Chapter 15 Grayson
Chapter 15
Grayson
Damien was talking about himself. Surprise, surprise. Today, he was bragging about how many colleges were scouting him to play hockey for them. The way he spoke, you’d think he was the only player on the Devils who had hockey prospects beyond high school. I chose not to correct him. This wasn’t a competition. And if it was, I honestly didn’t care who won. You might have a million offers on the table, but you could only accept one, and that was all that mattered. I had my own future to worry about. Once Reed and I had finally made it to signing day and committed to Ryker, I’d concern myself with where Damien was going next year. Hopefully, he’d end up at a school on the other side of the country. Or better yet, the other side of the world. Did they play ice hockey in Australia?
I kept my focus on my tray of food, so all I had to do was nod and murmur in agreement as Damien continued to talk. I’d been avoiding him as much as possible since he’d arrived back in town, and the only reason I was anywhere near him right now was because it was almost time for my next coaching session with Paige.
I was still questioning my decision to pitch this plan to her. Suggesting she flirt with me in front of Damien was an attempt to create an opportunity for her to look at me the way I dreamed she would. I’d been trying to take Reed’s advice and be more proactive. But I was a little concerned my plan might work too well .
Damien was definitely interested in Paige. He’d already asked if we were together, and I’d seen the excitement in his gaze when I’d told him we weren’t. It was likely Paige had already caught his attention but, knowing Damien, watching her flirt with me would get the job done in no time.
Until recently, I could have just uttered a few strong words to Damien and he’d instantly forget he was ever into Paige. But I’d sworn to her I’d back off, so that was out of the question. To be honest, it probably wouldn’t work on Damien anyway. He wasn’t like the other guys around here. He didn’t care about my reputation. He was too preoccupied with his own. And if Damien was anything like the kid we all hung out with years ago, he wouldn’t be the least bit worried about pissing me off. In fact, I think he’d enjoy it.
My palms were sweaty as I waited for Paige to get to the cafeteria. I’d only been here ten minutes, but it felt like the longest lunch period of my life. Damien was still talking, and I had to wonder how he managed to eat and speak at the same time without muffling his words. It was quite an impressive skill. Maybe he’d get offered a college scholarship for that too.
“You hear that, Grayson?” Damien said. “They offered me a full ride.”
“Yeah, that’s great,” I replied, with absolutely no idea what team he was talking about.
Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and my body stiffened when Paige spoke. “Mind if I sit here?”
I wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved she had arrived, so Damien would finally shut up, or pissed because that meant it was time to start luring him in. But as I looked up at her, I forgot there were any warring feelings within me. I knew she must be nervous, but there was a sense of confidence in her gaze and mischief in the slight tilt of her lips. All I could feel was awe, because damn, my best friend was beautiful when she was going after what she wanted. I just needed to keep working to make sure that thing was me .
“I don’t mind at all.” My voice came out low and husky. She had absolutely no idea the effect she was already having on me.
Paige gave me a wink, then lowered herself onto my lap and twisted her hands around my neck. I froze. I’d known she was going to flirt with me, but I hadn’t realized that meant she’d be using me as her own personal chair. Not that I was complaining.
She shifted on me as she got comfortable. No, I definitely wasn’t complaining. Though I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself. I had no idea where to put my hands, and I settled with lightly resting them on her waist. I was wary of doing anything that might make her uncomfortable, but she didn’t seem the least bit concerned by our closeness.
As she smiled down at me, I wondered how I was going to get through lunch without bursting into flames. It felt as though we were playing with flickering sparks next to a forest of dry tinder. One wrong move and we’d set everything ablaze.
I’d gotten so good at containing my feelings. At making sure she didn’t realize the depth of how much I cared for her. But for once I didn’t have to restrain myself. I didn’t have to pretend I wasn’t in love with her. If anything, I was supposed to be doing the exact opposite. I needed to play along with her. Not that it would be any challenge. I wanted to kiss her. To put my hand in her hair and pull her closer to me. Though that would probably be taking my performance too far .
I wondered if she could sense the direction of my thoughts, because her eyes flickered with surprise, and she bit her lower lip as her gaze darted down to mine.
“Hey, P,” Damien said from my side.
“Oh, hi, Damien,” Paige replied, though her gaze didn’t leave mine. She couldn’t have seemed less interested in him, and while I knew she was doing it for show, it was hard not to smile in response. She was looking at me like I was the guy she wanted, and my poor heart was struggling not to fall for the act. I would do just about anything to have her look at me this way all the time. To look at me this way for real.
“Wow, Grayson.” Paige smiled coyly at me as she ran her fingers across my shoulders. “Have you been working out?”
Her words broke the bubble surrounding us, reminding me this was just pretend. It was the same line she’d used on the lake yesterday. Maybe she was sticking with what worked. Only, she couldn’t know just how effective it was. It wasn’t the line itself, more the sound of her soft, seductive voice and the feel of her fingers trailing across my shoulders and onto the back of my neck.
