Page 75 of Cold Front
Because I wasn’t ready.
I knew I’d have to come out, eventually. I wasn’t stupid enough to think I could keep this hidden forever. But the idea of someone else—someone on my team—knowing before I was ready? That was something I wasn’t prepared for.
Hunter lingered for a second longer, then nodded once and walked past the side entrance. But wasn’t he supposed to get something in his locker? Or, perhaps, he’d already gotten what he needed? Ugh! I was overthinking everything and nothing.
Eli nudged me. “You okay?”
I forced a breath and a smirk. “Yeah. Just didn’t expect anyone else to be here.”
He didn’t look convinced, but he let it go.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had just shifted.
And I had no idea what it meant.
CHAPTER27
ELI
Steam curled up from the pan as I switched off the stove, the scent of garlic and herbs filling the kitchen. The pasta sauce had thickened just right, and I set the spoon aside, satisfied.
The front door clicked open. I glanced over my shoulder just as Niall stepped inside, pausing in the doorway like he needed a second to shake off the outside world. His gaze landed on me, something unreadable flickering in his eyes, and then he crossed the space between us in a few quick strides.
Before I could say anything, strong arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me flush against a solid chest. Niall buried his face in the curve of my neck, his breath warm against my skin. He smelled like the rink—cold air, a hint of sweat, and something distinctly him, something I’d come to associate with comfort.
My heart stuttered.
I smiled, resting my hands over his forearms. “Hey, you.”
He didn’t answer, just exhaled against my skin, his grip tightening for a beat before loosening slightly. That’s when I knew something was wrong. We’d only been boyfriends for a short time, but one thing I’d noticed was that Niall wasn’t usually this openly affectionate, not without some teasing or an adorably grumbled complaint about how I always smelled like vanilla or coffee or whatever he secretly loved.
I turned in his arms, hands sliding up to cup his face. “Niall?”
He let me, but he didn’t meet my eyes.
A knot of worry tightened in my chest. “Talk to me.”
He shook his head, looking anywhere but at me. “It’s nothing.”
I huffed. “Bullshit.”
That got a small, humorless smirk out of him, but it was gone in a blink. I didn’t let him pull away. Instead, I laced our fingers together and tugged him toward the couch. He let me without grumbling. Another sign that whatever was going on in his head was weighing him down.
I straddled his lap the second he sat and braced my hands on his shoulders. “I know something’s up.”
Niall sighed, his hands coming to rest on my waist. “Eli?—”
I arched a brow. “You know I’m not gonna let this go, right?”
He let out a soft laugh and shook his head. “Yeah. I know.”
Silence stretched between us, but I waited. Letting him take his time. Finally, he exhaled sharply and leaned back, dragging a hand down his face.
“Got my Stats results back today,” he admitted, voice low. “Barely passed.”
My stomach clenched. “Niall?—”
“I know. I know. I should’ve done better,” he muttered, looking past me. “I just—I tried. I really did. But it’s like my brain just…shuts down. Like I can’t hold on to any of it.”
