Page 13 of Icebreaker

“Meh, I’m not sure that matters much. If you like something, you like it, and there’s no age limit on a good movie. What’s your current favorite?”

“How did you know my favorite changes?” I asked him suspiciously. Brennen Tate understood way too much about me. I didn’t understand how. On paper, it made absolutely no sense, yet every time I turned around, he was saying or doing the exact right thing.

“It was just a hunch, but now I know for sure.”

Once Brennen finished wiping off the counters, he plopped back into the chair next to me and waited for my answer. It took a minute for my brain to remember how to make words come out of my mouth because he didn’t just sit there. He reclined in his chair. His broad shoulders were wider than the back of the chair. After years and years of working out, his forearms were snaked with prominent veins.

“Right now…um…Ratatouille.”

“That’s the rat chef, right?”

“Yes, that’s the one. But we can watch whatever you want.”

“Nope, that’s fine. I don’t mind watching it at all. It’s been a long time, so you might have to help me remember parts.”

“Or you could just, you know, watch it.”

“Oh my goodness, is Ellie Cooper a smart ass? I did not see this coming.” The blush that I knew turned my skin beet redcrept up my neck, but I didn’t know what to say. Was he joking or not? It was hard to tell because he looked so serious when he said it. “I’m not sure the other guys would believe me if I told them.”

“You don’t think so?”

“Nope, I think they’d call me a liar, but you wouldn’t be able to defend me without admitting the truth.”

“I wouldn’t let someone think you were a liar.” I didn’t mean for it to come out as fierce as it did. Even though I lied this afternoon about my storybooks, I didn’t like it when people didn’t tell the truth. I’d rather hear bad news than go on thinking everything was fine when it wasn’t.

“It’s not a risk I’m willing to take,” Brennen said with seriousness. “So I guess we’re gonna need to watch the movie and keep it to ourselves. Your secret’s safe with me.”

CHAPTER FIVE

ELLIE

Ellie

Sorry, I had to leave before practice was over. What did you want to tell me?

Brennen

Just wanted to let you know I’ll be out late after practice.

Ellie

Thanks for letting me know.

Brennen

TTYL

Brennen

I’m not loving this

Ellie

That looks like something I’d cook. Sorry?

Brennen

You didn’t cook it…no need to be sorry, but I’m grilling a proper steak when I get home.