Page 14 of Devious Obsession
It’s fine.
But it makes online clothes shopping a pain in the ass.
Anyway—besidesthat, we could be sisters. My two sisters already look more like her than me, pulling my mother’s complexion. I got Mom’s nose, and the rest seems to come from Dad’s side of the family. Dark hair, pale skin with the tendency to freckle, green eyes, height…
We return to our seats, and Thalia murmurs something to her friends, an excuse for me rushing away. I ignore Amanda’s questioning glances and remind myself that she’s graduated. She’s just here for the game.
So am I. And once it’s over, I’m never going to another hockey game.
2
STEELE
“I’m pretty sure you’re seeing things,” Miles mumbles, following me into Haven.
We lost our game. Fucking spectacularly.
My plan is to get fucking blasted and go home. I could’ve just skipped the going out part and drank at home, but Miles and Knox are convincing assholes.
Knox and Greyson are ahead of us, first in the door, and they’re greeted with cheers of support. More subdued than if we had won, butdamn it. Our first game of the season, and we were as jumbled as newborn kittens.
“Coach is going to have our ass tomorrow,” I warn. My job is to stop the puck before it gets to Miles, but it felt like getting hit with a freight train. Repeatedly.
“We can’t win them all,” Finch says, ever helpful. “They’re one of the best teams in the league, it’s just bad luck that we got them first…”
Miles groans. “Which makes itworse.”
We get to the bar, and I lean against it until the bartender reappears. She smiles at me, sliding a beer my way. Then one to Miles, who definitely isn’t old enough to drink. Not that anyone gives a fuck.
Haven isn’t as thoroughly packed tonight. There’s a sea of blue and silver, sure, and there are fans gathering around each teammate already. Less than five seconds after we walked in. And I’m really just sick of trying to put on a good face.
I scout out Greyson, who’s having none of the bullshit either. He’s in a corner booth with Violet and her friends, so I take my beer and head their way.
A weird sense of déjà vu washes over me a split second before I arrive at the table.
“Join us, O’Brien,” Greyson offers. He points to the end seat across from him.
The horseshoe-shaped booths are nice for cramming in as many people as space will allow, and the girls dutifully shift to make room for me.
“Have you met our two new transfers, Steele?” Amanda asks, batting her eyes at me.
“I thought you graduated.” I sip my beer.
Still, I take the bait and look at the girl sitting beside me. Long, light-brown hair. Blue eyes. Petite.
Then the other, sandwiched between Violet and Willow, isher.
My heart picks up speed, but I don’t know how to react. She’s not looking at me. Her eyes are glued to the table, to the pink drink in front of her. The harder I stare, the more she seems unwilling to acknowledge me.
Doesn’t matter.
I know her all the same.
“Thalia Armitage,” Violet is introducing, although her voice is registering like bees, but it snaps to surprising clarity when she says, “And Aspen Monroe.”
Aspen.
Monroe.
