I smirked and clapped Nathan on the shoulder. Lowering my head to him so no one else could hear, I said, “You gonna ask her out or just keep making moon eyes at each other from across the rink?”
Nathan turned red, shooting me a glare. “Shut up, Navarro.”
Ryan laughed and called out to Mila, “What do you think of the moon eyes he’s giving you?” Ryan took off his glove and patted Nathan’s face. “Look at that, Mila… not a whisker to be found.”
Nathan turned even redder and while I laughed, deep down I knew it wasn’t cool to humiliate one of our teammates like that.
Mila huffed, crossing her arms. “Maybe I like a clean-shaven man.”
Laughter rippled around us and Ryan doubled down. “He hasn’t even reached puberty yet, Mila. Our boy’s still in diapers.”
Nathan groaned, shoving past Ryan as he muttered, “Jesus, you guys are the worst.”
Jacob called after him, “Come on, rookie. Grow a pair.”
Nathan didn’t respond but as embarrassing as that was to him, he didn’t need to. He skated right over to Mila who leaned on the boards, eyes sparkling with delight as he approached.
“I don’t know what she sees in him,” Ryan said thoughtfully. “I’d ask her out, but…”
“But Peter would kick your ass,” I said, pointing out there’s no way he’d ever approve of such a thing.
The only thing saving Nathan from an ass-whooping was the fact that Nathan had not asked Mila out and probably wouldn’t. It was just puppy love and wouldn’t go any further than what it was. Nathan was young but he wasn’t stupid.
I blink, snapping back to the present. Nathan wasn’t stupid, but he was dead.
Another sip of my beer and I grimace. It tastes bitter, like most things in my life. With a sigh, I turn off the TV and leave the half-empty bottle on the table. I’ll clean it up tomorrow, but all of a sudden… I’m exhausted. My bedroom seems so very far away and it almost feels like too much effort to get undressed before collapsing into bed.
Even so, I know the minute I do, sleep won’t come easy. Not with her ghost suddenly here, knocking on my door.
Fuck.
Mila Brennan is in Pittsburgh.
And I have no idea what that means for me.
CHAPTER 2
Mila
The hotel roomdoor clicks shut and I engage the lock and safety latch. The city of Pittsburgh beyond the window glows with neon and headlights, but inside I’m wrapped in the mediocrity of generic beige walls and mass-produced décor. Doesn’t matter though. I chose this hotel not for any luxurious appointments but because it fit within my budget. My job as a graphic designer doesn’t pay peanuts, but it doesn’t pay for high end hotels either.
I drop my purse onto the small desk in the corner and sink into the chair, exhaling deeply to release the tension I’ve been holding since leaving Mario’s.
It went worse than I’d expected.
Penn hadn’t even given me a chance once North told him I was there looking for him. A quick, dismissive rejection through his teammate. Like I was nothing. Like I hadn’t once known him—had his back when it mattered most.
I rub at the tension headache settling into my temples. At least the efforts weren’t a total bust. I’m still puzzled why North left his phone on the table—unlocked, with Penn’s contact info staring back at me. His address too. That wasn’t an accident. He wanted me to have it. The question was:Why?
I mean… in what world would he assume I’m not some crazed stalker who might lie in wait in the bushes of Penn’s home and stab him to death? Regardless, I’m grateful because I’m not about to give up on Penn. It’s just… I need another plan. A backup.
I shove those thoughts away and wake my laptop, the blue light glowing against my fingers as I navigate to my email. I need to ground myself in something normal, something that doesn’t feel like my entire world is tilting sideways.
A new message sits in my inbox, the subject line readingFirst Review—Cover Mockup. Relief trickles in as I click it open, skimming the response from the indie author who’d hired me for a book cover design.
Mila, this is fantastic. Love the typography and overall composition. Could we make the character’s eyes a little more vibrant? Maybe a touch more contrast on the title?
I exhale softly. I can do that. Easy tweaks. It’s not like my creativity has been firing on all cylinders lately, but I still know how to make something beautiful.
