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“I don’t like her,” I insist, not even sureIbelieve me.
“Sure you don’t,” Higgins and Ryder say in unison.
“Been hearing that lie for nearly a year now,” Higgins adds. “I don’t know about you, Ry, but I’m getting a little tired of hearing it.”
“You know what, me too.” The two talk back and forth to each other like I’m not right fucking here.
“If you two don’t shut the fuck up...”
“Careful now, Arch. You might start giving people the impression that you’re not as un-rattle-able as you lead on.”
“Fuck me, I need a drink.” I groan audibly.
“Now we’re talking.” Ryder claps his hands together. “Where should we go? Hurley’s? O’Brian’s?”
“Nasty Rabbit?” Higgins interjects.
“I’m not going out for a drink. It’s after ten. I just said you two make me want a drink.”
“Oh no, it’s after ten,” Higgins mocks me. “Do you turn into a pumpkin at midnight, princess?”
“Come on, Arch. I, for one, have had a hell of a day. Let’s stop and have a couple beers. I’ll have you tucked in bed before midnight. You have my word.” Ryder traces an X over his heart.
“You two really are going to be the death of me.”
“You mean, we’re the only reason you have any life outside of football at all?” Higgins asks. “Yes, yes, we know.”
“What do you say wego back to my place?” The blonde sitting next to me leans in close, all but purring in my ear.
Even though I insisted I was only having the one beer, one turned into I’m not sure exactly how many, and now it’s nearly one o’clock in the fucking morning on a Tuesday and I’m intoxicated in a way I never get during the season.
I should care—and tomorrow, I will—but tonight, I just felt like I needed to blow off steam and throwing footballs around the field didn’t do the trick. And that almost always eases whatever is under my skin.
“Or we can go back to yours.” She runs her nose along my ear, her hand finding its way to my upper thigh.
Fuck knows I could use it. I could use the physical release. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so fucking wound. And yet, even knowing that, I’m not feeling it tonight. Or maybe I’m just not feeling it with her.
“I can’t tonight.” I remove her hand with as much stealth as I can muster but make no mistake, she definitely notices.
“Excuse me?” She draws back, her lips pursing in a way that makes her incredibly unattractive.
“Hey, Arch.” Higgins gives me a much-needed save as he suddenly appears on my other side. Turning my back to the woman, it’s only seconds before I hear her heeled feet as she stomps away, insulted. “Cold, man.” Higgins grins. “Think maybe I’ll go see if she’s in the mood for a little chocolate. You know, soothe away the bad taste vanilla left on her tongue.” He wiggles his eyebrows up and down.
“You’re drunk.” I snort.
“You’re drunk,” he fires back.
“Wait, did you need something or did you just come over here to save me?” I think to ask.
“Both.” He hesitates for a long moment, to the point that I almost wonder if he’s forgotten what he was going to say. “She’s here.” He lowers his voice to nearly a whisper.
“Who’s here?” I don’t try to hide my confusion.Shecould be anyone.
“Your girl, man.” He tilts his head to the right and even though I tell myself not to, my eyes follow in the same direction.
Sure enough, sitting at a high-top table with her roommate Alina, and my teammates Enzo and Buckley, is Rory fucking Hensley. Because apparently, the universe hates me now.
She’s dressed differently than she was before, having traded in her plain T-shirt for an oversized
