Damn you, Liam MacArthur.

My vision has adjusted to the darkness, and I can see his face more clearly now. He's frozen in place, dark eyes intent.

"If you won't go out with me," he says, "don't go out with anybody else. Okay?" He grabs my hand and squeezes it. His palm is calloused.

"Look, it's not you that's the problem." I try to take my hand back, but he threads his fingers through mine. "It's me."

He steps closer. "How about I kiss you? That should convince me it's not going to work."

"You're only interested in me because I'm not interested in you," I tell him. "If you kiss me, you won't find me nearly as fascinating."

He brings his face close to mine. "Close enough to a yes."

Jessie McIntyre, 17, starts her last year of minor hockey-and high school-with loads on her mind. Her AAA team is short a head coach, her future plans are unclear, and some of her teammates aren't impressed with her new role as team captain. On top of it all, her little sister is making some lousy decisions while Jessie's parents seem unaware. But, hey, should Jessie be critical? She's made some pretty bad ones herself-especially when it comes to guys.

Breakaway is Book Three in the award-winning #jessiemachockeyseries. Power Plays (Book 1) won a Moonbeam gold medal and was a finalist for the Saskatchewan Book Awards, Snow Willow Awards, and BC Young Readers Choice (Stellar) Awards. Face Off (Book 2) was a recipient of a Moonbeam silver medal.