Page 47 of The Rebound Plan

I long for my bedroom at home, my lovely dressing room, and my oversized bathtub.

“Everything okay?” Russ asks.

“Everything’s great,” I say, not making eye contact.

As I head into the kitchen, I leave Emery and Max arguing over the specifics of how to do something called cognitive shuffling. He insists there’s a very detailed right way to do it, and she’s gleefully insisting it’s really just random word play with your eyes closed.

In the kitchen, I eat the last few bites of my dinner, then rinse the bowl and put it in the dishwasher.

Everyone else trails in a few minutes later. Russ’s gaze finds me as soon as he steps inside. I turn and give Emery and Kiley my full attention. They’re arguing about movies.

“We could watchCutting Edge,” Kiley says.

“Toe pick!” Harper says, twirling around in the circle. Kieran catches her, and she does a flourish with her arms to stick the landing.

“There’s even hockey in that for the boys,” Emery says sweetly.

Malik protests. “I like figure skating movies, too.”

“Who doesn’t?” Emery grabs the front of Russ’s shirt and tugs. “What cocktail goes perfectly with a broken love triangle?”

The three words are a stab to my chest. And again his gaze finds mine, over her head. This time, I can’t look away, and there’s a loud rush of blood through my ears as his brows pull tight.

What are we doing?

He removes Emery’s hands from his shirt and steps back.

Ani looks worried. “I’m not a big fan of love triangles.”

That makes two of us. Anxiety twists inside me.

“Wait, have you never seenCutting Edge?” Kiley shakes her head. “It’s really not a real love triangle. She's not meant to be with her fiancé. It's Titanic rules. It's abrokenlove triangle, which is my favourite.”

Emery nods vigorously. “Don't worry, she's not torn about the choice. And I wouldn’t be either. D.B. Sweeney or…whoever the guy in the suit is? No contest.”

I gasp, then clap my hand over my mouth.

Emery glances my way, her eyes twinkling. “Am I wrong?”

“Not wrong,” I have to admit, my head spinning.

She grins. “He reigned supreme as the hottest hockey player on the small screen until Shoresy came into my life.”

That reference to an irreverent Canadian hockey comedy shifts the entire conversation immediately.

“Shoresy!” Roan and Malik said at the same time. “Give your nuts a tug.”

Even the main character’s signature line is said in unison.

We’ve lost control of movie night.

“All right, show of hands. Who wants to watchShoresy?” Russ asks.

Emery protests, turning on him, and he just covers her mouth with his fingers. I feel that touch on my body, in the cold lake water, and I go still.

Nobody notices as all the guys put their hands up.

“AndCutting Edge?” he asks, although we’ve already lost.

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