I had to bite back a laugh. “I just don’t watch your team’s hockey games. I still follow my favorite.”
Jax’s brows drew together, and his face turned serious. “What team, Sidney?”
He leaned in closer, the intensity of his gaze growing hot until I shifted in my chair. I suddenly didn’t want to admit who I cheered for. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Tell me who your favorite team is,” he commanded in a low tone.
Dammit. He wasn’t going to let it go. “Brick Bandits.”
“No way. No fucking way.” His voice came out in shock, and his eyes widened. “They beat us in the playoffs two years ago. They’re why we didn’t make it to finals.”
I sucked in an apologetic breath between my teeth. “Yeah, they beat you pretty bad that time. It was a good night.”
Jax’s gaze snapped to mine before he laughed loud enough that we were shushed from the table a few rows away. “Sidney King. That’s blasphemy. You don’t need to worry about passing this class. They might kick you out for that.”
“It’ll be our little secret.”
“Hell the fuck no. I’m telling everyone.”
My heart rate spiked, and I had to swallow it down. “No, no. Like it’s funny between us, but there’s a whole lot of people who wouldn’t think it was funny.”
“Why do you think I think it’s funny?”
Oh shit. “Don’t you?”
A muscle worked in his jaw. He didn’t look upset, but his eyes tracked mine. He was working something out in his head. “When I win this bet, I want your number, and you need to come to a game.”
Oh, that was a bad idea. Something told me seeing him play was the last thing I should do. “I’m busy that night.”
His brows tugged together. “Doing what?”
“Watching the Bandits kick your ass on live TV.”
“You’re evil.” He patted his hands over his chest and abdomen and looked at his palms. “I must be bleeding with how hard you’re trying to kill me.”
“Stop being dramatic,” I said, smiling.
He leaned forward. His gray eyes were overtaken by the black of his pupils. “I’ll just have to win you over as a fan.”
I swallowed a shallow breath. “Good luck with that.”
He shifted closer. “I don’t need luck.”
“Why’s that?”
He was so close I could almost feel his breath. “I’m good at winning.”
I bit down on my bottom lip and locked my legs to stop myself from closing the distance. “And if I don’t? Become your biggest fan.”
He smirked. “I’ll tell Alex, and he’ll harass you until you do.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I looked away and took a sip of my coffee, finally freed from whatever magnet pulled us together.
“You excited about your internship?” he asked, keeping things light after the intensity of the last moment. Thank god.
I chewed on the side of my lip before answering. “Yeah, I really am. I’ve been working hard for this, you know?”
He smiled at me. “Nah, I know nothing about working hard.”
“Whatever. I’m sure you’ve had to work hard your whole life.” I was rambling now but couldn’t seem to stop. “I’d ask what you’re doing after graduation, but the entire school knows you’re going on to Boston.”
“Technically, it’s training camp first, then I start with the Bruins for preseason training.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.
I asked another question, “What are you most excited about?”
“That’s a tough one. Probably the bigger arenas. I can’t explain the feeling of hearing the roar of the crowd.”
“I thought you were going to say the chicks.” Energy buzzed through me at his smirk.
“Oh, well, them too.”
“Thought so.” I ignored the slight twinge in my chest.
“How about you, Sid? Are you a secret volleyball star?”
I scrunched up my nose. “No. Sports were never my thing. My mom and I were always really into politics.”
“Is that what your mom does, then? Politician?”
A dark, painful fog threatened to overcome me, but the softness in Jax’s eyes made it almost bearable. “My mom passed away when I was thirteen. She never made it, but yeah, that’s what she wanted to be.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” His lashes shadowed his eyes, and he stared at the table for several seconds. Nodding to himself, he took a deep breath. “My best friend passed away a few years ago.” He met my gaze, and I could see the grief hidden there. There was an understanding between us now. We both belonged to the same horrible club.
He didn’t ask, but I found myself saying it anyway. “It was a car accident. A truck lost control and came into our lane. I was in the back seat but don’t remember anything after the headlights. I woke up in the hospital, and she was already gone.” I tugged at the collar of my sweater and turned my head, exposing the scar that ran from the base of my neck to my shoulder. “It’s how I got this scar.”
Jax scanned the scar, and his eyes filled with understanding. “My friend died in a car accident too. He was there one day and gone the next. It took a while to wrap my head around it. My mom did her best to make sure I was alright, but there wasn’t much she could do.”
It was a strange feeling sharing this moment with Jax. It was somehow both sad and comforting that he knew how I felt without me having to explain. We sat for a long moment, neither of us saying anything. Just soaking in mutual acceptance. Finally, I swallowed hard, nodding, and then we both silently agreed to move on with the conversation.
“So do you have any siblings?” Jax kept the question safe and easy, lightening the mood.
“No, my parents didn’t stay together long enough to have more, and my mom never dated after.” He raised a brow, but I didn’t explain further. “How about you?”
“It’s just me and my parents. They’ve been together for almost thirty years now.”
It struck me how different our lives had been. He obviously grew up surrounded by love, whereas my life couldn’t be any more different.
Jax huffed. “So, Sidney. What’s with the rules?”
I laughed. “I’m surprised it took you so long to ask. Success takes discipline, and discipline requires rules. And mark my words, Jax, I will succeed.”
His brows lifted. “I don’t doubt you.”
“Good.”
“So… you don’t date? Like…at all?” he asked, settling in his chair.
I shrugged. “I dated a guy for three years in high school, but we broke up when we went our separate ways for college.”
“Not into long distance?” He tapped his pen on the table. I noticed he always fidgeted in one way or another.
“It works for some people, but it’s not for me. Too easy to get caught up in your own life and forget about the other,” I answered. It wasn’t exactly the entire reason, but close enough for this conversation.
“But that was high school. You’re in your fourth year of college. You’re telling me you just wrote off all guys?”