Page 25 of Pinch

“Cayenne.” He swings his legs off the couch, walking over to where we’re congregating in the kitchen.

Gav leans his back against the sink, placing his hands on the counter beside him. It stretches the white tee he’s wearing attractively across his chest, but I don’t raise my eyes to his.

My cheeks have started this annoying habit of blushing every time he grins at me. Partly because he smiles at me like he’s remembering what I look like without my clothes on, which makes my neck all hot.

The guys are animated at dinner, discussing practice and how well Gavin fits in with the rest of the team. Gina’s on the edge of her seat, but I finish quickly, leaving her to help clean up. I’ll take my turn tomorrow night when the boys are at the rink.

Also, I’m taking my shower right now, when I know our new upstairs visitor won’t be wandering around.

I’m in my room, post-shower, dressed in my cotton PJs when Maverick taps on my door.

“Fresh sweater for you.” He hands me a new, massive white hockey jersey with the purple and black Champions logo on front and a big number 74 under the nameMurphyon the back.

“Tight.” I shake it out, excited to wear it to the game this week.

Gigi and I always sit in the center, front row so we can cheer and see what happens without people in front of us. I’ve only just started following hockey since my cousin moved here, which means Gigi has to tell me what’s happening most of the time.

They grew up in the same town, so she got to sneak off to all his games with Kimmie Joy and our other cousins. I’m kind of glad I wasn’t there, because I suck at keeping secrets. If I’d spilled the beans to Aunt Dylan, they’d have all been mad at me.

I don’t mind playing catch-up now. The games are so exciting, and hockey players are hot.

“Come here, Peepee.” Mav takes the tiny dog off my bed before sitting on it and looking up at me. “She’s really cute.”

I smile, scrubbing my fingers in his long hair. “You’re really cute. I should set you up with one of my pageant friends.”

“You think I need help picking up women?”

“I don’t know.” I give his nose a playful tweak. “I haven’t seen you with one.”

“Speaking of, Gavin’s a good guy. He’s like me, focused on the game and minding his own business. He’s not into bunnies. He’s loyal…”

My shoulders tense the more he speaks. “Loyalty is not a quality I’ve seen in your friend.”

“Maybe you don’t know him as well as I do.”

I think about the past few days. It’s not long enough to know anything, but I don’t want to argue with my cousin.

“You know, I could say the same thing to you.” He stands, and I smile up at him. “I was there, Mav. I saw his behavior with my own eyes.”

“I still think there’s more to the story. I know my friend, and people don’t change that much.”

He has a point, and I guess I didn’t spend a whole lot of time around Gavin in college. I was always buried in the lab or in classes or doing pageant events to pay for it all.

“They say if you don’t put the past behind you, it’ll keep checking you into the boards.”

My nose wrinkles. “I don’t know what that means.”

“It means if you live in the past, you’ll never get over it. Just give him a chance. For me.”

“I’ve been trying to do that.” I look down at the sweater in my hands, and he pokes me in the ribs.

“Try a little harder, Princess.”

“I’ll try.” I chew my bottom lip wondering what that would look like. Then I remember. “Hey, would you do me a favor?”

“If I can.”

“One of the PhD students said I could have some of their old equipment. It’s a giant monitor and several smaller things. Would you be able to swing by tomorrow and help me move it to our lab?”