Page 57 of The Forbidden Center
“Cold woman.”
“You keep saying that as though you believe it.”
I stop and look at her.
That’s not a line I expected, and she didn’t throw it away either. She said it and stayed where she was.
She looks back for one beat, then bends to pick up the ruined fabric.
I reach for it at the same time.
Our hands meet on the floor.
Neither of us moves.
No crowd. No force plate. No room full of teammates giving me a reason to turn this into a joke. Just her fingers under mine and the quiet after the rink and the fact that I’m still half undressed and she hasn’t looked away from me.
I let go first.
“Spare shirt’s in my bag.”
“I know.”
“You went through my bag?”
“I watched you pack it this morning.”
“You watch me a lot.”
“I am paid to.”
“Right.”
Her eyes drop to my chest before she turns away.
I put the new shirt on the way she showed me.
Elbow in first.
It goes clean.
When I look up she’s pretending to read the tablet.
I decide not to call her on it.
Apparently I can learn.
By the time Maren takes the tablet and disappears toward her office, Astrid’s badge is clipped to the strap of her bag.
Work is over. She could leave.
I point toward the staff room. “Coffee.”
She checks the time. Not my shoulder. The time.
Then she says, “One cup.”
That yes does more damage than it should.
