Page 37 of Practice Makes Perfect (Pine Barren University #2)

twenty-three

EM

I lean against the wall outside the hockey team’s locker room, trying not to look like I’m stalking the sweaty, half-naked hockey players inside. Although honestly, I wouldn’t mind if one specific player happened to emerge in that state right about now.

“Just five minutes,” Lea had promised before disappearing into what I imagine is a testosterone-scented cave of equipment bags and communal showers. “I’ll just pop in to congratulate Mike, then we can go home and get ready for the party.”

That was twelve minutes ago. I’ve counted every second because my phone died halfway through the third period, leaving me with nothing but the peeling paint on the opposite wall to entertain me.

I trace a pattern in it that looks vaguely like Abraham Lincoln if you squint and have an active imagination.

I’m exhausted after a shift at the diner yesterday, double dance class this morning, and then rushing to make it to the game on time—which I failed at spectacularly, sliding into my seat next to Lea during the second period just in time to see Linc’s incredible transformation into a literal human tornado.

Yet despite the bone-deep tiredness, I feel strangely… buzzy.

It’s like I’ve had three espressos, but the caffeine has bypassed my brain and gone straight to my heart, which hasn’t stopped racing since Linc spotted me in the stands and gave me that thumbs-up. The one that made Lea elbow me so hard I’ll probably have a bruise tomorrow.

“Did you see that?” she’d whispered. “He looked right at you.”

I played it cool. “He’s probably looking at someone behind me.”

But I knew he wasn’t. There was something electric about that moment—something that passed between us when our eyes met, something that made my skin prickle with awareness and my chest tighten with a strange mixture of pride and longing.

It’s terrifying how quickly I’m falling for him.

This wasn’t part of our arrangement.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

And yet…

A burst of female laughter interrupts my spiral of thoughts. Three girls walk past, all wearing Pine Barren University sweatshirts and jeans so tight they must require special tools to remove. I recognize one of them from one of my classes—Kimberly, or possibly Kylie, I’m not sure.

“God, did you see Linc tonight?” one of them says, sighing dramatically. “I swear I nearly came in my seat.”

I feel my cheeks flame even as my ears perk up involuntarily.

“He’s literally perfect,” says another, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “Like, have you ever heard anyone say anything bad about him? Ever?”

“Unicorn,” declares the third. “Hot, smart, good in bed, and actually nice. A mythical creature.”

“I heard he’s, like, really attentive,” Kimberly/Kylie adds, audible even as they head down the hallway. “Jessica from my Psych class hooked up with him…”

As they get out of earshot, something hot and uncomfortable settles in my stomach. I’ve never felt this particular flavor of emotion before—like I’ve swallowed a porcupine, and its quills are slowly expanding outward, poking at my insides. It takes me a moment to identify it.

Jealousy.

“Em?”

I jolt so violently I nearly headbutt Lea, who has somehow materialized in front of me while I was busy having an existential crisis over girls I don’t know discussing Linc’s sexual prowess, and weighing up whether I want to stab them for stepping onto my turf or continue to refuse that I’d staked a claim at all.

“Jesus, Lea!” I press a hand to my chest. “Make some noise next time! Wear a bell! Something!”

She raises an eyebrow. “I called your name three times. What planet were you on?”

“Sorry, I was just…” I trail off, unsure how to explain the tornado of thoughts in my head.

Lea studies me for a moment, her head tilting slightly in that way that always reminds me of a curious bird. “What’s up with you?”

“Nothing,” I say automatically, then sigh. There’s no point hiding anything from Lea. “I just overheard some girls talking about Linc.”

“And?”

“And apparently he’s a ‘unicorn,’” I make air quotes with my fingers, “because he’s hot, funny, smart, and actually nice to women he sleeps with.”

Lea’s lips twitch. “This is… news to you?”

“No,” I admit, pushing off from the wall and heading for the exit. “But hearing them talk about him like that made me feel… weird.”

“Weird how?”

“Weird like I wanted to trip them as they walked past,” I mutter, avoiding her eyes. “Or maybe accidentally spill something on their perfect hair.”

Lea’s eyebrows shoot so high they nearly disappear into her hairline. “Em Dubois, are you jealous?”

“No!” I protest, then immediately cave under her knowing look. “Maybe? I don’t know. It’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid,” Lea says, linking her arm through mine as we head toward the exit. “But it is interesting.”

