Page 70 of The Offside Rule
“I have never behaved in my life,” she said without moving her lips.
Nate spotted us next and waved. “Dr. Davis.”
I winced. “Catherine. Please.”
“Right. Catherine.” He grinned. “You guys want to join?”
“No,” Billie said at the exact same time Liv said, “We’re good.”
Max leaned back and smirked. “Girl talk?”
Billie smiled sweetly. “The kind men are emotionally unqualified for.”
Leo laughed. “That’s fair. I’m just going to give my little sister a big hug,” he said standing from the booth and enveloping Liv in his big arms.
“You’re five minutes older than me that doesn’t make me your little sister,” Liv announced.
“Hey, I’m making it clear that you’re my family so that none of these guys flirt with you at the arena,” Leo said loud enough for everyone at the table behind him to hear. Leo was the sweet brother from what I’d heard. My parents were friends with Sierra and Nils, and I was close with Liv but Leo and Theo had spent the last number of years in university outside Boston playing D1 hockey so I didn’t know them so well.
Hunter looked amused as he looked right at me. Not in an obvious way. Not in a way anyone else would catch unless they were watching too closely. Unfortunately, every woman beside me was watching too closely.
“Okay enough with the hellos. Separate table,” Taylor said, grabbing my arm.
“Yes,” I said quickly. “Separate table.”
The hostess seated us two tables away, close enough that I could hear the guys if they got loud, far enough that we could pretend this was a normal coincidence and not a punishment from the universe. I sat with my back angled slightly away from Hunter, which lasted exactly twelve seconds before I looked over my shoulder. He was watching me. I turned back fast.
Billie rested her chin in her hand. “Subtle.”
“I hate you.”
“You keep saying that, but I’m the one carrying this friendship.”
Taylor leaned in. “So you kissed him?”
Liv gasped. “You did?”
Sadie’s brows shot up. “Oh, this is good.”
“Quiet,” I hissed, glancing toward the guys. “They’re right there.”
Billie looked over at their table, then back at me. “Was it good?”
I stared at my menu. Cinnamon French toast. Eggs Benedict. Omelet. Pancakes. None of that mattered because my brain had become a slideshow of Hunter’s hand in my hair.
“It was so good,” I said with nonchalance.
Billie’s eyes widened. “That was life-altering face.”
“It was a kiss,” I assured her.
“Was there wall contact?” Billie asked.
Liv choked on her water. “Wall contact?”
I covered my face.
Taylor whispered, “OMG, there was wall contact.”
