Page 66 of What If I See You

Scarlett beams and sits back against the couch cushions. “Perfect.”

“I hear Kraymer took a skate to the face on their last game,” Barrett says before taking a large bite of his hotdog. They’ve been chatting about their upcoming game against Boulder for the last fifteen minutes. “Doubt he’ll even be playing.”

“Are you kidding?” Harrison asks, amused. “If he knows you’re in the net, there’s no way he’ll stay out of play if he can help it.”

Barrett shrugs. “I guess we’ll see. You could be right though. He’s been itching for a goalie fight for a long time.” He rolls his eyes. “The guy’s a dumbass.”

“We need more beer,” Griffin says, emptying the last of his bottle.

Ella shakes her head, smiling at the guys standing around the kitchen bar. “If there’s one thing you guys like to do during your time off, it’s drink,” she says and then cringes. “But also, I forgot to buy more when I was out today. I’m really sorry.”

“No worries, Ella,” Griffin says, pulling his key out of his pocket. “I’ve got some upstairs. Be right back.”

“Oh wait!” I wave him down trying my very best to keep a straight face. “While you’re up there would you mind grabbing my nail polish remover and nail brush from my bathroom?” I gesture to my friends. “We’re going to do our nails so we’re ready for tomorrow.”

“Sure thing. Drawer? Sink? Cabinet?” he asks.

I give the impression that I’m thinking about where my stuff is even though I know very well where I put everything. “Uh, the remover is on my sink and the nail brush is sitting in the shower. It’s yellow. You can’t miss it.”

“Got it. Be right back.”

“Do you need help?” I ask even though I know he’ll say no.

“Nope. I’m good. Back in a flash.” He smiles and winks at me and I return his smile as he walks out the door.

And then all of us take a sip of our drinks to keep ourselves from laughing.

Ten minutes later he’s still not back.

I bite at my bottom lip wondering what could be taking so long.

“Where the hell is Griffin?” Ledger asks another ten minutes later. He rotates his wrist to look at his watch. “He just lives upstairs. How long does it take to grab some beer?”

“Maybe he’s dropping a deuce,” Barrett suggests.

“Or he’s jacking off,” Bodhi says with a shrug.

“Or both,” Harrison adds much to the amusement of the rest of us. His eyes find mine and I’m instantly red in the face. If he only knew what Griffin was forced to see up there. “Sorry Layken. That was a little?—”

“Griffin?” I shrug off his comment and smile. “You’re not wrong, Harrison.”

Just then the door swings open and a red-faced Griffin comes storming in with two cases of beer in one arm and the exact items I asked him to retrieve in his other hand.

“Dude, where the hell have you been?” Ledger inquires as he crosses the room to set the beer on the kitchen counter.

“Busy.”

Ledger laughs. “Brewing this beer yourself or…?”

Griffin ignores him and walks out to the living room, his eyes finding mine. Instantly my skin tingles and my heartbeat rises. His face is flushed and the stunned look in his eye tells me he saw everything I wanted him to see. He blinks rapidly and then, standing stiffly in front of me, he hands me my nail polish remover and nail brush.

“Thank you,” I tell him, reaching for the items he brought to me.

His voice cracks and he clears his throat before trying again. “No problem.”

Watching him like any good wife would I cock my head and furrow my brow. “You okay?”

How I’m keeping a straight face right now, I’ll never know.

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