Own Goal by L. A. Witt

Author:L. A. Witt
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-64230-161-8
Publisher: GallagherWitt

I wasn’t the only one who noticed the changed dynamic between Jarek and me.

Sawyer stopped me on the way to the locker room that evening. “Hey, did you and Yars kiss and make up or something?”

I almost dropped my coffee, and I laughed a little too loudly, the sound echoing in the concrete hallway. “Kiss and make up? What are you talking about?”

He shot me a pointed look. “So I’ve just been imagining the way you two have been cool lately? Or that you were one dirty look away from throwing gloves before that?”

“I, uh…” Okay. Fine. He was right. And I wasn’t surprised he’d noticed. Others probably had, too. Clearing my throat, I started walking again, and as he fell into step beside me, I said, “You know how it is sometimes. Guys don’t always get along right at the start.”

“Uh-huh. But that’s not ‘not getting along.’ And the way things are now—”

“We’re racking up points and don’t want to kill each other.” I elbowed him. “That’s a good thing, right?”

He eyed me as if he were contemplating whether to push. Then he put up his hands. “All right, all right.” He gave my shoulder a squeeze. “For the record, I don’t care if you boys are blowing each other as long as—”

“Shut up before you’re down a third tooth.”

He laughed and we continued into the locker room.

Of course, I zeroed right in on Jarek, who was helping Ferns tape something to Dolls’s paddle while Dima kept watch. I chuckled to myself even as my heart did that weird fluttery shit it had started doing every time I looked at Jarek.

I quickly didn’t look at Jarek, and I concentrated on getting into my gear. No point in drawing anyone else’s attention to the changed dynamic between us.

I was just pulling on my shin guards when a Swedish-accented, “Goddammit!” broke through the noise of the room.

Everyone turned. Of course it was Dolls, having discovered the mess Ferns and Jarek had made of his gear.

“Are you fuckers serious?” He pointed at his gear, which had been fastened together in a heap with stick tape, and he glared at the three of them. “This was you guys, wasn’t it?”

Instantly, all three of them were talking over each other, declaring their innocence and demanding to know where he found the audacity to make such ridiculous accusations.

Dolls just rolled his eyes and flipped them off.

They started cackling, and the rest of the room joined in, myself included.

As Dolls got to work breaking apart his gear so he could get ready, Jarek high-fived Ferns and Dima. So much for innocence. Then Jarek turned to head for his locker, and as he did, his gaze snagged on me.

And for a second…

Just a beat or two…

Our eyes locked.

His laughter seemed to freeze in his throat. Faltered a little. And then…

Oh, sweet Jesus. That smile wasn’t a laugh. It wasn’t a reaction to Dolls or their prank.

It was for me.

I didn’t know what the fuck it meant, or

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