Page 66 of Puck Me Twice

“What is it?” Arielle asks.

“You two have a lot in common with him,” I finally say. It’s not my place to go on about his private medical history, especially not things the public isn’t entitled to know.

Johanna smirks. “Well, it’s called neurospicy for a reason.”

“Do you want us to have a double—well, triple date?” Arielle asks. “You already know Asher and Sully. We can get together and prove it’s possible for a neurodivergent and neurotypical person to have a functional relationship.”

“I know you can. It’s not about that.” I rub at my forehead. “It’s just…”

Bex reaches across the table for my hand. “You’re in charge here, Van. He’ll have to adapt to your timeline. You can think about what you want. But you need to be sure.”

twenty-two

. . .

Sven

Giving Vanessa space may be the hardest fucking thing I’ve ever done. We go on a road trip and she sits with the other staffers at the back of the plane, and she doesn’t so much as look at me during meals, and⁠—

Pope notices. Other guys do, too, I’m sure. It’s just that Pope is the only one to say anything about it.

“Trouble in paradise?” He mocks as we get ready for practice on the third day of our road trip.

I’m going to beat his face in.

“Easy,” MacGregor says quietly. “He’s not worth getting suspended over.”

On that we can agree, at least.

From a distance, I watch—and as I watch her, I see Andrews watching her, too. And she’s looking back at him.

Does she want him back? Would she rather be with him than with me?

I respect that he doesn’t have feelings for her. But that doesn’t mean she feels the same way. She was so broken up over him, going so far as to concoct this insane plot when he first joined the team, and again last week when we talked after the kiss; she acted like they’d broken up last week rather than years ago. People aren’t that broken up over someone they don’t have feelings for. There is a part of her that still has feelings for him, whether she knows it or not.

So I guess the question is, what do I do about it?

When the plane lands later that night in Boston, I’m exhausted from the travel and the intensity of the game. The only thing I want to do is curl up in my bed and crash. As I fish my car keys out of my bag, I see my teammates headed for their cars, intent on heading home.

Vanessa lingers on the tarmac, her scarf blowing in the wind. Her blonde hair is loose, whipping around her in a maelstrom of waves. She looks like an angel, a sea of yellow and gold nestled amongst the darkness of the night.

“You okay, Nessie?” Andrews shouts to be heard, stopping in front of her.

Our eyes meet.

“I’m good, thanks,” she says, giving him a smile.

Andrews looks back at me over his shoulder, and I nod in passing. He tips his chin.

“I’m here if you need anything. K?” He sets his hand on her shoulder.

My blood boils over. That motherfucker. Is he trying to steal her out from under me? I’m going to⁠—

“Thanks, Robby,” she says. “I’ll be fine.”

Her eyes flick to mine.

“Do you need a ride home?” I ask lightly, half expecting her to tell me to fuck off and leave her alone.