Page 55 of Just My Puck
“He is,” I say, my voice coming out a little too sharp. I try to mask it, but there’s no hiding the bitterness in my tone. Not because I’m unhappy that people believe in Caleb’s capacity to stay submerged in a cold body of water in December, but because most of those people are beautiful girls who bounce up to the table wearing his jersey.
“Makes sense,” Marissa says. “He’s the captain, but he’s also known to be calm and collected under even the toughest circumstances. Never gets into fights. Great mental resilience. If I wasn’t married to Aaron, I’d bet on him too.”
Beth laughs, her voice carrying a note of teasing. “True. Wally would have been a great contender, though. It’s a shame he’s still back in the UK.”
“Oh, I agree, a hundred percent.” Alice nods with a grin. “Wally would have just stood there in the water, waiting, completely impervious to the cold.”
We all chuckle. I don’t know Wally that well, but Alice’s assessment seems spot on.
More people are trickling through to place their bets when I hear a voice I don’t recognize, sounding a bit too eager.
“I know,” a girl sighs, her tone filled with admiration. “So commanding and strong.”
“And sexy,” her friend adds, her voice low and laced with flirty intention. “There’s a reason he’s the captain.”
I force a smile, but the words lodge themselves deep, hitting harder than I expected. Though I force myself to look away, I can feel the heat creeping up my neck, the jealousy burning beneath my skin. I hate the way they’re talking about him.
The girls giggle, and my body heat surges, until I need to unzip my coat to cool down. That’s when I notice most people are wearing Raptors gear underneath their puffy jackets. Why didn’t I wear mine?
We take bets from the rest of the people waiting in line, then get up to grab a cup of coffee in one of the tents. With coffee in hand, we gather around a table in the heated space.
“Marissa,” I begin, trying tokeep my voice casual. “Do you, by any chance, have any Raptors gear lying around? I didn’t think of bringing my jersey.”
“A Caleb jersey, I assume?” she asks, her eyes sparkling with mischief, but there’s no malice behind her words.
I nod, feeling the smallest knot form in my stomach as she strolls out of the tent.
“Ohh, do I sense a crush?” Alice teases, her voice high-pitched and light. But there’s an edge of curiosity to it.
“Ugh. Here we go.” Emma rolls her eyes. “The true-love advocate is here.”
Alice gives her a pointed look. “It’s just a simple question. Am I not allowed to ask questions?”
“Of course you are,” Emma responds, but then her gaze flicks to me. “Careful though, Aria. Hayley and I were single when we met Alice, and we’re both married now.”
Everyone laughs, but their eyes remain trained on me, like I’m suddenly the focal point of the conversation. As I sip on my coffee, I can feel my cheeks flushing.
I clear my throat, fighting the mounting awkwardness. “Yeah, maybe a little.”
The table erupts into cheers, and I can’t help but laugh, though to be honest, I’m a little embarrassed.
“That’s fantastic!” Alice gushes, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “You two would make a great couple.”
“And talk about an epic meet-cute,” Hayley adds with a nod.
At the mention of a meet-cute, the conversation naturally shifts to books, and I’m relieved the heat has shifted away from me. When Marissa returns with the jersey, I quickly pull it on over my sweater. His name feels heavier across my back now, like a badge of something I’m not sure I’m ready for.
The line at the betting table grows again, and with only twenty minutes remaining before they close, we take our seats and get back to work.
“Aria, Emma,” Marissa says, glancing between us. “Would one of you mind going to the guys’ tent to update them on the bets? I’m sure they’d love to know.”
“I’ll do it,” I blurt out before I even think about it, and Emma chuckles softly at my eagerness.
I snap a photo of the betting sheet with my phone and walk to the Raptors tent. I try to knock, but of course, it doesn’t work. So, I step inside, one hand shielding my eyes. “Girl coming in,” I call out. “Are you decent?”
A row of laughter greets me.
“We’re fine, Aria,” Caleb’s deep voice rumbles, and I drop my hand.
