Page 23 of Break my Heart
I cross my arms tightly over my chest. “Are you seriously asking me out?”
His lips curl into a smile that has alarm bells blaring in my brain. “Yeah. I guess I am.”
I shake my head, trying to clear the sudden fog that has descended. The last thing I need is for it to cloud my judgment. “No. That’s definitely not a good idea.”
He doesn’t miss a beat. “Why not?”
“You do realize who my dad is, right?” The reminder should be more than enough to make him back off.
But Hayes doesn’t even flinch. “It would be hard not to.”
I exhale sharply. “Look, I’m not interested.”
His green eyes stay locked on mine, and I brace for the typical male reaction—annoyance, frustration, anything that might knock him off his axis. Instead, his smile widens as his eyes spark with amusement. “Just out of curiosity, are you always in the habit of lying to yourself?”
A gurgling laugh slips out of me. “Excuse me?”
“You’re interested. But for whatever reason, you’re too stubborn to admit it.”
My jaw drops as I stare at him. How does this guy manage to throw me off-kilter at every turn? “You’re really cocky, you know that?”
He hops down from the half wall with ease. “I’ve heard that before, Tink.”
“Why do you keep calling me that?”
He cocks his head. “Because the way you skate is pretty fucking magical. Almost like you’re flying. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The compliment does the unexpected and stuns me into silence.
He flashes a grin as his gaze remains fastened to mine until he swings away with an easy confidence that’s impossible not to admire. “Give it some thought,” he calls over his shoulder, “and get back to me.”
Ha!
This guy is out of his mind if he actually thinks I’d consider going out with him.
Instead of telling him that, I remain silent, watching him disappear into the shadows of the arena as the sound of his laughter echoes in my ears.
10
Hayes
“Are you guys excited?”
Ollie jerks his shoulders, attempting to act indifferent, but the brightness in his eyes gives him away. “Yeah, I guess.”
I glance at him with a hiked brow. “You guess, huh? Well, I can always call Ma and have her pick you up if you’ve got better things to do with your time.”
His eyes widen, panic flaring for a moment, before he quickly shakes his head. “Nah, that’s all right. I’ll stay and skate.”
It’s tempting to call him out on his bullshit, but I bite back the sharp retort. Thirteen is a rough age. Everything changes and the world feels like it’s shifting beneath your feet. He’s at that stage where acting like you care is uncool, but I know better. Deep down, he’s still the same kid who used to look up to me like I hung the moon.
I remember what it was like, the confusion and awkwardness of trying to grow up. But that doesn’t make it any less frustrating when he gives me attitude.
Theo, on the other hand, is practically bouncing off the walls, barely able to contain his exuberance. His wide grin and sparkling eyes are contagious, and I can’t help but ruffle his messy blond hair. “You gonna get out there and show them how it’s done, buddy?”
“Yup!” Theo beams up at me, vibrating with enthusiasm.
I glance down at Kia, her small hand safely tucked in mine. She’s the youngest but just as determined as her brothers. She already loves the ice, and there was no way she’d let me bring the boys without her. Mom coaxed her to try ballet and soccer, but Kia only wants to play hockey.