Page 60 of Forbidden Puck
“What do you care? I'll be gone tomorrow and that'll be that. Besides, we'll probably never see each other again. And you got what you wanted, didn't you?”
He chuckled quietly.
“No,” he said.
“No?”
“I wouldn't feel this empty if I did.”
“Well.” I paused to thumb through a flurry of magazine pages. “I know howthatfeels.”
“Ella, I only tried to do what I thought was righ—”
Radar stopped talking when we heard Lance's bedroom door open, and his footsteps come down the hall.
Uh oh.
Lance stepped into the living room. For the second time today, Lance walked in on us having a private chat, and I could see the wheels turning in his head—even if he wanted them to stop. “I thought I heard voices out here … what are you two up to?”
“I couldn't sleep,” Radar said, rising from the couch. “So I came out here to see how Ella's decorating was going.”
I tutted with a quiettsk tskunder my breath.Still lying.
But Lance bought it, probably because hewanted to buy it. “Oh, okay. Well, you really ought to try to nap, man. Even 20 minutes would help you a lot.”
Radar slapped Lance's shoulder as he walked past. “Yeah, you're right, Lance.”
After Radar's door shut, Lance neared. “Everything alright with you, Ella?”
“Yeah Lance, why?”
“I dunno. I can't quite put my finger on it, but, God, it seems like there's a weird feeling in the air today.” He shrugged. “Who knows. I'm probably imagining it.”
I smiled at him. “I'm fine. Thanks for asking.”
Lance scratched his head, like he knew something wasn't right but he couldn't quite figure it out. “Well, okay. Hey, after the game tonight, you wanna come out with the boys? I told 'em you were visiting and they're all pumped about going out afterward.”
I pretended to think it over. “Hmm. No, I don't think I'm in the mood, really.”
“Aw c'mon, Ella. It's your last night here, and I haven't even gotten to take you out anywhere but our shopping spree. I know how bad you wanted to do something last night.” He grabbed my arm and began to tug. “At least come to dinner with us after the game.”
“Fine. I'll do team dinner.”
“And maybe the club after?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
“I'll think about it, but no promises.”
“Alright, alright.” Lance dropped my arm and backed away. “Back to bed for me.”
“Sleep tight.”
Chapter 20
Empty
Radar
The pre-game nap was a waste of time. I tossed and turned in bed for two hours, but I couldn't sleep at all. I knew I was going to pay for it later on the ice, too …
