Page 16

SIXTEEN

leo

W hen my teammates see me walk into Boots and Buckles with Victoria, I immediately regret this decision. Five minutes ago, this seemed like a safe arrangement—a night out with the guys, no pressure to rehash the past, and definitely no revisiting old feelings.

But who am I kidding? My feelings for her aren’t buried six feet under. They’re alive and clawing at the surface every time she’s near, making me feel things that honestly scare me.

Rourke sidles up to us, drink in hand, cheesy grin plastered on his face. “Well, look who’s here—Beauty and the Beast. And you can probably guess which one you are, Leo.”

I flash him a scowl. He lives to annoy me. The sooner this man goes away, the better.

“You wanna drink?” he asks Victoria.

“No,” I answer for her.

Rourke frowns at me. “It’s just a drink, man. Lighten up.”

“She’s here with me,” I say. “As my friend. So go away.”

Victoria turns to look at me—because calling her my “friend” in public is a huge step for me, even if it is just Rourke.

“Victoria!” Sloan yells from a table next to the bar. She waves her over, giving Victoria an escape from Rourke.

“Hey, Ego,” Sherrie says, wiping down a nearby table, then she turns to yell at a biker dude at the bar. “Don’t you dare hit on the girl Leo just brought in.” Then Sherrie opens her arms to give me a bear hug. “How you been?”

“Making it,” I say.

Despite Sherrie’s silver spiked hair, she’s like a grandma to me, and she won’t put up with a smart mouth or a half-truth. She’s tough as nails, but she’s also one of the most big-hearted people I’ve ever met, not to mention the best pie-maker in town. She’s been a permanent fixture at Boots and Buckles for longer than I’ve been alive.

“You heard the news?” I ask, turning a chair around backward to park myself in. Most of our team lives in this quiet town outside of Charleston because they like that the locals don’t bother them. There are rarely journalists around, and the guys can have all the fun they want without fear of being tomorrow’s headline.

“That you’ve been benched, or that you’ve turned into a figure skater paired up with that pretty one?” She nods toward Victoria across the room.

“Who told you?”

“I have my sources,” she says with a smile. Then she nods toward Brax and Vale, two more of her “boys.” “I’m just wondering how you’re taking it.”

“Trying to survive,” I say with a laugh. “But I don’t like it.”

Sherrie brings me a tall water and flashes the tattoo on her wrist that says Sherrie and Tom forever. Tom died five years ago from lung cancer, and Sherrie kept Boots and Buckles running in his memory, even though she considered selling the place. She says it’s a piece of him she can’t let go of. I know the feeling of not wanting to let go. I’ve been trying to ever since Victoria broke up with me.

Sherrie slaps a hand on my shoulder. “Tell me about your new partner.” She nods toward Victoria, who is laughing at something Jaz just said. “I heard you used to date her. Think there’s any hope of getting together again?”

I shake my head. “Hate to disappoint you, but she’s the one who broke things off. Don’t you go spreading gossip either.” I lift a warning eyebrow at Sherrie.

“You haven’t been here lately. Thought maybe you found yourself a nice girl to settle down with.”

“Sherrie, you know I’m not the settling type.”

“Same thing Tom said when he met me.” Then she cackles with laughter and walks away.

Sherrie’s one of my favorite people, and I trust her not to gossip. But looking around, it feels like everyone is wondering if the new girl in town is available or with me.

I glance over at Rourke, who’s staring at her like she’s the last bottle on the shelf, and I know I need to make things clear. The only reason I suggested coming here—where we won’t be alone—is because of those stupid rules I set up. Now that we’re surrounded by people, being alone would’ve been far easier.

I stride over to Rourke, who’s perched on a barstool. I step into his line of sight, blocking his view of Victoria. “In case you’re wondering, she’s not interested in you.”

He leans back, clearly amused. “I thought you weren’t dating her—only friends. That means she’s fair game.”

“She’s not fair game,” I say firmly. “And she’s with me tonight.”

Rourke lifts his hands up in surrender. “Okay, man, I got it. You want me to leave her alone.” He rises from his barstool. “So, when are you going to stop pretending that you don’t have feelings for her?”

He doesn’t wait for my answer. Instead, he lightly punches my shoulder as he heads to the team table.

I settle at the bar, wondering if I should just stay here rather than join the group and endure more teasing. Slowly the news has gotten around that Victoria and I dated in college, but they don’t know the half of it—how those six months were the best of my life. When she broke things off, I tried to forget her, even jumped into a rebound relationship, which flopped spectacularly.

Brax comes over with a glint in his eye. “Jaz told me something interesting. She said you got an anonymous post from the Crushin’ on the Crushers form.”

I shrug. “So?”

“I think you need to see this one.” He holds up his phone, and I read the anonymous note.

“It’s just fans making up stuff about us.” I don’t want to get my hopes up. Victoria would never admit that our past relationship was anything special.

Brax lifts his eyebrows. “That’s not just anyone. Sounds like you gave them a pretty great date.”

I take a sip of water. “I haven’t been on a date in months.”

Brax looks over at the three women. “Well, I just heard Victoria tell Jaz that you were assigned to go out—Coach’s orders.”

I let out a sigh. “I’m just her friend, doing what her coach asked.”

“Friend, huh?” he asks, his eyes dancing. “I thought you were trying to get her to quit?”

“Yeah, well, not anymore,” I say. “This is her last chance at making a skating comeback, and when she started to cry, I just folded. I think there’s something wrong with me. I’ve never been that weak before.”

Brax looks at me in amusement. “It hurts having a heart, doesn’t it?”

“I’m an idiot.” I drag a hand through my hair.

Brax studies me, then his mouth curves slightly. “Falling for your ex doesn’t make you an idiot.”

A few guys turn our way, and it feels like someone has just turned a spotlight on me. “You wanna tell the whole restaurant?” I whisper. “It doesn’t matter what I feel. No one can know this.”

“Know what?” Vale says, coming up behind me.

Great. Just what I need. Another MacPherson up in my business.

“Nothing,” I mutter.

“Does this have to do with your date tonight?” Vale says. “And that anonymous post? Twenty bucks says it’s her.”

I turn back to Brax, furious. “See? This is how gossip gets started.”

“My brother can read my mind,” Brax says. “Believe me, it sucks.”

“I’m not her date, and she didn’t write that anonymous message,” I insist to them. “There’s no future for us.”

“Just keep telling yourself that,” Brax says with a smile, slapping my shoulder.

“Seriously, guys,” I say. “This arrangement must stay totally platonic.”

Vale follows my gaze over to Victoria. “That’s not what your face says.”

I scowl. “What does my face say now?”

“That you don’t like what I’m telling you,” he says, his mouth curving into a smile. “Because it’s the truth.”