Page 82 of Friendzone Hockey
He kisses the top of my head and pulls away, leaving an empty chill in his wake. I’ve never felt so far away from him. Something’s off about him, too. I sit up, watching him rub the sleep from his eyes.
“Why are you acting so nervous?”
Stacey’s chest rises, and he exhales a slow breath. “Your dad wants to see us later—both of us.”
“That’s not foreboding or anything.”
He chuckles. “I know right? Like we’re being called to the principal’s office.”
“Is it about last night? Am I really getting a lecture? Why does he need you there to ream me out? Wait, why didn’t he text me about it?”
I fire off the rapid questions, chest tightening. Yeah, something’s definitely up.
“If you know and you don’t tell me, Stace…” I warn.
He holds his hands up. “I swear I don’t know.”
“Dad knows better than to do this shit.Ugh.” My head falls back against the headboard. I wish this mattress would swallow me whole.
“Then it must be really important, and it must be something he’s already taking care of.”
I hug my knees to my chest. The room’s spinning a bit—fuck, I’m never drinking again. “I’m sure you’re right.”
“Besides, I’m gonna be right there.”
Yeah, Dad knew to make sure my emotional support human was with me, and he knew it wasn’t Syd. I’m not saying any of that out loud, though. Stacey’s gonna assume I can’t handle whatever Dad’s gonna say on my own. He’d be right, but it’s better he doesn’t know that.
“You don’t have to come, you can drop me off. I’m sure you have better things to do with your day. You’re already giving me most of it by coming to this wedding appointment with me.”
He laughs, slapping his knee. “That’s funny, Dashie.”
I scowl. “What’s so funny about that?”
“That you think going alone to meet with your dad is an option. Get your ass outta bed or we’re gonna be late.”
He and his perfectly round ass disappear down the hallway, but I’m left with the best feeling. One that I don’t know I can explain other than to label it “The feeling Stacey Alderchuck gives me”, and I’m gonna ride it all the way till the end of this day.
“So, you gonna tell me about your pre-mid-life crisis?” I ask. His new and obnoxious Hummer sounds like anearthquake as we rumble down the highway toward Newlands Golf Course in Langley where I have an appointment to check out their venue. They do a whole “one-stop-shop” wedding thing where they bring all the vendors to you. You can have your venue, photographer, caterers, cake bakery, and florist chosen in one session. It’s called Club Wed. Kinda cheesy, but I liked the idea of one and done. I want a fabulous wedding, but I also don’t want to spend forever planning it.
He doesn’t answer. In fact, he pretends he didn’t hear me.
“Stace?”
“Um, yeah. Just paying attention to the road here.”
“Bullshit. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
His body language shifts to something heavy. The cracks in his veneer I was seeing whenever I’d video call him last season, almost making me wish the sunshine twins were here. Almost. Let’s not get too crazy.
“I was thinking about how beautiful you are. You’re so beautiful, it’s distracting.”
I don’t know what I was expecting, but not that. “You said earlier?—”
“I know what I said, and I’m a fucking hypocrite again. Sue me. I can’t stop thinking about kissing you.”
I’m hot all over. My cock likes the direction he’s taking this conversation. A lot. And I shouldn’t, I really shouldn’t.
But fuck it.
