Page 31 of Test the Ice
Her hip pops with attitude, and excitement creeps into my blood. I love her saucy manner. It’s entertaining and enticing all in one. She turns to face me, little lines of anger on her forehead. “I’m here because I help with some PR stuff occasionally. I was the one who designed Daisy’s costume, and I had to fix a few sequins.”
Oh?
“And,” she presses on, “I’m also Daisy’s ride.”
“So you’re an Uber driver, you make costumes, and you help out with the team’s PR?” I pretend to count. “What is that? Three jobs?”
She scoffs, like she’d rather be anywhere else than in this locker room, talking to me. “I wouldn't consider making one costume a job, and I only helped Cindy a few times. It’s nothing permanent.”
“Damn,” I sigh. “I thought I might get to see you while on the ice.”
She pushes her hair over her shoulder and turns away. “Sorry to disappoint.”
It is a disappointment. I like seeing her. I like being around her too.
I move without thought and end up right in front of her with my hands on her hips. Her eyes widen, and she jerks backward, bumping into my locker. A soft gasp slips from behind her lips, and I somehow forget all about the whole Charlie thing and how dismissive she is with me most of the time.
“Excuse me,” I say under my breath. With my hands around her waist, I scoot her over some so I can get into my locker. Reese’s chest is unmoving, air trapped inside as she holds her breath. A smirk works itself onto my face as I remove my hands from her waist. “Breathe, Reese. Or you might pass out and force me to give you mouth to mouth in front of my coach.”
She responds with an exhale, her sweet breath fanning in between us. Satisfaction fills me up to the brim, to the point that I almost miss her fleeing.
“Um, excuse me,” her sweet voice carries throughout the room while she dodges a few people.
She waves at Cindy, the woman in charge of our PR, before she slips through the door.
I chuckle as she scurries away.
Doesn’t she know that I’m annoyingly persistent? As if I’m not going to chase after her? The flare of attraction between us burned so bright with my hands around her waist that I’d be a fool not to. My pretty Uber driver with secrets that she’s unwilling to spill is doing nothing but tempting me by running off like that.
She’s about to find out the hard way that I’m relentless.
Twelve
REESE
I tiptoeout of my bedroom, careful not to wake Charleigh, and pause. Zoe sits on the couch in front of the coffee table with three lit candlesticks as her light.
“What are you doing?” I whisper. “A seance?”
Zoe doesn’t even glance up from her book. “A seance? Who the hell would I want to contact from the dead? I already know plenty about our mother. No need to ask her from hell.”
“Zoe,” I warn.
She glances at me and shrugs. “What? It’s true.”
Itistrue, but still.
The only thing I learned from both of our parents is whatnotto do. The electric bill is due? Any sane person would pick up some more hours so they can afford it. My parents used to rip the bill up and throw it into the trash.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Until the power shuts off, and somehow, they’re both shocked. My dad would take it out on my mom with his fists, and she would disappear for days at a time, leaving my sister and me to fend for ourselves.
What can I say? They were great role models.
I plop down onto the couch beside Zoe and sink into the worn cushions. “God, it feels good to sit.”
Zoe remains quiet as she pulls her textbook closer to read. It’s so dim in the apartment that I have no idea how she’s able to see the text. I stare at the flickering flames on the candles and then slowly move back to staring at her.
