The Sweet Talker (Boston Hawks Hockey #1) - Gina Azzi Page 0,17
guess.”
“You’d guess?”
I roll my eyes. “I’d say.”
Claire’s mouth drops open and her eyes grow even larger. How is that possible? “Holy hell! I’m so glad I got blitzed and left you behind now.”
I snort, shaking my head. “You kind of suck.”
“I’m kind of awesome,” she refutes, taking a swig of her Diet Coke. “Want one?”
“It’s ten a.m.”
“It’s hangover gold.”
My temples throb. “Okay, I’ll take one.”
She reaches into the mini fridge in her bedroom and tosses me a can.
“I can’t believe you set up your mini fridge from college in your childhood bedroom.” I pop the tab and take a sip. The bubbles are surprisingly soothing.
“I can’t believe I moved home after college at all,” Claire laments.
“It’s a tough market right now.”
“It’s always a tough market. It’s good, isn’t it?” She waggles her eyebrows as I drink more Diet Coke.
“On this one thing, you may be right.”
Claire grins. “Okay, tell me more.”
“There’s nothing to tell. We hooked up, I fell asleep—”
“In his bed.”
“Yes, in his bed. Then, I woke up and left.”
She gasps. “You ghosted him?”
I roll my eyes. “Claire, it’s not like that. It was one drunken night that meant—” The shrill ringing of my cell phone cuts through the air and I glance at it, frowning at the unknown number.
“Gonna get that?” my cousin prods, way too excited for someone who drank their body weight in vodka last night.
I swipe right. “Hello?”
“Indy? Hey, it’s Noah.”
Oh. My. God. Noah Scotch is calling me?
“Hey Noah. Uh, how are you?”
At my words, Claire’s mouth falls open and she stands from the bed, jumping up and down like a game show contestant who just won a trip to Aruba. I swat at her.
Noah chuckles through the line and it sounds nervous. Unsteady. It makes me smile. “Good. I’m good. I was actually calling to check on you.”
“Me? I’m good too.”
Why are you having the most awkward conversation ever? Claire holds up a ripped-out piece of notebook paper with the words scrawled across it.
I flip her off and she snorts, resuming her scribbling.
“I got worried when you were already gone this morning.”
I wince. “Oh. Well, I just didn’t want to be a bother. I really appreciate your letting me crash last night.”
“You’re not a bother and it’s not a big deal. Anytime.”
“Well, thank you. I had fun last night.”
“Me too. You made it a hell of a lot more interesting than usual.”
I laugh and Noah joins in. “It surprised me too,” I admit.
“Yeah,” Noah agrees. “But…we’re cool right?”
“Yep. Very cool,” I say quickly and Claire winces.
“Good,” Noah says, his voice normal. “I’m glad you were there last night, Indy. I feel like a huge douche for not knowing you moved to Boston. Even Easton made fun of me.”
“You talked to Easton?”
At that, Claire stops writing and looks up, her face stricken and her eyes burning with curiosity. I hold up a finger.
“He called me this morning. He’s doing pretty well. Made it through the withdrawal part and is taking things day by day. Austin and I are going to have lunch with him one day next week.”
“Wow. That’s great. I mean, I’m glad to hear he’s doing well.”
Claire relaxes slightly but crawls back onto the bed and sits beside me, elbowing me until our heads are touching and she’s joined my conversation with Noah.
“Yeah. Me too.”
Noah clears his throat. “Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you’re okay and that things between us aren’t going to be awkward.”
“Not awkward at all.” My voice comes out two octaves higher than normal and Claire looks at me like I’m an alien.
I stick my tongue out at her but she just shakes her head at me.
“Good. Well, thanks again for last night. I really had a good time.”
“Me too,” I say, blushing as Claire rolls her eyes. “Anyway, I got to go but thanks for checking in on me.”
“Of course. Take care.”
“You too. Bye.” I hang up and round on Claire.
“You are so fucking lame.” She hits me in the head with a pillow.
“What did you want me to say?”
“You friend-zoned him.”
“That’s where he belongs. In my friend zone.”
Claire shakes her head. “Indy, you’re into him,” she shrieks, dancing out of my reach as I lunge at her.
“I am not.”
“You totally are. I could tell by your conversation.”
I laugh. “No way. You kept distracting me.”
“Uh, I think you meant Noah kept distracting you.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
I groan, flinging myself back onto her bed.
“You’re into him,” she tells me cheerily, smiling like she won the freaking lottery.