Page 78 of The Drop

"Brooke, they are playing a Taylor Swift mashup; let's go!" I hear Cami shout, and the chatter of the bar floods back down the phone; I imagine Cami stamping her foot as she said it.

"Enjoy." I laugh.

"Oh, don't be jealous, you're a secret Swiftie."

"I do put 'Reputation' on in the locker room before any big game to pump the boys up."

She laughs at that, and I smile.

"See you tomorrow, Captain."

"See you." I grab the pitcher and head back to the table.

"Sorry, took a while." I cough, trying not to draw attention to myself being gone that long.

"Has Cami texted you?" Gunnar asks, looking up from his phone as soon as I sit down.

"Um, no, why?" I blink at him; that was out of nowhere.

"She always messages me after a game." He sighs, looking back down at his phone, annoyed and not texting like he normally is, which I take to mean it's not Sasha that's annoyed him, but Cami.

"Brooke said they are out for girls' night." I say, trying to be helpful.

"Okay, but she messaged Bear and Adam." He gestures to them, and they both look like deer in headlights. Pints of beer paused at their lips. " Cami and I are closer. It doesn't make sense. " He looks irritated and chucks his phone on the table. I don't think I've ever seen Gunnar this upset, not even with Sasha.

"Message her then, dude," Adam scoffs. His patience probably ran out after Gunnar said he wasn't as close with Cami.

"No, I don't want to get some pity text back," he grumbles, crossing his arms and sinking into his seat.

"Then quit bitching," Adam shakes his head at him, and Gunnar glares, standing up and walking off, leaving his phone on the table.

We all stare at it and then at each other. Gunnar always has his phone with him; it's been that way since I met him.

"Something's going on with those two." Bear narrows his eyes, and Adam nods.

"Yeah, first Cami before Thanksgiving, and now this."

We all jump when Gunnar's phone rings, and Adam puts his beanie over it.

"I don't need that negative energy today." He shudders, and we all nod.

Chapter Thirty Six

Brooke

The boys got back just before four, and I haven’t seen Grant yet, as Cami has made me swear to keep our location a secret, as she doesn’t want to see Gunnar yet.

So, here we are, at six, in the basement of a frat house, dancing. It’s pretty cool down here, not the dingy, damp basement I imagined when Cami told me about it; it’s all fresh white walls and a pool table; there’s even a proper dance floor with a DJ deck. I wonder who donates to this frat.

We are a few vodka cranberries deep. When the team arrives, I can almost sense when he walks in, turning towards the door that leads to the stairs and smiling when I spot him and the rest of the team fist-bumping and back-patting their way through the crowd.

“Sorry, Cinderella, midnight’s here,” I yell toward Cami, and she turns, noticing them too.

“You dare stop dancing and ditch me?” she yells back, grabbing my hand as we continue to dance, and I shake my head.

“No way. They can come join us or get lost.” We continue to jump along to the chorus of the song.

I see them moving over slowly since so many people are stopping and offering them drinks, but then Bear spots us and pounces. “My lucky charm,” he shouts, and grabs Cami around the middle. “This girl is the reason we kicked ass.”

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