Page 53 of Wildcat
I roll my eyes. “Thank you. It wasn’t necessary, but thank you.”
He dips his head. “Welcome.”
A group of guys wander outside. Fresh from paintball, some of them are still covered in it.
“Free shots?” I ask, holding up the bottle.
They crowd around, and I pour sample sizes into the small, plastic shot cups. They’re good sports, trying it even though they all agree it sounds awful.
“It’s like Halloween in my mouth,” one of them says and goes for a second.
“Is that a good thing?” I ask and look to Leo. He’s inched back, and I realize too late why he’s suddenly gone shy.
The closest guy is staring straight at him with wide eyes. “No way. Leo Lohan. What are you doing here? Are you endorsing the booze?”
“Uhh.” He looks to me for help.
“No,” I say, quickly, “I saw him and begged him for an autograph. Does anyone have a marker?”
“I bet someone at the bar does,” one of the guys says as he walks backward. “I’ll go check. I want one too.”
In seconds, someone has a Sharpie, and they gather around Leo to get him to sign autographs. It would do me well to remember this is who he is—not my hot Leo that I met at a bar, but Leo Lohan, star hockey player.
The bar starts to pick up, and I hand out more samples while the crowd around Leo refuses to let him go. When Lanie, the girl I’m covering for, shows up, I’m ready to leave, but Leo’s still stuck in the same group of guys, except more have joined. I slide between them and wrap my hand around his arm.
“Sorry, guys. I need to get my autograph before I leave.” I pull him without waiting for a response.
Inside, I finally stop and check him over. My dad will be pissed at me if I get one of his players hurt right before the season. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He laughs it off.
“That happens a lot?”
“Often enough.”
“I wasn’t thinking. Sorry.”
“I’m a big boy. I can handle myself.”
“Are you sure about that?”
He narrows his gaze. “What are you up to, Scarlett Miller?”
I tug him backward toward the paintball room. “Broadening your horizons.”
18
BODY ODOR AND PAINT THINNER
LEO
A bigger grouplets us join in on their paintball game.
We’re divided into teams of five. Scarlett and I get on the same one, and we move with the rest of our teammates to one side of the large room, as the other team heads to the other side. Tires and other structures divide us and offer hiding spots. When the game starts, our three teammates take off hustling to find the enemy. Scarlett and I hang back.
“This sounded like a better idea from afar. Is it too late to be a spectator?”
“Afraid so.” I smile at her nervousness. “Probably got a couple of minutes before they find us. What shall we do with the time?”
