Page 84 of Goalkeeper
“Single,” he answers with a smile.
“So, if you’re single, drink up,” Paige says, before taking a sip of her beer, and I take the shot Chase pours. So much for not drinking tonight. But one shot won’t kill me, and besides, I need the liquid courage for this level of socialization.
“Drink, man,” Chase commands Andy.
“Screw you. I have a girlfriend.”
“Really? Cause I don’t see her…”
“She lives in Canada.” Andy defends himself.
“Oh, buddy, this is a no judgement zone,” the girl next to Paige coos. “Drink up.”
The tips of his ears turn red, poor guy, but he drinks.
The first few rounds go like this, a little good-natured ribbing, a lot of drinking, and just a general good time.
Until we lose Chase.
He was right next to me, but then he picked theSwaptile and had to switch places with the guy on his left, which was Colin Zacarelli, another rookie. Or, as my dad likes to call him,the little asswipe who’s gunning for your spot.
I guess I should have kept a better eye on Chase, but he’s a college freshman, so I guess I figured he could play a game without direct supervision. And he was still in the group. But now he’s not, and I don’t see him anywhere. What the hell? How does a 200-pound guy who stands at 6’ 2” just disappear?
So, Chase is MIA, Andy’s under the table meowing and I can’t force myself to give a shit. Somebody pulls a tile that saysShoes,and since we’re all wearing shoes, we drink. I can see how this kind of shit could get out of hand pretty quickly.
A roommate of Andy’s pulls the tile that saysScramble, so we all rearrange ourselves before taking another drink. I’m not exactly sure we’re playing this right, but you won’t hear me complain. After we scrambled, Paige ended up next to me, so I’m pretty sure Drunk Jenga is my new favorite game.
“Briggs, you’re up,” Paige tells me, and I’m a little stunned she knows my name. I mean, sure, a lot of people recognize me because I play hockey, and we’re a pretty visible crew. But somehow, I’m a little starstruck that the prettiest girl at the party, if not the entire university, knows who I am.
I take a look at the tower, trying to gauge my best move. Apparently, I take too long, because Zacarelli shoves me. “Dude. Pick a fucking tile or I’ll pick it for you.”
I shoot him a glare and then turn back to the tower, choosing an interior piece near the bottom. It’s risky, but that’s the point, right? There’s a chorus of “oooohhhhs” as I gently pull it, almost like the chorus you’d hear from a bunch of third graders when a classmate gets called to the principal’s office.
The tile comes out clean, not even a wobble.Floor is Lava. Huh. I read it out loud, but before I get all the words out, everyone at the table is jumping on their chairs. Catching on, I laugh and jump to the chair next to me, just as Paige claims it. My weight tips us over just a bit, and I catch her around the waist to right us.
“Whoa. That was close. Thanks for the save, Red.” The nickname should make me cringe, it always has before. But coming from Paige, it doesn’t sound so bad.
Still, I manage to sound like a total dork when I respond. “Yeah, no problem. I’m really good at catching people. Things, really. Pucks. Not that you’re a thing. And you’re way bigger than a puck, but like…”
Instead of shoving me off the chair like she ought to, she laughs.
She’s next, and her tile readsWaterfall, so we all have to drink to the count of ten because there are ten of us playing. And Andy, the guy who’s still meowing under the table, gets to call out the count. If I wasn’t a little drunk, this would make no sense. But I’ve had a few shots, so I go with it.
We circle around again, and Emma, Paige’s friend, has to moo like a cow every time she takes a drink, while Doyle, a junior on our team, picksStrip 1and peels off his shirt.
Hoots and hollers come from every direction and even Paige’s eyes widen a bit. Kinda makes me want to peel my shirt off too, and yell,he only has a six-pack, but I have 8, look!But I refrain.
My turn comes up again and it feels like the Drunk Jenga Gods are smiling down on me because the tile readsHandcuffs- L.From out of nowhere Emma grabs a pair of handcuffs and hooks one on Paige’s wrist and the other on mine. I can’t lie— they’re tight as hell and it’s entirely possible I’m losing circulation, but I don’t give a damn.
“Guess you’re stuck with me, huh?” I say.
“There are worse places to be.” She smiles back.
Holy Jesus. Remind me why I never go to parties?
Doyle picks theMr. Rogerstile, and slips off his shoes. Then a girl whose name I don’t know (Ava, Ada?) chooses one that saysPick a stripper.I’m clueless as to what this might mean, until she points to me. Shit. Cheers and cat calls go up around me, and I guess this’ll teach me to be careful what I wish for.
The handcuffs prove a bit tricky and my shirt ends up dangling on the chain between Paige and me, but based on the appreciative looks I’m getting from her, I don’t mind at all. And yeah, I have no time for dating, but if I did, I’d have a hardcore crush on Paige.
