I jumped off the bench. I had an excuse primed, ready on my tongue. I swallowed it when I heard a low, dangerous growl behind me. “You have the worst timing,” Joseph grumbled, rising to his feet. “Tell me, which one of my friends told you where to find me?” A familiar presence walked to my side.
Asher Cynthia wasn’t willing to believe my word alone about Joseph. Fine. I would figure out what he was up to and prove it to her. Over the past few days, I’d been noticing Joseph spending more time with the hockey team. Even today, as I was walking through the lounge in the athlete’s dorm, he
“I see I’ve given you a lot to think about,” Joseph said, smug. “Try not to hurt yourself.” I growled in reply, low and warning, and his eyes went wide again. He stepped back too quickly and tripped over a chair. Immediately, he jumped to his feet and all but ran from the room. I had thought t
Another night, I was again cheering at one of Asher’s hockey games. A sober aura hung among the crowd. Since the typical second-line right winger was out with injury, they’d brought up someone from the fourth line. That empty fourth line spot was then filled in by an unknown. Asher hadn’t seemed
“First with the injury, and now this. They knew our plays. Coach insisted he had the playbook locked up. No one should know our plays, unless…” I was pleased he was sharing his worries with me. I felt special, as his confident. But I worried too. I didn’t want Asher to be in danger. And he just
Follow your heart, Nicole had told me once. I remembered those words now, watching Asher trapped in his own intense anger. “Cynthia?” Joseph asked. He was waiting for his answer. My heart wanted to stay with Asher. How could I leave him alone as he was? Whatever Joseph wanted to talk about c
You’re my best friend’s sister. It had hurt then. It still hurt now. I wouldn’t ask him again. I wouldn’t even bring attention to it. I would accept this closeness. I would take whatever I could get. It would have to be enough. “Asher,” I said, a tiny moan. I willed him to touch me too.
I stared at Joseph, mouth agape in my disbelief. He wanted me… to be his girlfriend? “Give me the chance to do things right this time.” Joseph offered a boyish smile. “Remember how much fun we had together? It could be like that all the time.” We’d had fun, sure. Back then, I had thought I was i