Page 24 of Puck Love

“Of course not. I’m just surprised. You don’t seem that trusting of manypeople.”

“I’mnot.”

A slow smile spreads across his face and I’m greeted by those glorious dimples. “Then maybe I can help withthat.”

Against my better judgement, I bundle up and follow both boys out into the frigid afternoon air. We walk through the trees, downhill for at least a couple of miles, and just when I’m about to suggest that we stop for a break, the forest thins on a small frozen pond. It’s surrounded by spruce and maybe only half the length of a football field with a hockey net at one end. Emmett and Van set their hockey sticks down in the snow, and then they switch out their shoes forskates.

“We’re skating onthat?”

“Of course. What did you think—there was just going to be a rink magicallyappear?”

“No, obviously.” I furrow my brow and asses the ice. “How do you know we won’t fallthrough?”

“Idon’t.”

My eyes widen in horror. “What?”

“That’s part of thefun.”

“Oh, hellno.”

“Come on, Stella,” Emmett says. He’s already gliding on the surface of the ice as if it’s as natural aswalking.

“Please tell me he’s not going to fall and break hisneck.”

“We’ve been doing this since we were kids.” Van laughs, shaking his head. “What’s the matter, country? You can run in heels across a parking lot, but you can’t skate across theice?”

“What are you talkingabout?”

“I watched the video of your great escape. Prettyimpressive.”

I slap my hand across my mouth. “Oh my god. There’s avideo?”

“Yep.”

“Oh no, no, no, no,” I say, burying my face in my hands. “Where—”

“On YouTube. It washilarious.”

“Oh mygod.”

“Stella look at me,” he says. “You can’t change it; you can’t take it down. You can’t do anything about it, so who cares? Let them upload their videos. Concentrate on the things you cancontrol.”

“Like what?” I snap. “I have no control over any ofit.”

“Like skating with me and Emmett.” He holds out the skates they bought me. “You know I’mright.”

It’s true; he is. There’s nothing I can do about it. Even if I was there to explain my actions, what would I say? My mother’s voice comes back to haunt me again.“You made your bed,kiddo.”

I’m sure Lana is already working on having the video taken down, but what does it matter? I did this, and eventually I’ll have to face the consequences, but for now, for right this minute, I only have control over whether I take the skates ornot.

I snatch them from his outstretched hands and plonk my ass in the snow to remove my shoes. I attempt to pull on the first skate, but I struggle with the fit and almost slice Van’s pretty face when he comes closer to help me ease intothem.

“Woah, there.” He holds his hands out in a placating gesture, as if I were a wild animal ready to tear out his throat. “I come in peace. Here, let me help. They’re a little tough to get on atfirst.”

He wraps his hands around my calf and tugs me closer. Those big hands help to work the leather boot on, and I can’t help but wonder what they’d feel like on my skin instead of the outside of my jeans. And when he looks at me the way he is now, with eyes burning with lust and just a hint of that ever-present humor, I have a hard time containing my thundering heart. I lace up my skates and take Van’s hand, because no way in hell am I attempting to stand without having him there to catch me if Ifall.

He pulls me toward the ice, and I wobble like a little girl in her mother’s heels. Both of my legs go out from under me. Vanlaughs.