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“Again, I’m sorry. I appreciate the cover even if it did gross you out.”

Gross me out? That’s nowhere near what that kiss made me feel. My heart still feels like it may rip through my chest.

“Well, you did promise me something in return.” I smile, ready to collect on my bribe. I grab the ties on his hoodie and yank. “You owe me one date between Nadia and Reid.”

He looks down at me, an odd expression flitting across his face. It’s gone in a blink, and he nods, confirming. “I’ll make it happen before the end of the week.”

4

Reese

Sweat drips off my chin,and my arms feel like they're made of gelatin, but it doesn’t stop me from saying, “Add ten more to each side.”

Reid’s standing over me, his red headphones hanging around his neck. “Are you sure, Cap?” he asks, eyeing the weight on the bar.

Jefferson’s nickname has spread through the group and now everyone is calling me Captain or Cap, only occasionally tagging on the “America.”

I don’t deserve the title. Especially not this week. Not after the debacle in the coffee shop.

Fuck. I acted like a fucking pussy.

“I’m sure,” I say, wanting to feel the burn.

Seeing Shanna on campus messed with my head. I’d managed to avoid her since arriving back at school. She no longer hangs out with my circle of friends, instead immersing herself in her sorority and some of the frats on campus. Seeing her in the coffee shop had been a jolt. I probably would’ve kissed anyone standing next to me.

But it wasn’t anyone. It was Twyler.

She’d been shocked, her standard bitchy expression replaced by utter surprise. That, her big blue eyes, and… Jesus, her mouth. I hadn’t expected a kiss like that. Or to still be thinking about it a day later.

I definitely didn’t expect to get a semi every time I think about it.

It’s not the only thing I can’t forget. There's also the date I agreed to make between her roommate and Reid. Meddling in my teammates' love lives isn’t something I want to do, but a deal’s a deal.

“How’s that?” Reid asks, hands on either side of the bar, ready to spot me.

I push the weight up and over the bar, feeling the burn instantly in my biceps. It’s a good sensation. Something real and true. Not like what happened between me and Shanna.

We’d met through a group of friends and up to that point, girls had never been on my radar. I’d been completely consumed by hockey since I was a little kid. Not that there was any other option with my dad. As a former professional player and then my coach, he put skates on me as soon as I could walk. The NHL was our goal. In middle school he moved me to a school for kids that specialized in sports or specific talents. I went half day and the teachers cooperated with sending me work when I was on the road for games and tournaments. There was no time for girls either, but Shanna was determined and undeterred by my chaotic schedule.

She went out of her way to get to my games. Met me after practice or was happy to just do homework together. It felt like I’d met this person that understood how important my future was and she was willing to do what it took to be with me.

She was positioning herself for a specific role, hockey wife, and I was ready for it.

Until I realized the position was more important to her than I was.

Behind my head, Reid’s phone is blowing up in his pocket, the vibration going off every few seconds.

“Avoiding someone?” I ask, when he ignores it.

“Darla.” He grimaces. “She’s been calling all week.”

Shit. I thought that was over. Guess that makes two of us dealing with lingering relationship drama. “Is that a bad or good thing?”

“I dunno.” He watches the bar as it rises and falls. “Bad, I think. Easy, obviously, but I think we’re done.”

I understand. Things with Shanna felt easy too. Comfortable. Until it wasn’t.

“Maybe it’s time to move on.” I huff out, pushing the bar up again.