Page 24 of Bad Teammate
“You can’t just barge in here like that! You scared me half to death!”
“It’s time to wake up. Don’t you want to explore Dallas? It’s my day off. We don’t get many of those, you know.”
I let out a deep breath. “Fine. Just get out so I can get dressed.”
“Hey, you feeling alright?” he asked, sitting at the side of the bed.
“I’m fine,” I said, annoyed.
“Yeah? Because your face is all red. You look warm.”
“My face is red because it’s hot in here and I’m sweaty and I need to take a shower, alright? Now get out.”
“Sweaty? Ew, gross.”
“Getout, Sasha. And next time,knock.”
Sasha snickered as he left the room. “Hurry up, alright? Your breakfast is getting cold.”
9
Derek
At nine in the morning, Jack Hathaway and I met on the links for a round of golf. I was happy to have an excuse to get out of the house first thing in the morning, before either Niko or Katerina had woken up.
I wasn’t sure who I least wanted to see: the sister I’d tried to bone, or the teammate who now had good reason to hate me.
Moron,I thought to myself.You better hope she keeps her word and doesn’t tell Niko.
Hath, of course, could sense something was wrong the moment we met. “You good, Reavo? You look kinda shaken.”
“Shaken?” I tried to laugh it off. “Nah, I’m fine. Just a late night, that’s all.”
“Late night? What’d you do?”
“Nothing, really.” I paused. “So, Niko’s sister came by last night. She’s visiting for a week.”
Hath bent over to set his ball on the tee. “Niko has a sister?”
“Yup. Older sister. Name’s Katerina.”
Quietly, I watched as Hath settled into his stance and took a few practice swings. As soon as he was ready, he crushed his ball with a perfect soundingthwack.The guy had a beautiful swing, and his ball soared high through the air before deciding to drop in, right on the green.
Of course.
Hath was one of those guys who was naturally and insanely good at every sport and every hobby he picked up in life. He’d been through a rough patch in his life a couple years ago, but now he had a beautiful wife, Emma, and an adorable stepdaughter, Mackenzie. He also had the kind of elite hockey skill thatallowedhim to take off two entire seasons and not even look like he missed a step when he returned.
Unlike me.
“Great shot, buddy,” I said, clapping him on the back.
“Thanks,” he said. “So, what’s Katerina like?”
“I don’t know.” Something clenched at my throat. “She seems nice.”
“Nice?” Hath raised his eyebrow at me. “That’s all you can say? I’m gonna need more detail than that.”
“She speaks perfect English. Hell, I think she speaks better than I do.”