“I’ve got to impress the girls somehow,” I said, managing to compose myself enough to form a reply. “It’s not exactly my friendly personality that gets them going.”
“Aw, I like your personality.” She laughed lightly. “Besides, there’s something so sexy about broody guys.”
“Is there now?” That was news to me, but I kept my tone casual and inquisitive, rather than shocked. My mom was always gushing about the broody love interests in her books, but no one wanted that guy in the real world, did they? It was the equivalent of choosing to go for a walk in a storm instead of on a bright, sunny day. And I knew how much Paige hated storms.
“Uh-huh.” Her fingers were now slowly sliding down the center of my chest. “Especially when they’re so incredibly talented at hockey.”
Damien cleared his throat beside us. “Well, P. Lucky for you, you’re surrounded by a whole team of talented hockey players.”
Ugh. I’d almost forgotten he was there. Apparently, our little charade was working. When I glanced at Damien there was an eager look in his eyes. It was my eighth birthday all over again, but this time I wasn’t letting him steal my candles. Paige was mine, and now I’d gotten a taste of what it would be like to have her look at me like I was hers too, I wasn’t going to give her up without a fight.
“Perhaps.” Paige responded to Damien’s comment, but she was still looking at me. “But when I come to games, I’ve only got room for one number on my jersey. And I have always liked the number seven...”
I grinned up at her, and she returned my smile. She always wore my number to our games. I never wanted that to change. It would kill me to see her supporting someone else.
The bell rang and Paige glanced up at the sound. “Oh, is lunch over already?”
She went to stand, but I instinctively gripped her waist tighter, keeping her firmly seated on my lap. Her mouth popped open, as though I’d caught her by surprise, but then she smirked. “Aren’t you going to let me go?”
“Never.”
“N-never?” she stammered her reply, making me realize how serious I sounded, how intently I’d been looking up at her when I spoke, and how shallow her breathing had become. Had I gone too far? Revealed too much? I considered backing down, but I was tired of doing that. If I wanted to make progress with Paige, I was better off doubling down. I might only get to play this game with her once, so I wasn’t going to half-ass it.
I leaned in a little closer. “Why would I, when I’ve got you right where I want you?”
She inhaled a sharp but silent breath, her eyes darting down to my lips again. It really did feel like I had her right where I wanted her, in more ways than one, but then she let out a light laugh, shattering the illusion.
“Well, you have to sometime,” she said. “I’ll be late for class. You wouldn’t want me to get in trouble, would you?” She attempted to lift herself off my lap once again, and this time, I let my hands fall from her sides. I hated the cold air that replaced her soft warmth. “I’ll catch you later, Gray.”
As I watched her leave, I wished the bell hadn’t rung so soon, so we could have kept playing pretend forever.
Damien was watching her walk away too, and he gave a low, drawn-out whistle. “If I’d known Paige had such a thing for hockey players, I would have talked up my skills more on Saturday night. ”
I ignored his comment and stood from the table, intending to put as much distance between Damien and myself as possible. I’d done my part, clearly too well.
He caught up to me though as I left the cafeteria. “You two really aren’t together?”
“No.” I was short with him, hoping he’d take the hint. But as always, he remained oblivious.
“So, she’s free for the taking?”
I stopped in the middle of the corridor and faced him. “You don’t just take her,” I said. “She’s a person.”
He smirked. “You know what I mean.”
“I know that if any guy hurts her, they’ll have me to answer to.”
I realized too late that I’d broken my promise to Paige. I wasn’t allowed to intimidate other guys, and I certainly wasn’t supposed to be directly threatening Damien. But I couldn’t stand by and say nothing. Not when he was talking about her like that. I was always going to protect her, promise or not, and Damien needed to realize that Paige wasn’t just some toy you could pick up and then toss aside once you got bored.
Damien sniggered in response. “Okay, man, I got it.”
“I’m not joking,” I growled.
“Yeah, because that would be a first, right?” He laughed again before slapping me on the shoulder. “See you later, Gray.”
I stood there, staring after him. Damien truly wasn’t afraid of me. He hadn’t even noticed my threatening tone. That really was a first. It wasn’t all that surprising, given how self-absorbed the guy was. But it did worry me. If Damien went after Paige, there was nothing I could do to stop him from breaking her heart. I was just going to have to stick with my plan so he wouldn’t even be a factor .
As if my thoughts alone had summoned her, Paige appeared before me, her eyes sparkling and filled with hope. “Well, how was that, Coach?”
“You were very convincing,” I said, trying not to sound disappointed. Paige had certainly put on a good show, but it had both sparked Damien’s interest and added fuel to the fire already burning inside me.
“Really?”
“Yep. I forgot my name and everything.”
“You weren’t so bad yourself.” She laughed and glanced away from me before tucking her hair behind her ear. “Especially that line about never letting me go.” She kept her eyes focused on her feet, which she scuffed on the hard floor. “Where did that come from?”
It had come straight from my heart, where I usually kept all my secret feelings for Paige locked tightly away. Coaching her was allowing me to briefly release them into the wild though, and it felt good. Terrifying, but good.
