Page 119 of Most Valuable Players
The more I drink and the darker the sky gets, the more relaxed I feel. We moved back outside now that it’s cooled off. I can feel the slight burn on my skin from earlier and the breeze makes goose bumps dot my arm.
Adam and Taryn are sharing a lounge chair next to me and Reagan. Dakota and Maverick are both in the pool. Maverick’s tossing a beach ball back and forth with the girl he’s been hanging out with all afternoon and Dakota’s full-on making out with some guy Reagan tells me is a basketball player.
Liam sits on the ground between us. He’s attached himself to my side. I can’t tell if he’s hitting on me or if he’s another one of the guys Adam’s asked to keep an eye out for me. His approach is much more subtle than Heath’s, and dammit if I don’t prefer Heath’s cocky, playfulness to Liam’s politeness.
I find him in the pool. He’s leaning against the side and the girl I all but pushed him into hanging out with is next to him. She’s facing him, her back to me, but I have a clear view of Heath.
He smiles and holds a beer in one hand. They’re not touching, at least that I can tell, but they’re standing close. He laughs and his stare moves past her to me. It isn’t the first time he’s caught me staring in the last hour.
I know he’s all wrong for me. Dakota and Reagan have filled me in on all the guys and what they said about Heath is exactly what I expected. He hooks up, he’s all for the fun, but he doesn’t date, and he’s never had a girlfriend that they’re aware of.
The reasons to not hook up with him are many, not the least of which is him being my brother’s roommate and teammate. And if I’m totally honest, I’m not one hundred percent over Bryan. I think it’s mostly turned into anger at the way he ended things and missing the idea of what I thought college would look like. We were supposed to be doing all of this together, but if we had, I wouldn’t have met Dakota and Reagan and I already can’t imagine that.
“You’re staring,” Reagan says, nudging me with an elbow.
“I know. It’s pathetic. She’s beautiful. Do you know her?”
“No, not really. I’ve seen her around.”
“With Heath?”
She nods. “If it’s any consolation, I don’t think it’s serious. I think it’s lack of options and similar goals.”
“Is the goal not going home alone?”
She laughs. “Yeah, pretty much. And Heath’s a hot commodity, especially now that he’s been drafted.”
“Drafted, like to the NHL?” It clicks before she answers. “I remember Adam saying something about one of his teammates being drafted, but I didn’t realize it was Heath.”
“Heath and Maverick both already signed with teams.” Standing, she slips into her shoes. “Come on, I see Rhett playing flip cup.”
I take one last look at Heath and our eyes catch again. I tear my gaze away first this time and stand. “Let’s do it.”
* * *
“College is awesome. A-W-E-S-O-M-E awesome.”
Reagan and Dakota’s laughter is a hazy sound as they help me into Adam’s bed.
“I put a glass of water on the nightstand and your phone on the desk. Do you want help getting changed or at least out of those shoes?” I think it’s Reagan who asks.
My eyes are shut, and their voices are surprisingly similar.
“No, it’s fine. This way I’ll be ready to go to classes in the morning. No getting ready. Voi, voile, I mean voila!”
“Tomorrow is Sunday, sweetie.”
“How did you get so drunk?” Dakota asks. I can tell it’s definitely her this time, the little snort laugh she does gives her away.
“I’m not drunk. Just tipsy and tired.”
“Now I see the family resemblance. You’re as stubborn as your brother. Last time Adam got drunk, he swore he was fine until he fell down the stairs on the way to the bar.”
I’m too tired to laugh, but the image in my head of my bossy and always in control brother tumbling down a flight of stairs is hilarious.
“Okay. Night, Ginny. Sleep tight.”
Their footsteps retreat and one of them flips the overhead light off before the door shuts.
