Page 100 of Grumpy Darling

“Yeah, I guess it’ll be nice to be back in my own bed.” I shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. Let’s get started on these edits...”

Maybe this was for the best. I wasn’t looking forward to how angry Mom would be when she got back, but going home might give me some much-needed distance from Gray. My feelings for him had certainly escalated in the short time I’d been staying with his family, so maybe that had something to do with it. I just had to get through our practice date on Friday, and then maybe things would return to normal. Either that, or they might never be the same again.

Chapter 25

Grayson

I was pushing myself too hard. I knew it, and yet I couldn’t get myself to stop.

It had gotten dark hours ago, and I struggled to see the puck as I skated across the frozen lake close to our house. The glow of streetlights from the nearby parking lot cast just enough light that it wasn’t pitch-black, so I kept going.

I was playing in the biggest game of my life the day after tomorrow, and I should have been resting. But I needed to know how hard I could play on my broken knee. I couldn’t afford to take it easy with Coach Mercer in the stands. Couldn’t afford to show any weakness or give him any reason to doubt Ryker’s decision to recruit me. The more I trained, the more my knee resisted, but that only seemed to spur me on, as if skating harder and faster might eventually make the pain disappear altogether.

I was also in no rush to go home. I knew Paige would be there and, right now, I had no idea what I was doing when it came to her. I was still planning for our practice date, but I was getting so sick of playing by the rules I’d set myself. So tired of playing it safe with her, constantly waiting for the perfect moment to show her we belonged together.

I just needed to try to keep it together until tomorrow night. And until then, I’d take out my frustrations on the ice instead.

“I thought I’d find you down here.”

I turned as Reed made his way toward me. He tucked his hands in his pockets and carefully walked across the ice as I pulled to a stop. I was puffing hard. My knee hurt like hell. I already knew what he wanted to say. And that I didn’t want to hear it.

“Leave me alone, Reed.”

I was half tempted to skate away, into the darkness. I wasn’t in the mood for a lecture from my brother. But if I didn’t listen to it now, it would only come later.

“What are you doing?” he asked when he reached me.

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m training.”

“This isn’t training. It’s pitch-black out here. You’re going to get hurt.”

“I’ll be fine,” I grumbled. I was already hurt; that was the problem.

He heaved out a breath. “I know you must be worried about the weekend. About Coach Mercer coming to the game. But you don’t need to be. You’re going to be great.”

It was easy enough for Reed to say. He was the star of the team. He was the talent that had drawn Ryker’s attention in the first place. I was just an added extra. An afterthought. And thanks to my injury, I wasn’t even a very good one.

“What are you worried about? He’s not going to revoke the offer.” It was as if my brother could read my thoughts.

“He might.”

“He won’t!” He lifted his hands in the air in frustration. “Why would he?”

Reed searched my face for an answer, and I avoided the temptation to reach down and rub my aching knee. He was well aware I’d had trouble with it, but he also knew I’d only deny it was still causing me problems.

I shrugged and he shook his head.

“Unless this is about something else...” he said. “Is it Paige?”

It might have been dark out, but my brother could see right through me.

“It’s not because of Paige or Mercer,” I said. “I’m just training before a big game. It’s what we do.”

“This isn’t what we do,” he said, waving his hand around the darkened lake. “Look, the Raiders game is about to start. Come home. Watch it with us. If you want to torture yourself, I’m sure we can find a better way.”

His arms were firmly folded across his chest. He wasn’t leaving without me.

“Come on, Gray. The team needs you fit and focused this weekend if we’re going to beat the Wolves. I need you. We’ll put on a show for Mercer together.”

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