Page 22 of Unlovable Player

Most of the guys follow him and seeing he’ll be the only one at the bar in a suit, Austin decides to go home and change too.

“You getting changed Yale?”

“I didn’t trash my dad’s AMEX for a Tom Ford just to sit on a sweaty coach for fifteen minutes.”

He rolls his eyes.

“What’s this anyway?” I reach out and stroke the lapel on his jacket between my finger and thumb. “Armani?”

Austin’s cheeks tint and he takes an almost imperceptible step back. “You’re kidding right? My ma got it on sale at Macy’s, it’s like Alfani or some shit.”

The blush deepens.

“Well, it looks good anyway.”

He shrugs, turning his face away. “Whatever, I’m gonna go change, meet you at the bar.”

I get the drinks and wait for the team in a corner booth.

A group of girls come over with cocktails and ask if I’m on the hockey team.

“Yeah.” I check my watch, hoping they’ll catch my disinterest.

“Cool, are they coming here now?”

I glance at the table full of beers, but they just stare at me with big doe eyes, waiting for my answer.

“Yeah.”

“What position do you play?” One of them asks as they all slide in and make themselves comfortable.

“I’m a center-forward.”

“Oh really?” She slides a little closer, her thigh touching mine through the suit.

“Why are you dressed like this?”

“It’s game day? We played Harvard at their rink, Coach likes us to look smart, it gives off a good impression of the school.”

“I like it,” the girl says, rubbing the fabric between her finger and thumb.

I sigh and take the jacket off. “Here, try it on if you want.”

“Can I? Really?”

Her friends giggle and I sip my beer. Jesus Christ these girls remind me of my little sister – the one who’s still a freshman in high-school.

“Ooh, Tom Ford, this must have cost a fortune.”

“It was a gift from my mom,” I lie.

“Oh my god that’s so cute.”

I roll my eyes. Okay they’re silly, but they could be kind of fun.

The doors open and in walk the rest of the team. Captain is wearing a maroon hoodie with the school hockey logo on the front and the girls’ heads snap in his direction.

“Oh my god it’s Austin Donoghue!” One of the girls exclaims in a stage whisper. My lips quirk up into a smile because yeah, my inner fanboy was just saying exactly the same thing.

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