Page 28 of Treacherous
“No reason.”
Jaz raises her eyebrows, but thankfully, doesn't ask a follow-up question. Now, I really need to know how he found out.
We continue the course, finally finishing thirty minutes later. And to no one’s surprise, I lost. Theo drives me back to the hockey house, my phone buzzing the entire way.
Hockey Heroes – Group Chat
Aiden Carter:
Dinner will be ready at six.
As requested, it is butter chicken.
Be there.
Cooper Powell:
YES CHEF!
A laugh bursts from my chest as I climb out of the backseat in Theo’s car. This group chat is the funniest thing I’ve been apart of. The topics range from dinner and hockey to how stupid politicians are.
“Thanks for coming along today,” Jaz says after winding her window down.
I smile. “Thanks for inviting me. Though I swear I was third wheeling the entire time.”
“No, you weren’t.” Jaz protests. “If anything, Theo here was third wheeling on our girl time.”
I shake my head, the corner of my lips pulling up. “I’ll see you soon,”
They drive off once I enter the house, inhaling the scent that has travelled from the kitchen. Everyone is at the dining table, waiting for me to take my place. Jayden tenses, his shoulders rising and fists clenching. He moves them under the table.
“Okay, you can dig in now,” Hayes says.
My brows scrunch together, watching as everyone passes dishes between each other. “You guys didn’t have to wait for me.”
Sam glares at me. “Of course, we did.”
“Well, thank you. I appreciate it.”
Dinner is as tense as the first time we ate together. Jayden and I don’t speak, listening to the others’ conversation. I dip my pita bread into the leftover sauce on my plate, keeping my gaze down.
I’m not looking forward to the end of dinner because it is my turn to wash the dishes, which I’m fine with, it’s the person I’m doing it with that is worrying me.
Jayden has barely offered me a glance at dinner, and I don’t know whether we are about to have another fight or ignore what went down. One by one, my teammates finish their plates and take them to the sink until Jayden and I are the only ones left.
That was the quickest I’ve seen those boys disappear, which makes me think they did it on purpose. My heart races and Iignore the butterflies swarming in my stomach as I enter the kitchen.
Jayden is already there, his sleeves rolled up while he fills the sink with soapy water.
I stand beside him, grabbing a cloth to dry the plates after he washes them. We fall into rhythm quickly, the clatter of plates and cutlery filling the silence. My heart rate rises every second that the awkward silence continues. Eventually, Jayden clears his throat.
Here we go.
“Willow, I’m sorry for last night.”
I falter, nearly dropping the plate onto the floor. “I–”
“–Wait. Sorry,” Jayden interrupts, shaking his head. “Just let me say something before you reply.”
