Novels by Akpobi

Paige’s POVI couldn't move.My feet stayed rooted to the spot as if the ice beneath the rink had somehow frozen around my ankles instead.My fingers tightened around the clipboard in my hands as my eyes stayed fixed on them.I couldn’t stop replaying lunch.We’ve been on and off for years.He’s ridiculously hot.A bitter laugh stuck in my throat, but I swallowed it whole. Of course it was Knox. Life must really have a vendetta against me. Everything suddenly looked clearer.The hot-and-cold behavior.Pretending not to know me in Mrs. Anderson’s office. The way he’d pushed me away after Saturday.He had a girlfriend. My stomach twisted so violently I thought I might actually throw up.Then why didn't he say anything about her? Why defend me? Why kiss me? Why have s—.On second thought, why would he? I'm just his sister's best friend, who he hates. We weren't an item. This was a fling and nothing more. I took a shaky breath in and lifted my eyes. And met his, and he just looked awa

Paige’s POVThe next day was my first official day at my new internship.I should’ve been excited.A placement with the athletics department was something I’d worked hard for, but as I got ready that morning, excitement sat side by side with a knot of nerves in my stomach.Hopefully I wouldn't have to interact with the hockey team too much. Specifically…… Knox.Or Mike.It was raining and chilly, so I pulled on dark skinny jeans and my favorite cream knit sweater—the one Leah gave me for my birthday because she insisted it made my eyes look prettier. I paired it with comfortable brown ankle boots, to keep my feet and ankles dry. After brushing my hair into a high ponytail, I gave myself one last look in the mirror.Simple. Comfortable. This was definitely appropriate for work. I was to meet Mrs. Anderson in her office, and I secretly hoped she’d keep me buried under stacks of contracts and sponsorship files in her office and I would go home without seeing Knox or Mike.That hope last

Paige’s POVMike towered over me, handsome as ever.He wore a fitted black T-shirt beneath a navy varsity jacket, sleeves pushed up to his forearms, with faded blue jeans and white sneakers. His dark curls were slightly messy, probably from hockey practice, and for one ridiculous second he looked exactly like the boy I’d fallen in love with.I followed him outside across the courtyard separating the athletics building from the law faculty. I stopped outside the law building and crossed my arms over my chest. “Okay.” I looked up at him. “What do you want? Make it quick.”Mike exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. He looked at me with an expression he had used on me a million times over the course of our relationship, the one designed to make me feel like the difficult and unreasonable one. “I want you to give me another chance.”I almost laughed. “I’ve already told you a thousand times” I shook my head. “No.” Frustration bled into his face. “Babe, it’s been weeks

Paige's POV “Paige Carter,” she said. “This is Knox Tatum. He’s one of the players on the university hockey team, and you’ll be working with him for your placement this semester.”For the briefest second, surprise flashed across Knox’s face and disappeared. He looked at me like he’d never seen me before. Like I hadn’t been in his bed. Like he hadn’t spent Saturday night screaming at me.He stepped forward and held out his hand.“Knox Tatum.” His voice was low and warm, completely unbothered. “Nice to meet you.”The words landed like a slap.I stared at his hand for half a heartbeat before forcing myself to take it.“Paige Carter.” I gave him a smile I hoped didn’t look as forced as it felt. If he could pretend he didn't know me, I could too. “Nice to meet you too.” He let go of my hand almost immediately, as if they burned him.Mrs. Anderson smiled, completely oblivious to the tension hanging between us.“Perfect. Now that you’ve met, let me explain how this placement is going to

Paige’s POVThe silence inside Leah’s car was nothing like our usual rides to campus.Normally, whenever Leah managed to make it out of bed early enough for campus, she'd have music blasting through the speakers, singing every lyric whether she knew the words or not.She was the first to break the silence.“You’re really not going to do it?”I looked out the window.“I'm not, Lee. I’m going to get it changed.” “You’re talking about the athletics placement, Paige?” She glanced towards me, before looking back to the road. “This would be so good for you.”I nodded.“Yes, but you know I can’t work with the hockey team.”“Because of Mike?”I laughed without humor. “Mike’s part of it.”Leah sighed. “And Knox.”There was no point pretending.“Yes.” I rested my head against the window. “I can’t spend the next four months following your brother around with paperwork after everything that’s happened.”“And Mike’s there too,” I continued. “It’s already awkward enough.”Leah bit her lip.“I’m so

Knox’s POVI watched her walk off into the building, jaw tight, hands still gripping the steering wheel.The hurt slashed on her face, had speared me in the chest like a hot poker. “It wasn’t her fault,” Leah said. “I was the one who started it,” she went on. “With Avery. She didn’t do anything wrong.”“I know.” “Then why’d you go off on her like that?”I didn’t have a clean answer.Leah studied me a second longer, waiting, then shook her head and reached for the door handle. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”“Leah—”“It’s fine, Knox.” She got out, closing the door quietly behind her, none of the anger from a minute ago in it anymore — just tired.I watched her walk inside after Paige before I finally pulled away from the curb.Did I do too much?I kept seeing it — the way Paige’s face had shifted while I was talking, that flicker of hurt she’d tried to cover fast, the way she’d gone quiet instead of arguing back the way she normally would have. That wasn’t like her.It didn't matter. It