Page 3 of The Draft
“Remember what happened with Henry?” I said with warning in myvoice.
She groaned and covered her face with her hands. Sure, it felt a little shitty to be bringing up something that happened three years ago, but it was the easiest way to get her to drop her sunshiny, flirty act with me.
“Did you have to mention him?”
I smiled because I felt no remorse for bringing up that asshat. The guy cheated on her withmygirlfriend. He’d technically done me a favor and given me an excuse to break up with Amy, but that wasn’t enough to save him from a broken nose, which I inevitably gave him because he deserved it for cheating on Madison.
“I’m just looking out for you. Cade wouldn’t want you here.” I didn’t want her here either. She was too good for any of the dirty athletes at this school—including me.
“Glad to see you’re still doing my big brother’s bidding,” she joked, but it wasn’t funny because we both knew it was kind of true. I would do anything for her brother, and that included doing anything for his little sister. “Honestly, Cade needs to get over himself. I’m nineteen now, which means I can do what and, more importantly,whoI want.”
Don’t break the glass. Don’t break the glass.
My brain was repeating the mantra as I stared at my beer because if I thought too hard about what she was implying with that statement, I’d probably break the table too.
“And yet you’re sitting with me. A guy you’ve known since you were in braces. I’ve gotta wonder how that’s working for you.” I played it cool, like I always did when it came to her, while I eagerly awaited the name of the guy she was trying to impress tonight. Once she told me, I’d warn that idiot off on Cade’s behalf because I was a good friend like that.
“Well, thanks for the vote of confidence. If you must know, I just met Brandon Gold from the baseball team.” She tipped her head to the dudebro in a hat.
With tanned skin and an incredibly white smile, I could see the appeal. I could also see why he’d now made his way to the top of my kill list. I supposed Scotty could live another day. “He was nice,” she drawled out and licked the corners of her lips.
I swallowed hard because there were so many things I wanted to sayand do but couldn’t.
“Careful,” I warned, taking a sip of my beer.
That made her cackle. “Relax, Big Man. I’m not here for him. Or you, for that matter.”
I sputtered out my drink and could feel the sweat dripping down my…curtains. “Me?”
She rolled her eyes and surveyed the room. “Don’t get me started on my favorite book trope.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Brother’s best friend,” she said dreamily. “After you knocked Henry’s lights out, I always thought something might happen between us.” I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. “But alas, my dreams were dashed—no pun intended—the day you looked at me like you’d rather kiss Sidney Williams than be in the same room as me.”
“Sidney Williams? The girl in my class who picked her nose and ate it?”
“Yeah, her.”
My brows furrowed as this girl who I’d never thought about came to mind. “Wait a minute, are you talking about that time we played Spin the Bottle in high school?”
She nodded her head proudly. “I’m surprised it’s not a core memory for you like it is for me.”
I blew out a breath, not sure how to answer that. “All I remember about that night is that you were sixteen, and when the bottle landed on you, your brother was staring at me like he was ready to tear my limbs off if I so much as thought about touching you.”
“Careful, D. You’re making it sound like I still might have hope.”
I pursed my lips, and I bit my tongue because I couldn’t respond to that. Not without lying to her and to myself.
“Anyway,” she continued before I had to answer. “I’m here for them.” She pointed her pink-tipped finger at the three football players in the corner.
Wearing their Covey Wildcat jerseys, they had hordes of people waiting to speak to them. I rolled my eyes and held back a groan of annoyance because of course she’d want to shoot her shot with the football team. They were considered the crowning glory of Covey U sports. But Icouldn’t be angry about that fact. I knew this was a football college before I picked it, and honestly, that was part of the appeal. I kind of thought it meant I could play hockey and get out of stupid things like this. Apparently, I was wrong.
“Aiden Matthews, Adam Hartley, and Devin Walker,” Madison said with a dreamy wistfulness in her tone.
Okay, now the football team was on my hit list, too, but I’d have to take them out individually since they’d likely win if I tried it any other way.
“I can’t decide which one I want to try my luck with first.” With her fingers tickling across her chin, she pursed her lips and smiled as she looked at me. “Mhm. As teammates, they’d be used to sharing, right?” I didn’t like where she was going with this. “Maybe I could be the cheese in their why choose sandwich.”