Page 48 of I Blame the Alcohol

I'll admit, my tone tends to grow sharper when I’m uncomfortable. Or hungry.

“It’s just…” He frowns, his dirty blonde eyebrows scrunching together, “You shouldn’t bottle your grief up like that and you shouldn’t hide your scars from the world.”

I don’t know what I was expecting him to say but it wasn’t that.

“That scar is a part of you. It’s proof that the O’Brien’s never give up, even when your world is torn apart. It shows you’re a survivor.”

I’m completely speechless but the silence only adds fuel to his motivational delivery.

“You have an amazing body, Stel. It deserves to be shown off.” Cody shrugs as if the compliment didn’t just set every nerve ending on fire.

“Didn’t think you’d noticed, Captain.”

“When it comes to you, O’Brien, I notice everything.”

Damn it, now I’m grinning like an idiot and Cody is looking pleased with himself. I hate it when men use their charms knowingly.

He clears his throat, “But my point is, you are strong Stella. Strong in the figurative sense as well as the physical. Don’t ever forget that.”

“I won’t.”

We end our conversation as we enter the kitchen, Mo and my father already stationed at the dinner table with steaming omelettes in front of them. Cody breaks off to go sit beside Mo, and I head off in search of our personal chef.

My body feels shaky as I request my usual protein shake order, but I can’t tell if the shakes are from my workout or the emotional garburator Cody just put me through.

The one thing I do know is it’s only been twelve hours since Cody Ellsworth stepped foot inside my house and somehow, he has already taken possession of what’s left of my heart.

And it’s absolutely terrifying.

Chapter 15

Cody

After the sauna encounter, I don’t see Stella for the rest of the week. I’m not saying she went out of her way to avoid me but…

I’m pretty sure she’s avoiding me.

“You still snowboard?”

Mo passes me the lacrosse ball with an easy flick of his wrist. I catch it, cradling the red ball in my net as I take a few steps to the left, and pass it back.

We’ve been training drills for over an hour inside the O’Brien’s fitness area, the larger of the two gyms. A gym which, I have yet to see Stella workout in since that first morning.

“Don’t get out as much as I’d like but yeah, I still snowboard.”

Mo mimics my movements, keeping his steps quick and light before tossing me the ball.

“Perfect. We're going to Whistler tomorrow.”

“We?”

“You, me, and Stella.”

Mo turns and whips the ball against the wall, the extra force making the rebound soar far above my head. I turn and start running for the ball, knowing full well Taber’s all-star forward will come barreling down on me at any second.

I pick up the pace as Mo’s footsteps grow louder, my heavy breathing growing ragged as the ball draws near. I’m about two feet from the ball when a brutal shoulder check sends me flying.

“Son of a…” I bite back a curse as I hit the ground, the jarring impact sending a sharp pain through my ribs. I roll onto my back, the cold hardwood doing nothing for my now-aching body.

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