Page 15 of Shane
“I’m here with a girl I met when I visited over the summer. I think they’ll be back soon.”
“Oh, okay.” His eyes seem to linger at the cleavage of my dress for a moment, then back to my face. “Have you declared a major yet?”
“No, but it’s going to be something in business.”
“Why business?”
“My dad owns a couple of pizza franchises and wants me to run them when he retires.”
“That’s cool. I love to hear about all that generational wealth and stuff.”
“Thanks, and what about you? Do you know what you want to do?”
Suddenly, there's an uproar behind us, and his eyes dart toward the commotion. His jaw tightens as he watches a group of rowdy guys jostling each other around. By their large stature, it’s obvious they’re all athletes.
“I wonder if that’s the baseball or infamous hockey team I keep hearing about?” I chuckle, noting the matching black and gold hoodies they’re all wearing.
“The latter,” he replies with a sigh while running his fingers through his messy, dark hair. “Although I don’t think they deserve the bad reputation they’ve already been given.”
"Oh really?" I say skeptically, raising an eyebrow at him. “I’m pretty sure I saw some of them fighting on campus during Final Decision Day.”
"They’re not all bad, though."
“I’m not sure the rest of the school would agree with you?” I scoff. “Must be friends of yours. Who are the exceptions on the team? ”
His eyes drift back towards me, and he grins, "I'd like to think I'm one of them."
kennedy
Now it all makes sense.
The super-cut body.
His total confidence.
The black and gold school jacket.
When Shane reaches up and flicks the collar of his windbreaker, revealing the team’s sunburst logo stitched underneath, I can’t help but react.
“So you're a puckhead too?” I tease, taking another shot glass from the bar top and knocking it back.
He chuckles at my terminology, his slightly crooked smile shining against his olive-hued skin, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "That's a new one. But yes, I'm apuckheadas you so eloquently put it."
"Well don't worry, your secret is safe with me." I wink at him, clearly feeling a little flirty as I feel the liquid courage glide through my veins.
His laugh is throaty and genuine, filling the air between us as we continue our chatter. The noise around us fades into the background, the smell of beer and sweat getting drowned out by our shared laughter and tequila shots.
“I should probably buy your friends another round. Seems like we’re short a few shots now.”
“I would order them myself but I don’t think the bartender will come back over here if you’re not the one doing the asking.”
“I got it.”
Sure enough, Shane manages to get the bartender’s attention again and she pours us another round of shots.
“Let me know if you need anything else,” she says to him in the voice of a seductress.
“Appreciate you,” he thanks her while handing her a five-dollar tip.