Absolutely Not in Love (Sweater Weather, #7; Appies, #2)

by Jenny Proctor

Summer stops walking, her eyes locked on something just over my shoulder. I turn, tracing her gaze to a booth set up at the edge of the parking lot. It looks like the local radio station is broadcasting live, and several Appies hockey players are sitting at a table at the front of the booth, signing autographs and handing out team merchandise. Can I seriously never escape this freaking hockey team? Summer grips my arm. “Do you see that guy? The one at the end?” “End of what?” I ask, still not clear who she’s staring at. Maybe because the second I saw the Appies logo hanging above the booth, I immediately started looking for Felix. “The guy on the end with the man bun,” Summer says. “I feel like I know him. Could I have met him somewhere before?” “Are you talking about one of the hockey players?” Summer nods, biting her lip, and I’m finally able to pick out the guy in question. I’ve never seen him before, but Summer is transfixed. “You could probably look him up on the team’s website,” I suggest. “Maybe see if his name knocks something loose in your brain?” “Ohh, good idea,” she says, pulling out her phone. While she searches, my eyes scan the players one more time. I recognize Eli, the guy who has knocked on my door one too many times asking me if I’m ready to have dinner with him yet, but Felix is nowhere to be found—something that sends relief and disappointment pumping through me in equal measure. The relief, I understand. The disappointment is just silly. What would I ...