Blocked (Boston Terriers Hockey #3) - Jacob Chance Page 0,16

little way down the beach to put some distance between us. I can always pretend I’m unaffected by the kiss we shared. It won’t be easy, but if he’s going to be weird and freak out about one kiss we shared, then I’ll do whatever is needed to make sure it’s never an issue again.

Running along the shore, I hold the back of my skimboard with one hand and the side with the other. Dropping the board slightly in front of me onto the leftover wash of the tide, I’m on it in two steps. Bending my knees, I ride the plexiglass board along the shoreline.

I’m not capable of any fancy tricks like some waveriders do. I don’t skim out into the breaking waves, and I don’t do surface or aerial maneuvers. I’m just a beginner who’s happy successfully riding flatland instead of landing on my ass.

I’m having so much fun, I lose track of time. Picking my board from the shallow water, I notice Shaw wandering my way with his skimboard tucked under his arm.

“How’s it going?” he asks, as if the last thirty minutes never happened.

“It’s great. I forgot how much fun this is.”

“You’re doing great. Why don’t you let me teach you a few things? You know how to surf.”

“Nah.” I shake my head. “I don’t want a broken leg for the rest of summer break. For me, this is harder than surfing. But don’t let my lack of interest stop you from demonstrating your skills.”

He grins at my challenge. “Like I was gonna let you.”

I smile back, relieved that everything seems fine between us. Planting the back of the board into the sand, I lean on the nose of it. I watch Shaw as he runs through the leftover tide. Dropping his board, he jumps on, skimming toward the water to meet the incoming wave. As it hits, he turns off, coming back to the shore and ending up almost in the same place he started.

I clap my hands, and he picks up his board before he leans forward in an exaggerated bow. Moving forward, his smile widens with every step he takes in my direction.

“Are you sure you don’t want to give it a try?” he asks, looking hopeful.

“Maybe next time,” I throw out the reply, testing him.

“Sounds good to me.”

My lips press together as I hold in the smile. He passed my test.

Chapter Six

Shaw

“What’s your work schedule look like in the next few days?” My gaze leaves the highway for a second, landing on the beautiful girl in my passenger seat.

“Why? You want some free cookies?”

“Nah. I want to spend more time with you,” I answer honestly.

“Oh.” She sounds surprised. Which is to be expected considering I practically bolted after kissing her. “I’m off tomorrow, but I have to work Monday night.”

“Let’s figure out something to do.”

“Why? You honored your bet loss,” she challenges.

“I know I did. But is it so hard to believe that I enjoy your company?”

“Maaaaybe.” She shrugs. “You’re giving me whiplash.”

I stare at her pensively. “I’m not sure what this is, but I want to hang out with you. Let me prove my sincerity.”

“Do you have that much free time?” she teases, alleviating the tension.

“For you? I’ll free up my busy schedule.”

“Wow. I’m honored that the great Shaw Masters would make time for me.”

“Come on. I’d like to think that you know I’d be there for you any time you needed me. You and I have been friends forever. And now I want to hang out with you more. Is that okay?”

“Yeah. It’s all good. But just so I know up front, is this friendship going to continue once my brother returns home?”

Reaching out, I place my palm on her knee. “Maddie, I’m not using you to pass the time while Marshall’s gone. I have a job and friends if I merely want to stay busy.” I squeeze her knee before returning my hand to the steering wheel. I wish she saw herself the way I do. If she did, she wouldn’t feel it necessary to ask me this.

“I don’t want to seem like a pain in the ass.” She rubs her forehead. “I just don’t want to be a placeholder who’s cast aside because the first choice is suddenly back. That doesn’t mean I expect you to hang out with me all the time. But I don’t want to be ignored either.”

I pull my truck into her driveway and shift into park.

I feel her watching me. Sweeping my gaze