Page 20 of Proposal Play
I breathe past the empty ache in my chest and focus on refuting Fable’s example. “Just because it happened to Cooper after a player auction doesn’t mean it’ll happen to us.”
Josie smiles impishly. “I don’t think we said anything would happen. But maybe it’s on your mind?”
I give her a pointed look. “It’s not,” I say. I’d be terrible for Asher for so many reasons. Hell, I’m terrible for me when it comes to romance. I’m terrified of losing people, so I hold on too tightly. And that painting kiss aside, our friendship works beautifully as is. I don’t want to risk anything more.
Fable hums, then tucks a strand of red hair behind her ear. “Seems like he likes putting up with you.”
“Well, we are friends,” I point out.
She laughs, shaking her head. “That’s not what I mean. I’ve seen the way you two are together.”
I frown, genuinely puzzled. “And?”
“And you kind of flirt with Asher,” she says with a knowing smile.
A flash of guilt lances through me. Like, wrapping my arms around him in public? Like, pretending he’s mine in front of that woman? Like, kissing him on the sidewalk? But that wasn’t even a real kiss. I can’t get caught up in it any more than I already did earlier in the week. “Fine, we like to tease each other,” I concede. “But it’s not really flirting. We’re just comfortable.”
Everly chuckles, taking a sip of her latte. “If that’s what you want to call it.”
“That’s what it is,” I say firmly.
Josie narrows her eyes at me. “But you did kiss him last week.”
I sit up straighter, caught off guard. I didn’t tell them about the kiss on the street. There wasn’t anything to tell, really. That kiss was to get Miranda off his back. “How did you know about that?”
Leighton seems to fight off a smile. “The Internet.”
Josie lifts a playful brow. “You know, that thing where people post pictures of other people?” She pulls out her phone and shows me a picture on the social media feed of someone with the handle SeaDogsfangirl. It must be someone who was at the auction. The picture is taken from a distance, and it’s dark, but there it is—Asher kissing me.
My chest goes a little tingly as I look at it. A fizzy feeling spreads briefly under my skin, and I’m reliving that kiss once more.
But I’ve been accused of being the world’s clingiest girlfriend, so I’m definitely not clinging to this—a kiss with my brother’s best friend. A kiss withmyfriend. A fake kiss, for all intents and purposes.
Even though, as I look at the picture, I feel that kiss in every cell in my body.
8
A SEND-OFF GIFT
Asher
I’m lacing up my skates in the locker room before practice Friday morning when Wesley clears his throat from the stall next to mine.
“Callahan,” he says, his tone serious.
I grab my helmet. “What’s up, Bryant?”
His dark eyes are unreadable. “We have something for your trip to Sin City.”
I’m heading to the airport right after practice, which is no secret…obviously.
From across the room, Miles chimes in as he tugs on his jersey. “We figured you could use a…getaway gift.”
Their tag-teaming is making me suspicious. “Why am I getting the feeling this is going to be like the fake tooth kit we got Hugo last year?”
I glance at the defenseman. Hugo Bergstrand is known for both his solid defending and occasional stints in thepenalty box. The bearded brute just smiles. “It’s better than fake teeth.”
From across the room, Max reaches into his stall and pulls out…an erasable marker? What the hell?