Page 37 of Chips & Checks
I lift my chin. “I am.”
Or I was. Or I wanted to be. Keeping it casual was the whole point—until Vi got under my skin like she was born there.
A small smile tugs on the corner of his mouth. “Nah. Youwere.”
“Agree to disagree.”
“Bullshit. When Violet texted me, she said it wasyouridea to report Hawthorne. And now, with the new plan?” Camden checks our surroundings again. “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I thought you’d hold it over her head. But youcare.”
“She’s a person,” I say, a little louder than before. “A human being and a valuable asset to the team. Of course I care. I’m a fuckboy, not ajackass.”
Camden laughs as he lifts his fist for a knuckle-tap. “Yeah. Like I said. Not who I thought you were.”
I bump my fist against his. “Although, speaking of theplan… any idea why she’s keeping me on read?”
Camden opens his mouth to say something, but he snaps it shut again a second later. Almost at the same time, a hand slaps my back right between my shoulder blades. My first thought is that Chad is coming in swinging, but it’s only Knight, with a towel wrapped around his waist, pulling me into a back-slapping, one-armed hug.
“What’d I miss? For a minute, I thought you were asking the single guy for relationship advice.” Knight flashes me a cheeky grin and loops his arm around my shoulders.
“Just because he’s single, it doesn’t mean he can’t help me,” I point out. Some might argue that Camden is already doing a pretty solid job of being my wingman. Or he would be, if I were trying to get with Violet. Which I’m not, beyond whatever help she needs when it comes to avoiding Chad.
Knight rolls his eyes. “Itkindadoes. Camden has been in love with the same girl for twenty years and hasn’t made a move. You should talk to me instead.”
I shrug out of his bro-hug. “I’m good. Thanks. This is a wifey-free zone.”
Tristan, the third member of the first line, ambles up behind Knight. At leasthe’swearing shorts while he dries his hair with a towel, rather than treating the article as a fashion accessory. “Yeah, right. We saw you at your welcome dinner. You practically fell at Violet’s feet.”
Knight snickers. “Yeah, after you dumped your water in her lap. Smooth.”
“No, I—” My brain catches up with me, and I shut my damn mouth. This is how it’s going to work, isn’t it? If the guys think I have a crush on Violet, they’ll be more likely to buy our fake-dating story. I swallow my pride and hang my head. “Well, I might like her alittle.”
Knight punches the air. “Ha! I knew it!”
“Too bad you don’t have a shot with her,” Tristan says. He drapes his towel around his shoulders and grips both ends. “EvenIknow she doesn’t date hockey players.”
“Really? Are you sure?” I try to look sad. I’m not sure what my face is doing, but from the corner of my eye, I catch Camden giving me a subtle thumbs-up.
“Positive,” Knight confirms. “But I can still give you some advice. Want to come to lunch with us? I know a place that makesterriblepizza. Believe me, it’s got the worst cheese you’ve ever had in your life.”
I can’t stop myself from grinning back. “That’s quite the sales pitch.”
“You don’t have to take my word for it. Come see for yourself.” Knight leans in again. “But just between you and me? You really do need a shower. Chicks never go for stinky guys. Also,” Knight adds with a smirk, “what kind of psycho has their team contact saved as BigStickEnergy? You trying to get razzed for the rest of the season or what?”
I shrug. “Gotta manifest what you are, right?”
Most of the guys are done in the showers and are getting dressed before they leave. A lot of them are talking in groups of two or three… all except for Chad, whose limp is a lot less noticeable now that nobody’s paying attention to him. Maybe he was just messing with me earlier, and he isn’tactuallyplanning to harass Violet after he leaves.
As I towel off, I catch one last glance at that tool. He’s scrolling his phone, smirking to himself.
I don’t know if he’s texting Violet or someone else.
But something tells me we haven’t seen the last of his bullshit.
Chapter Nine
Violet
I’m packing up supplies for our first team road trip when Renee strolls in. I instantly feel silly, since I’m kneeling on the countertop so that I can reach the uppermost shelves. I don’t mind being short most of the time, but Idomind feeling like a kid who’s been caught with her hand in the cookie jar when I’m just doing myjob.
