Page 61 of The Hat Trick

“I’m going to bed; you have fun celebrating with your team. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” I finally am able to smile and it’s real.

“So, don’t sleep with any of my teammates? Got it. It’s going to be difficult, Colver was looking really good tonight.” He raises his eyebrows several times and I can’t hold back the laughter anymore.

“You’re ridiculous,” I say through my laughter. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, baby,” he smiles brightly.

I smile too as I put my phone down and lay back in bed. I can’t deny I like him; he makes it so easy. Brent too. And Matt…right now he can kick fucking rocks. I distract myself from thoughts of men by getting lost in a book with a fictional one before I finally drift off to sleep.

22

Imeet up with some of the other guys at a bar not far from our hotel. A few of the guys are at a high top with drinks in their hand. I join them and am greeted with fist bumps. Mann waves over a waitress who beams at him while she asks what he would like. His eyes rake down her body shamelessly and her cheeks flush with a smile. I’ve never actually seen him leave with any women when we go out, but he sure as shit flirts with them.

We all order another round and then Colver speaks up, “Is Collee coming out?”

I shake my head. “No, he didn’t feel like babysitting.”

Colver scoffs, “He chooses to do that, we are grown men who can take care of ourselves.”

“You call your mom to ask for help with every little thing, you can barely take care of yourself,” I tease.

“Shut up, Dumont. Oh, when is your hot ass sister coming to our next game? I’ll make sure to show her how well I can take care of her.”

I smack the back of his head, and he just laughs. “Fuck off, she’s married and not interested in you even if she wasn’t.”

The guys continue talking at the table about who knows what, I bring my beer to my mouth as I look around the crowded bar. A lot of our team came out. Some are talking to girls, some are at tables with each other, most of which are the married ones who shoo away any women who approach and linger a bit too long.

My eye catches on McQuaid, leaning against the bar talking to some blonde woman. He’s clearly flirting with her because I’ve seen him do this too many times to count. The woman is slim, dressed in a tight dress with boots that come up above her knees. She’s leaning toward McQuaid and he’s inviting it.

I guess he made his decision and that he’s not going to want to pursue anything else with Chandler, and that’s fine. I don’t think she will be upset, I’m more annoyed that I warned him, and he did what he does best and that’s be a complete asshole.

He glances in my direction, and I glare at him before shaking my head slightly, then turning back around to the guys at my table. It doesn’t matter what he does, but that’s not going to include Chandler anymore.

* * *

On the planethe next day I see McQuaid already seated with his headphones on as usual. Even though I want to confront him and threaten his life if he goes near Chandler again, I know it’s not the time or place. So instead, I plop down in the open seat next to Collee.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

I shake my head, “Nothing.”

I can feel his skeptical gaze on me, and eventually I sigh in defeat. “I think it was a mistake for McQuaid to be involved with Chandler.”

“Why?”

I groan quietly, “He’s such an asshole, and I saw him with another chick last night, so he probably just wanted to do this whole thing to fuck with us.”

Collee seems to think about that for a second before shaking his head. “Did you actually see him do anything?”

“I mean…no, not really, I guess. He was flirting with her, and you know him.” I shrug.

“You really care about her, don’t you?”

“Well yeah, she’s amazing and that fuckwad is going to ruin everything.”

“How do you think he would ruin everything?”

“Because she wants him too, and then maybe without him she won’t want any of us.”

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