Page 37 of Pucking Bad Boys

“You have to promise me you’re not gonna laugh.”

She turns around in her chair to glare at me. “When have I ever laughed at you? Unless it’s an undeniably funny situation. But this looks serious.” Sam stands up. “Come on, let’s switch. My hair is done. Your turn. Straight or wavy?”

I look at my own reflection in the mirror. “It’s super humid today. Let’s go with wavy.”

Sam switches on the curling iron. “While this warms up, start spilling the tea.”

There’s nowhere to hide. “He touched me.”

Her eyes practically bulge out at my words. “Where?”

“It’s not what you think. It was just his fingers wrapped around my wrist. But he did that thing with his eyes.”

“What thing?” She groans. “Come on, Talia. You have to be a little more specific.”

I rub my fingers over the spot he touched on my wrist, like I’ve been doing all week. “He kept looking at my lips. You know, like in the movies when the guy is about to kiss her?”

Sam doesn’t say anything for a long moment, so I offer some of the thoughts that have been swirling in my head since Monday morning. “I didn’t have lip gloss or food on my teeth. I checked.”

“Shut up.” She laughs, but her tone returns to serious in the blink of an eye. “I don’t think you were imagining that, Talia.”

That surprises me. Part of the reason why I told Sam is that she would tell me the truth and nip the ridiculous notion that Macklin Shayba might like me in the bud.

“You don’t?”

“I never said anything, but when we started training camp, I caught him looking at you a few times.”

That can’t be right. “You did not.”

“I did.” She insists. “I didn’t say anything because I wanted to be sure first. Then I was cut from the team, so I don’t know if the few times I noticed him staring at you were just a fluke. And I didn’t want you to get your hopes up for someone who obviously had a revolving door to his bedroom.”

One of the many reasons why I love Sam is that she’ll always give it to me straight. Even if it’s not exactly what I want to hear. “Right. To be honest, Sam, I don’t even know what I would have done if Macklin had tried something with me. He might not live up to my dreams if anything happened between us. You know? My crush is based on the fact that he’s hot and he has this sexyvoice. And the way he moves. So powerful and yet graceful on and off the ice.”

Sam fans herself with her hand, and we both dissolve in a fit of giggles.

“So then kiss him.” She says once we calm down. “There’s no better way to find out if he’s worth dreaming about or not.”

“But what if I was wrong, and I really did have something in my teeth? He’s Macklin Shayba. He could have any woman he wants on or off campus. Why would he want me?”

My best friend sets the hot curling iron down on the tempered glass that tops my vanity and spins my chair around. “Why? Because you’re a catch, Talia. You’re smart, funny, loyal, and smoking hot. The question should be why wouldn’t he want you? You’re beautiful inside and out.”

I pull her down to hug her. “Thanks, babe. But you say that because you’re my best friend. But let’s face it. I’m not beautiful.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Is it time to get an eye test?”

“No. Come on, Sam. To you I’m beautiful because you love me, the same way my parents think I’m beautiful. But my legs are too short and?—”

She cuts me off. “I’ll stop you right now. I saw the last episode of that stupid reality show, too. Did Carole and Lexi get in your head? They had no right to say those things to you, Talia. Your body is perfect the way it is. Their standards are ridiculous and virtually impossible to achieve. They had notes about everyone’s appearance, with things they didn’t like or wanted to change. I know you could have used the money if you had been offered a contract, but a part of me is glad you didn’t. Not if their criticism has already gotten to you. You’re gorgeous and you’re healthy. And your legs aren’t too short; they’re proportionate to the rest of your body. If they wanted everyone to be six feet tall like Genevieve, they shouldn’t have selected dancers with differentbody types. So please, for the love of God, stop thinking about what they said to you.”

Deep down, I know she’s right.

But it’s hard not to let that rejection get to me. “Fine.” I exhale. “But even if Macklin wants me, he’s Genevieve’s ex.”

“Yeah, well. No one’s perfect.” Sam laughs.

“I’m serious, Sammie. What about girl code?”

Sam’s hands go to her hips as she pins me with a hard stare. “What about it? Girl code is for friends. You would have to worry about it if Mack were my ex. But you don’t owe Gen anything.”