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“You already picked?”

“I’m narrowing it down. Ethan’s a frontrunner. But James has that chaotic good energy I respect. And let’s not even start on Mikey; the dude winked at me during warm-ups.”

I laugh, sitting beside her. “It was fun. Not just the guys, the whole thing. The crowd. The energy. It was addictive.”

Kira nods enthusiastically. “Same. And the fact that weknowthem now? Like, that’s wild. Who are we, right?”

“Two girls who may be in over our heads.”

“Speak for yourself. I’m diving in headfirst.”

“And, girl,” she continues, flopping onto the couch like she just ran the rink herself, “you didn’t watch the game, you watched the guy.”

“I watched the game,” I lie, setting my purse down and heading for the kitchen.

She’s already pulling up clips on her phone. “Oh, really? Because the way you leaned forward every time number twenty-three hit the ice suggests otherwise.”

I try not to smile. “It was an exciting game.”

“Sure was. Especially when number twenty-three blocked that slapshot like a human wall. Pretty sure half the arena gasped. You included.”

“Kira.”

“What?” she says, grinning. “I’m just saying, if I had that kind of man candy next door interested in me, I’d be doing more than borrowing sugar.”

I grab two glasses of water and hand her one. “You’re insane.”

“I’m honest. And don’t act like you weren’t mentally writing your vows in the third period.”

I shake my head and sip my water. The truth is, watching Nate on the ice tonight did something to me. The way he moved was controlled but explosive, aggressive but clean. It made it hard to look away.

Not to mention the moment he spotted me in the crowd.

Just a glance. Just a flick of recognition.

But it hit like a puck to the chest.

I lean against the kitchen counter, watching Kira scroll her phone with a goofy grin like she’s still at the game.

“You know,” I say casually, “for all that teasing, you were watching someone pretty closely yourself tonight.”

She gasps, looking up like I just accused her of a federal crime. “Excuse me?”

“Ethan,” I say, pointing my finger. “You were watching Ethan like he was your final exam and you forgot to study.”

She clutches her chest. “I was watchingthe game. The beautiful, fast-paced, high-stakes game.”

“Uh-huh. You mean the part where Ethan got a penalty and you said, and I quote, ‘I’d still let him check me into the boards’?”

Kira doesn’t even blink. “I stand by that. That man could commit a minor infraction on me any day of the week.”

I laugh so hard I almost spill my water.

“And don’t act like I didn’t see you clocking the rest of the roster,” I say.

“I mean, can you blame me?” she says, raising her brows. “We were surrounded by more abs, jawlines, and smirks in one place, than I’ve seen in my entire adult life.”

“You’re incorrigible.”