Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
I bite the bottom one.
He groans and stretches his arm across the back of the seat. Leaning in, he captures my bottom lip between his and sucks gently. He backs off with a sigh. “We need to talk about literally anything else. Why are you double majoring?”
I stop torturing us and switch gears. “Because a degree in English is nice, but the job opportunities aren’t as plentiful as they are with a kinesiology degree. I’ll probably go directly into a master’s program when I’m done. What about you? Is your goal to make the pros?”
“Ideally, yes. I’ve been drafted, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever get called up. It just depends on how well I’m able to balance the demands of school, hockey, and everything else.” Chase traces circles on my shoulder while he talks. “And if I can improve my skill set between now and the end of my time here.”
“That seems like a ton of pressure. I don’t even have a part-time job and I find the balance between schoolwork and the social stuff hard enough to handle. I can’t imagine how challenging it is with hockey basically seven days a week,” I muse.
Chase shrugs. “It’s my passion. Kind of like writing is yours. You do it because you love it.”
“And I love the feedback.” Sometimes people leave shitty reviews, but most of the time they have nice things to say. It can be a confidence booster, and it’s addictive.
“It’s not so different from hockey, apart from the physicality. I love the game and there’s a thrill from having all those people cheering you on.”
“I can see that.” I nod thoughtfully. “But it must get a little old when everyone wants a piece of you.”
He fingers the end of my braid. “Not going to lie, it was fun at first, but it got old really fast. I started to feel like a cardboard cutout. Everything felt hollow, if that makes sense.” His blue gaze meets mine. “And then there you were.”
“I was always there.”
“I wasn’t ready for you yet.”
“And you think you are now?”
“Yeah. Definitely.”
The server arrives with our appetizers. We place our dinner orders and dig in.
“These are to die for,” I mumble around a mouthful of brussels sprout.
“Right?” Chase pops another one into his mouth.
We chat through dinner—about classes, goals, and our families. It’s wild how we’re connected through all these hockey people. He tells me stories about how his brother’s car got covered in sticky notes last week and how his sister created a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as an oil painting just for fun one year for his dad’s birthday. He also asks me about my favorite comfort foods and what I daydream about. Having his undivided attention makes me giddy.
Chase polishes off all the appetizers and finishes what I can’t. When I try to go halves with him, he covers my hand with his. “I literally hoovered seventy-five percent of the food we ordered and finished what would have been some nice leftovers for you. I have no expectations beyond this. I’d just like to pay if that’s okay with you.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
He hands over his debit card and once the bill is settled, we head out into the brisk cool night.
“Crap.” Chase runs a hand through his hair and his expression turns apologetic. “The movie started almost an hour ago. I didn’t realize we’d been at the restaurant this long.”
I shove my hands in my jacket pockets. “It’s okay. I’ve seen The Hobbit a bunch of times.” Like over a hundred. “We can do something else.”
Chase consults his phone. “One of the guys on my team is throwing a party tonight. It’s only a couple of blocks away. We could go for a bit. I think Brody, Mac, and Gage will be there, so you’ll know people and I can introduce you to my other friends?” He chews on the inside of his lip and gives me puppy-dog eyes.
I splay my hand over his face. “That expression is completely unfair.”
He takes my hand in his and kisses my palm, batting his long, pretty lashes. “Please, Cammie? I want you to meet my teammates. It’ll be fun. We don’t have to stay long.”
I’ve never gone to an off-campus party. Essie would be so proud of me. “Okay. We can go to the party.”
CHAPTER 17
CHASE
“This house is huge.” Cammie steps over an empty beer can and climbs the stairs of the front porch.
“Yeah. One of the guys who lives here is loaded. Well, his parents are loaded. So they bought him this house.” He’s a decent hockey player, but not pro material. He enjoys the perks of being on the school team and spends more time partying than he does attending classes. He’s been on academic probation for the past two years. Apparently, his parents regularly make donations and he keeps getting second chances. My friend Mac also lives with him. The only things the two of them have in common are their mutual love of hockey and a good party.