All Chapters of Breaking The Ice Between Us: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Harper POVThe morning tastes like burnt coffee and regret.I’ve been awake since five, pacing the sorority kitchen, replaying everything in a loop — the kiss, his texts, the fact that I still haven’t answered him.By the time the vendor call starts at nine, I’ve gone through three cups of coffee and the kind of pep talk that should’ve earned me a motivational speaking license.I’m fine.I’m composed.I’m Harper Lane — president, planner, professional.I repeat it until I almost believe it.Lila sits beside me at the long dining table, laptop open, headset on, watching me like she expects me to combust mid-call.The screen flickers to life — the event sponsor, Daniel Myers, a polished PR guy from one of the biggest sports brands in the state. Perfect teeth. Smile that could sell a thousand jerseys.“Morning, ladies,” he says. “Hope I’m not catching you too early.”“Not at all,” I say, adjusting my headset. “We’re excited to finalize the details for the charity gala. The vendor list is

Harper POVBy the time I finally get back to Alpha Chi, I’ve read the email three times and still can’t decide whether to scream or laugh.Date Auction — Headliners: Harper Lane & Logan Shaw.My name looks wrong next to his, like someone misspelled reality.The kitchen smells like burnt toast and coffee grounds. Two sisters are huddled by the counter scrolling through the same announcement, their whispers stopping the second I walk in.“Harper,” one of them starts carefully, “we just saw—”“Yeah,” I say before she can finish. “It’s true. Apparently I’ve been volunteered as merchandise.”They exchange a look I don’t want to decode.I grab a mug, pour coffee, and ignore the way my hands shake.Lila appears a minute later, hair up, eyes sharp. “Please tell me you’ve already called PR.”“I texted them.” I take a scalding sip. “Then I texted him.”Her brows rise. “Logan?”“I asked if he knew. He says he found out this morning.” I let out a humorless laugh. “Convenient.”Lila folds her arms

Harper POVBy the time I reach my room, I’m shaking.Not from anger. Not from the cold draft sneaking through the cracked window.From him.From the way his voice dropped when he said it’s been you.From the way he kissed me like we were both starving.From the way he looked at me right after—like he wasn’t sure whether to pull me closer or apologize for existing.My hands won’t stop trembling.I shut the door quietly behind me and lean against it, eyes squeezed shut, trying to breathe through the chaos still burning under my skin.The smell of vanilla candle wax and old perfume fills the air. My bed’s half-made, my notebook open on the desk beside the vase of white tulips, petals glowing soft under the lamplight.I stare at them for a long time.Perfect. Beautiful. Wrong.He said he didn’t send them.Which means someone else did.And somehow that feels worse.Because for one small, foolish second I thought they were an apology. That maybe he’d remembered what my favorite flower was.

Harper POVI told them I didn’t want to come.I told them I had a paper due, an inbox full of chapter emails, and zero interest in watching a bunch of sweaty hockey players bash each other around on ice.But somehow, here I am—front row at the student section, wearing a Titan sweatshirt I borrowed from Lila and holding a foam finger like it’s a weapon.The arena buzzes with energy—cold air, thumping music, lights flashing off the boards. Students stomp their feet in rhythm, chanting, shouting names I only halfway recognize.And then they announce his.“Number 17, Captain Logan Shaw!”The sound is a gut punch.I feel it before I can think about it—the way my pulse stutters, the way my breath goes shallow.He skates onto the ice like he owns it.Helmet on, visor low, that perfect balance of strength and ease that used to make high school girls trip over themselves in the bleachers.Lila elbows me. “You okay?”“Fine.”“You look like you just saw your midterm grade.”“I said I’m fine.”Sh

HarperThe car is still warm from the heater when we pull out of the arena parking lot, the windows fogged at the corners, the air buzzing with leftover game hype.Kenzie’s driving like she’s in a Fast & Furious audition, music low but thumping.Mia is in the passenger seat scrolling TikTok.Lila and I are in the back, her arm hooked through mine like she’s afraid I’ll bolt.“Okay,” Kenzie announces, slapping her palm on the steering wheel, “I vote we go out.”“No,” I say immediately.“Yes,” Mia says at the exact same time.Lila pats my thigh. “Harper, come on. It’s Friday, we just dominated on the ice, you wore your cute red scarf, and the bar’s probably packed with people celebrating.”“Exactly why I don’t want to go,” I mutter.Kenzie snorts. “You literally just watched a hundred hockey players skate around for two hours.”“That was different.”“How?” Mia twists around in her seat to stare at me. “Because you weren’t three feet away from the one who kissed you?”I sink lower in the