Page 20 of Stick Handled

But here he is. Standing in the open doorway to the rink, arms crossed, a grin plastered on his face like he’s just walked in on something he shouldn’t have because he has.

My body tenses immediately, and I shoot him a look, my jaw clenching. Jake shouldn’t even be able to come in here. This is our private rink—security should have stopped him on his way in. Somebody’s getting fucking fired.

Of all people, he’s the last one I want seeing me this close to Avery.

Jake’s eyes flick between us, and I can tell from the way his smirk widens that he knows exactly who she is. And what this looks like.

Trouble.

Chapter seven

~AVERY~

I stir my coffee, watching the milk swirl in lazy circles before blending into the dark liquid. Sarah is mid-sentence, her words lively as always, but I’m only half-listening, caught up in my own head.

“You sure you don’t want to come with me to Soho?” Sarah’s voice cuts through my fog.

“I don’t like clubs.” I shake my head, my fingers releasing the spoon.

“Look, I love you, but being a hermit doesn’t exactly scream fun.” She cocks her head to the side with a crooked smile.

“Getting wasted does?” I counter with a chuckle. “I like being at home. It’s peaceful.”

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, until you turn into one of those people who talk to their houseplants.”

I laugh, but it’s more a deflection than anything else.

“Okay, real talk.” Sarah sets her coffee cup down and leans in, her expression shifting into something more serious. “Asking Damien to skate with you is the best thing you could have done. You’re twenty-three, gorgeous, and stuck in this… I don’t know, ‘don’t-look-at-me’ bubble. Now you can flirt with a hot pro hockey player.”

“I’m not going to flirt with him, Sarah.” I shoot her a look.

“What are you so afraid of?” she counters.

“Rowan,” I reply, though it comes out more defensive than I intended. “Damien isn’t a guy to flirt with, even if I knew how to do it. And you know Rowan. He’s like a hawk. I don’t want to make this more complicated than it is.”

“And why is it complicated? He’s just giving you lessons, right?” She arches a perfect brow.

“I…” I hesitate. “I don’t know. Sometimes it feels like he’s… you know, flirting. But Damien’s always been like that. I don’t think he actually sees me that way. I think he’s so used to flirting that he doesn’t know how to interact without it.”

“That’s even better, then. You can flirt with him and not expect much from it. He’ll be your practice dummy,” she says like it’s the best idea she’s had.

“I don’t want to flirt with Damien, Sarah. I’ve already crossed enough lines with him.” I take a sip of my coffee and set it down, my eyes glued to the mug. The truth is I can’t change my mindset about Damien. The moment I view him as anything other than Rowan’s best friend, there’s no going back. I know myself. I’ll start crushing on him and be forced to watch him take other women home all summer. I’m not a self-destructive person and have no plans of being one.

“You’re scared,” Sarah notes.

“Of course I am. If Rowan finds out Damien’s giving me lessons—”

“I’m not talking about Rowan and the lessons,” she cuts me off. “You’re scared because you’re starting to like Damien. You’re scared because you don’t know where this will lead.”

I blink at her, considering her words. I mean, it’s the absolute truth. I just didn’t think she’d catch on this fast.

“I’m scared because I don’t know where his playfulness ends and the flirting begins… if there even is flirting. I’m scared because what if I’m getting the wrong signals, Sarah? What if when I finally crack and make a move, he just laughs in my face?” Damien is unpredictable, and there’s no way of knowing what his true intentions are when he’s treating everything like it’s a fun game.

“If Damien is as big of a playboy as all the tabloids describe him, you have no way of knowing.” She gives me a long stare. “But maybe it wouldn’t hurt if you… you know, flirted a little. You don’t have to do anything crazy. Just stop acting like you’re invisible. Guys don’t bite. Well, some of them do, but who knows. Maybe you’ll like it.” She grins wickedly. I raise a brow at her but can’t keep the amusement off my face.

She raises her hands in mock surrender. “I’m not saying change who you are or anything. Just maybe lower the drawbridge every once in a while.”

Before I can respond, her phone buzzes on the table. She glances down and groans. “Shoot, I gotta go. Got a date tonight, remember?”

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