Page 84 of Daring the Hockey Player

"We heard you were at a campus party," Ava says, and she's staring at me like I'm a child, worried that I did something I shouldn't have. Is there disappointment on her face? I don't know her that well, but she reminds me so much of my sister in her look of judgment that it's scary.

Or maybe I just feel guilty.

But why?

I grab my phone and send Charlotte a quick text to let her know that I'm fine.

Had my roommate pick me up. Got hit on by a loser. Long story. Tell you later.

My text is longer than I intend, and I hit send and stand. "I'm going to check on my sister," I say, heading for the glass doors.

Jasper and Emerson are on the farther side of the balcony, neither noticing as I quietly open the sliding door and step outside.

"I'm just worried that something might have happened to her," Emerson says, her hands shoved into her sweatshirt pockets.

"And when she wants to talk about the party, she will. But until then, give her space," Jasper says.

I clear my throat, making it known that I'm outside and I can hear them.

My sister spins around to face me. "Amber," she says and lets out a sigh. Is it disappointment? She's made it clear that she doesn't approve of me drinking until I'm twenty-one. She's probably unhappy with my choice of attending a campus party too.

"If you have something to say, say it to me. Don't go behind my back and interrogate my roommate," I say.

Emerson nods and glances at Jasper. "Could you give us a minute?" she asks.

"It's cold. Don't stay outside too long," he says. "You may be wearing a sweatshirt, but your little sister has short sleeves on."

I press my lips together, and my stomach fills with butterflies. I'm torn, hating how he refers to me as herlittle sisterbut also swimming in warmth at him, acknowledging that I'm chilly.

He sees me.

Notices me.

Cares about me.

Unlike Emerson, who always seems wrapped up in her world. There is so much that I don't know about my older sister, like why she left the FBI after working so hard at Quantico. We hardly ever talk. Four years age difference is like a lifetime between us. I'm not sure how or when it happened, but the wall is made of stone.

"I'll make it quick," Emerson says, and I watch as he strolls back into the building, sliding the door shut.

The air is even colder without him nearby, and I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself to keep warm.

"You're wearing his jersey," my sister says, nodding toward the oversized Ice Dragons hockey jersey that I have on.

"He told me to wear it tonight. I thought it was like a hockey party or something," I say with a shrug.

Her eyes tighten, but she doesn't point out the obvious fact that I'm the only one wearing one of their jerseys tonight, and I'm not the girlfriend or wife of a hockey player.

She doesn't have to say it aloud. It's unspoken, and it's loud and clear.

Emerson's jaw is tight. "I don't know what game you're playing with him, but stop."

"There's no game," I whisper, and my mouth is dry. "Is that why you dragged him outside? To ask him if we're sleeping together?"

She shifts uncomfortably on her feet, tapping her heels. She's dressed to the nines, looking dynamite. That dress probably cost more than her salary, wherever it is that she works now. "You're not screwing him, are you?" Emerson asks.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no." I huff, annoyed by her lack of concern about my actual well-being. "I'm going inside." I push past her, knocking into her shoulder as I head for the sliding door on the opposite side of the balcony.

Emerson grabs my arm, spinning me around to face her. "I don't know what happened tonight at that party you went to. Jasper won't say, but I think you need to take a few minutes and cool off before you go back inside."