Page 105 of Shutout
“Yep.” My girlfriend—oh my shishkebab, I’m still not used to the novelty—sidles up against me, her eyes sparkling with affection as they turn to me. “He’s something else.” Okay, not affection. Amusement.
I drop a kiss on the tip of her nose. “I’ll have you know, I’m leaving college with an excellent GPA.”
“Sure…”
“For a busy Division I athlete.”
“Right.” Her teasing stops the second I squeeze her hip again. Clearing her throat, she turns back to her friend. “Anyway, congratulations you two! I heard you became an official couple already.”
“What?” I whirl around. Sure enough, Dane’s arm is alsoaround Mina’s shoulder in a way that is too affectionate for a casual date. “When did this happen and why did I miss it?”
“You were busy being a Division I athlete, trying to come up with ways to get your girl bestie’s interest, and eventually also getting called up to the pros.” Dane checks a finger for every one of the points. “Anything else?”
My girl bestie shifts in my arms and I feel her eyes boring into my face. “What’s this about trying things to get my attention?”
“Traitor.” I growl at Dane.
“Oh, look. Let me go say hi to Jamie who I’ve already said hi to earlier. Let’s go, Mina.”
The two of them leave while absolutely in stitches. I’m torn between being glad that I won’t have to put up with that duo after I’m gone, and also being absolutely bummed about it.
“So?”
I take a deep breath. “Fine, I’ll confess everything. I might’ve asked Dane and Jamie for advice to see if I could get out of the friendzone. But despite how he made it sound, it was only one time.”
“Ugh, you’re so damn cute.” Liv lays her head against my chest, both of her arms coming around my waist.
“Cute? Me?” I scoff against her hair. “Sexy, yes. Irresistible for sure. I’ve even been told to drop hockey and pursue modeling. Maybe Hollywood.”
She lifts her head to place her chin against the lapel of my tuxedo jacket. “All that plus cute. Sweet. Adorable. Like a cuddly teddy bear.”
I hum from deep in my throat, recognizing those as the fighting words they are. I’m happy to let her think they’re flying over my head, and I’m making a little retaliation plan when I get interrupted.
“Didn’t think I’d see you at this place.” It turns out to be none other than Kyle Warren and two of his senior goons.
I probably look like I’m sucking a lemon but it’s just confusion. “What?”
“Yeah, thought you were too important for these things now,” one of the other says.
“Besides,” adds the third guy. “It’s not like it matters to you anymore if we get more funds from boosters or whatever.”
Liv tenses and before she gives them the spectacular verbal lashing I can feel gathering in her chest, I just say, “Of course I care. I’m still the captain until Dane takes over, and if you have any issues about that you should take it up with Coach Green.”
Kyle raises his hands toward his buddies. “Dude, we’re not being sarcastic. We really thought it was how you were gonna be.”
“Oh.” I lean back, blinking down at them because they’re shorter. “So… Basically, you thought I was gonna act like Liam?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Liv looks up sharply. “Is that the guy who…”
The guy who caused our rift only to screw with my head? “Yep.” I cringe.
One of the other seniors says, “I heard Liam got kicked off his pro team for slacking off.”
“But you’re not like that, huh?” Kyle does something unexpected: he bumps his fist on my shoulder all buddy-buddy like. “You made us play hard during your captaincy and now here you are, still giving a damn even though you have a foot and three quarters out the door.”
“That’s my boyfriend, all right,” Liv says in a proud voice.
