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He looks into my eyes, tears swimming in his gaze. “It’s okay. I know it’s scary. But I’m here for you.”
My stomach coils tightly. This was a big step for him, confessing to his best friend that he likes guys, and it’s not even Keanu standing in front of him. I feel awful, and before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “I’m not Keanu.”
Simon rears back, his face going pale. “What?”
I push my hair back, cursing myself for my ill-timed admission. Now I know why Keanu confessed to Bobbi. “I’m Leigh Matthews.”
He shakes his head, taking a couple of steps back. “If that’s a joke, it isn’t funny.”
“It’s not a joke. I know it sounds crazy, but two days ago, Keanu and I switched bodies.”
Simon doesn’t say a word as he stares at me as if I’ve sprouted a second head. Then he narrows his eyes, his gaze turning murderous. “You are one son of a bitch. I can’t believe you’d tell me such a lie after I just… Fuck!”
Shit. Why didn’t I stop to think that by telling Simon the truth, he’d perceive it as downplaying this moment for him? All the frustration from finding out that I had returned to Keanu’s body comes back with a vengeance. I’m crying before I can stop it. “I’m not lying. Do you seriously believe Keanu would be this cruel to his best friend?”
I’m shaking with sobs, and my cheeks are a wet, hot mess. I plop back down on the bench and hide my face in my hands.
“Holy shit. You are Leigh.”
I lift my head. “What? You believe me now?”
He nods. “Keanu would never have a meltdown like that.”
“Wow. That’s make me feel so much better.” I dry my face with the back of my sleeve.
“I didn’t mean to offend you. I just know him, and that’s not how he reacts to difficult situations. That’s all.”
“I could be faking it.”
Shut up, Leigh. He just said he believes you.
“Keanu can’t act like that. Where is he now?”
“Sleeping in my bed.”
His brows arch. “Oh? So you two are…”
“I don’t know what we are. Last night, we managed to return to our bodies, and I guess we were so relieved that we ended up hooking up. But this morning, I was back in his body. I had to leave the house, and my instinct was to come here.”
The gravity of the situation finally seems to sink in for Simon. His eyes grow larger, and his brows shoot to the heavens. “Hell. How are you going to play tonight?”
“I don’t know.”
Another teammate sticks his head into the dressing room. “What are you guys doing? Coach will have both your balls if you don’t step onto the ice right now.”
“Damn. We have to go. Have you ever played hockey before?” Simon asks.
“Yeah, when I was younger.”
“Okay. I can work with that. Follow my lead. If you can hold your own at practice, you might not die at the game tonight.”
“Great.”
I follow Simon out of the dressing room, still nervous about playing hockey with all those professional athletes. But I feel better now that I have Simon to help me.
Maybe I can pull this off after all.
24 KEANU
