we say in unison, then laugh.

Garrett winks at me, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "Great minds think alike, huh?"

I roll my eyes, but can't help smiling. "Clearly. We're both connoisseurs of fine condiments."

He chuckles, a warm, rich sound that makes me want to lean in closer. "Among other things."

The tension between us has shifted, morphing into something lighter, more playful. We're both more relaxed now that we've laid our cards on the table.

We finish eating and reluctantly agree it’s time to go. Outside, Garrett hesitates.

"See you around?" It's Garrett's turn to break the tension, his question holding a note of hope that doesn't escape me.

"Sure," I reply, though my insides twist with the thought. Seeing him isn't the problem—it's keeping her distance that will be the real challenge.

"Take care, Cyn," he says, and with a final nod, he's gone, leaving me to grapple with the unfair reality of desires denied and rules that bind tightly.

I watch Garrett's retreating form, my mind racing. I chew my lip, debating whether to call out to him. But I decide not to. What’s the point? We can’t be anything more than friends.

I grab my phone, dialing Sophie. We’d talked all about Garrett being the Blades’ new coach as soon as I found out. She’s been bugging me for days to talk to him and clear the air.

I had texted her while we were at the diner, telling her I was with Garrett and I was freaking out. I told her I’d call her later.

"Spill," Sophie demands when she answers the phone.

I sigh. "We decided to be friends."

"What? Why?"

"My job, Sophie. I can't risk it."

Sophie scoffs. "There's always a way around rules."

"Not these rules," I insist.

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