Scoring Off The Ice (Ice Kings #2) - Stacey Lynn Page 0,79
She’s laughing and the background wherever she is filled with loud noises. Of course, because it’s Friday. Her laugh tells me she’s not upset, but I still feel that twinge of neglect inside of me. I haven’t seen her in a month and I don’t think we’ve ever gone that long without hanging out.
Between school and Mikah and Angelo, my hours as packed. But I don’t want to be the girl who forgets her friends because some great new guy swoops in.
“Yes, I’m sorry. So sorry. What’s up?”
“Get your sweet cheeks down to Roxbury! Maggie and I are headed there after we leave Duckworth’s Grill and we want to see you.”
My eyes go to my door and I frown. The week has flown by despite being more tired than I’ve been in a long time. Late nights and early mornings with Mikah have me dragging by late afternoon and yet invigorated by evening. I’ve been so lost in wanting to spend as much time with him as possible, I’ve been more focused on my research too which is a bonus.
Even Ms. Felarky was impressed earlier today with Maggie’s and my progress.
“I… I don’t think I can. Mikah and I, we were going to go out.”
Our first official adult, alone, date. Last night we grabbed gyros from a street truck and pushed Mikah in the stroller. The night before we grilled out on the rooftop deck. It was a gorgeous evening, cloudless sky and we stayed there past the sunset, just talking and laughing, and playing with Angelo. It was absolutely beautiful. And easy. And fun.
“Fine. Ignore us for the hottie, but we miss you,” she says, drawing out the second half and laughing at the same time.
She’s beautiful and overdramatic. Gives men boners as she walks by and then drives them insane with her over-the-top personality.
“Maybe tomorrow?”
“Fine, hooker. Tomorrow.” I take no offense to the hooker comment. She says it to everyone she loves.
“Bye, loser.”
I hang up and glance again at my door. I need to figure out what’s going on before I lose my mind.
Grabbing my keys, I lock my door and take the few steps over to Mikah’s. It opens before I even lift my hand to knock so I’m smiling, assuming Mikah saw me coming. Then he becomes a cement brick in front of me. It takes a second to register what I’m seeing as he stands in from me. Unmoving. Eyes glazed. Hair messed. His shirt is wrinkled, and I’m not sure he notices he has spit-up on his shoulder.
I’d tease him for wearing Angelo’s puke if he didn’t look at me like I was a stranger.
“Mikah? Everything okay?”
“No.”
Instead of opening his door for me to enter, he glances back into his apartment and shuts it behind him as he steps toward me into the hall.
“What’s wrong? Is it Angelo?”
I peer at his door over my shoulder. He’s never shut me out. I feel it now, in the closed-off expression on his face and the door he shut behind him. He’s shutting me out of more than his home.
Dread fills my stomach.
“Angelo. Angelo is fine.” He presses his hands to his hips and squeezes his eyes closed. When he opens them again, he looks tortured. “I cannot see you now.”
I stumble back. His words come like a whip, stinging my cheeks. Perhaps that’s the tears already falling. “What? But we had plans.”
In a move I’ve never seen him make before, he pinches the bridge of his nose, dropping his head. I stepped toward him but stop when he lifts his head.
He might as well be on a different floor of the building for as much distance his look puts between us.
“I cannot see you now. Or anymore.”
“Why?” It rips from my throat before I can stop myself. This makes no sense and the floor wobbles at my feet. Just this morning we made love before I left for class. He reminded me Viola is staying late. Which means after we go out, we can spend time at my place before heading to his. We’ve had it all planned for days.
“I can say no more but that it is over. It is for the best. Thank you for your help with Angelo.”
Tears swell and he blurs in front of me. My jaw unhinges and I’m too slow to move because he really does become a blur of movement when he turns quickly, and disappears behind his door, slamming it shut.