“I guess you just inspired me.”
Her gaze finally lifted to meet mine and she smiled. But then she looked over my shoulder and nodded to where Damien was disappearing down the hallway.
“Do you think it worked on him?” She sounded cautiously hopeful, and I hated it.
“Yeah, I think it did.”
“You really think I caught his attention? So, what do I do now?”
I hesitated. Answering this question was much harder than she could have guessed. I didn’t want her to know just how interested Damien was, and how easily she would be able to check that first kiss off her list if she wanted. But I also couldn’t bring myself to lie to her and ruin her chances with him either. I’d just have to give her my honest opinion and hope I could claw my way out of the friend zone before Damien made his move.
“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” I said.
“What do you mean? Keep ignoring him?”
“Yep. Wait for him to come to you. You’ve laid the groundwork; you don’t want to risk ruining it by acting too interested.”
“I guess that makes sense. Anything else?”
“Keep flirting with me, of course.”
She laughed. “Oh, really?”
I tried to act casual, like just the thought of flirting with her wasn’t making my heart race. “You can never have too much practice.”
She was studying me closely but smiled. “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.”
It was now well after the bell had rung, and we would soon be late for class, so we started making our way down the hall together. It was mostly empty, and I felt a little more confident as I continued our conversation.
“So, are broody guys really sexy?” I asked. She swatted a hand against my stomach. “Uh, ouch. ”
“What happens when we flirt stays when we flirt,” she replied.
“Okay, okay.” I held up my hands in surrender. “No need to attack me.”
“I hardly touched you.”
“I could be injured.”
“You’ll survive.”
“Nope, I think it’s a broken rib.”
She gave me a skeptical glance. “A two-hundred-pound dude slams you into the boards and you skate away, no worries. A light tap on the stomach from a girl who’s half your size and you need medical attention?”
“You’re stronger than you look.”
She continued walking. “Well, you’re not as broody as you look.”
“But I’m still sexy?”
She turned her eyes to the ceiling, but then they found mine again. “I wish flirting with other people was as easy as it is with you,” she said. “Maybe once I’ve had my makeover, I’ll feel just as confident when I try again with Damien.”
My throat restricted at the mention of her makeover. “You’re still going ahead with that?”
“Yes...” She frowned. “You said you weren’t going to help, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going ahead. Since I got Damien’s attention today, it’s time to move onto the next stage, right?”
“I guess,” I grunted. “When’s it happening?”
“Tonight,” she replied with an uncertain smile. “Bonnie’s taking me shopping. She’s going to make me irresistible.”
“Is this really what you want?” I asked.
“Who doesn’t want to be irresistible?”
“I mean, do you really want to change the way you look?”
Paige glanced down at her outfit and shrugged. “It’s not about what I want. This is about what I need.”
I was only growing increasingly anti-makeover. And it didn’t sound like she was very enthusiastic about the whole thing either. I was particularly concerned about Bonnie taking charge of the transformation. Their taste in clothes couldn’t be more different, and I feared she’d leave Paige looking nothing like herself.
“I’ll take you.” The words slipped from my lips before I’d really considered them.
“What?”
“I’ll take you,” I slowly repeated.
Paige stopped in her tracks and faced me. “You don’t want to take me shopping.”
“Sure, I do.” I kept walking so she couldn’t analyze my response too closely, and she had to jog to keep up.
“Don’t you have hockey practice tonight?”
“I’ll make an excuse and skip it.”
“But you never miss practice.” She was eyeing me with suspicion. “You didn’t even skip when you were practically dying of flu last month. Plus, isn’t the coach from Ryker coming to watch you this weekend?”
“That’s this weekend. He’s not coming to watch me practice tonight. The team will survive if I miss one session.”
Her brow pinched and she scanned my features, as if she were searching for any sign of what was going on beneath my stoic exterior. She was going to be searching a while if she wanted answers; my expression was completely locked down .
“You don’t want to come shopping with me!” She threw her hands up in the air to emphasize her point. “I know you don’t.”
It was true. There were few things I enjoyed less than shopping. But I didn’t want Paige to feel forced to wear clothes she wasn’t comfortable in just to impress some guy. Besides, my little chat with Damien had made it clear I was running out of time. Who knew, maybe the shopping expedition would present another opportunity to get closer to her.
“As your dating coach, I think it’s pretty important that I’m there,” I said. “Don’t you want a guy’s opinion?”
“I guess.” Her lips pressed together as she considered it.
“And maybe it’ll be fun.” Now she was looking at me like she was worried an alien had transplanted itself into my brain. I’d probably oversold my enthusiasm, so I nodded at the classroom we’d just reached. “This is you...”
“Right.” She glanced at the doorway. “Are you sure about this?”
“I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t sure.”
“Okay...” She still didn’t look convinced and gave me one final look of skepticism before she headed into the classroom. I tried to smile reassuringly, but it probably came out more like a grimace.
Had I really decided to skip hockey practice to go shopping?
Paige must have thought I’d lost my mind. Perhaps I finally had.