I say nothing as we step out into the cool night air, a welcome relief after the stuffy arena hallway. I take in a deep breath of fresh air, glad Lea snapped me out of my brain’s swan dive into the abyss of uncertainty, but not really wanting to hear her dissect my contradictions right now.

“So,” Lea says as soon as we’re away from the throng of fans outside the arena. “You were jealous of random girls discussing Linc’s bedroom skills.”

I groan. “Can we just pretend I never said that?”

“Absolutely not,” Lea says cheerfully. “This is the most entertaining thing that’s happened to me all day.”

“What about watching your brother captain a championship-level hockey team to victory?”

“Eh.” She waves her free hand dismissively.

“I’ve seen Mike play hockey since we were kids, and he’s on the bench, not the ice.

But I’ve never seen you get jealous over a guy before.

This is unprecedented territory , and after my emotional turmoil last semester, it feels like you’re owed some counselling. ”

I pull my jacket tighter around me as a gust of wind cuts through the quad. “I think I’m falling for him, Lea.”

The words hang in the air between us, more real now that I’ve said them aloud. Lea doesn’t respond immediately, and I glance over to find her nodding slowly, a small smile playing at her lips. It’s like she’s been waiting for me to say those words.

“Well,” she says finally. “I can’t say I’m shocked.”

“You’re not?”

“Em, you wore his jersey to a game. That’s basically a marriage proposal.”

“The jersey was your idea!” I protest.

“And you couldn’t wait to put it on,” she counters.

I can’t argue with that. I’d practically snatched the jersey from her hands, and the weight of it on my shoulders had felt oddly significant, like I was wrapping myself in a piece of him.

“Besides,” Lea continues, “the way you look at him… it’s not exactly subtle.”

“That obvious, huh?”

“Only to someone who knows you as well as I do.” She pauses at an intersection, waiting for the light to change. “So what are you going to do?”

I stare at the blinking pedestrian signal. “I have no idea.”

She doesn’t respond immediately, so as we cross the street, I sigh and fill her in on what happened the other night—how Linc showed up at our door unannounced, looking stressed and vulnerable. How we watched a movie together, and then one thing led to another…

“Wait,” Lea interrupts, her eyes wide. “He came to our place? Just because?”

“He said things were tense with Mike.”

“That doesn’t explain why he came to you specifically.” She gives me a look. “He could have gone to Dec’s or Maine’s or literally anywhere else.”

I hadn’t considered that. “I guess… but it’s probably just because I’m a good listener.”

Lea snorts. “Right. He definitely showed up at our apartment at night to talk .”

“We did talk!”

“Before or after he had his hands all over you?”

My cheeks heat up. “Before. And during. And…” I trail off. “Anyway, the point is, he took off right after. Like, practically ran out the door.”

“What, no cuddling?” Lea sounds genuinely surprised.

“None. Zero.” I kick a pebble down the sidewalk. “One minute he was… you know… and the next he was gone. Said he had an early practice.”

“On a Saturday night?”

“Exactly.” I sigh, slumping slightly. “What if I’m the only one catching feelings, Lea? What if this is still just an arrangement to him? A convenient hookup?”

“Em, guys don’t show up at your door when they’re having a bad day if they just want a convenient hookup.” Lea stops walking and turns to face me. “They text at 2 a.m. asking if you’re ‘up.’ They don’t come over to watch movies and talk about their problems.”

I hadn’t thought about it that way.

“And let’s not forget how he looked at you during the game,” she continues. “Like you were the only person in that entire arena. Even Mike noticed.”

“Mike noticed?” I squeak. “Oh God, this is a disaster.”

“Call it whatever you want,” Lea says, rolling her eyes. “But I think you’re both on the same page without realizing it. Or maybe you’re both afraid to admit it.”

We’ve reached our building now, and I pause outside the door, considering Lea’s words. Even the possibility sets my mind racing at a million miles an hour, but I keep circling back to the same two questions: Could she be right? Could Linc be feeling the same confusion and longing that I am?

“Even if you’re right, do I just blurt out?” I say finally. “Hey, I know we agreed no feelings, but surprise! I’ve caught them anyway. Hope that’s cool with you!”

Lea laughs. “Maybe try for something with a little more finesse than that, but essentially, yes.”

“I’ll think about it,” I promise, fishing my keys from my pocket.

“Think fast, because we’re going to Declan’s party in a few hours, and Linc will definitely be there,” Lea says as I open the door and we both head inside. “Now let’s find you something to wear that’ll make him forget his own name and want to fuck you silly.”

“Lea!” I protest.