Page 76 of A Little Jaded
Jaxon is my oldest brother. He’s also the coach for the Lady Hawks.
Me
Oh yeah! The guy looking for Rory. I remember now. It's way fun that he coaches the Lady Hawks.
Dylan
Yeah, he likes it, even though it kills my dad sometimes since Jax was basically a hockey god but “retired” so he could coach the girls’ team. Anywho, I should probably go too. Finley, want to carpool?
Ophelia
We live together, so I’m gonna go with…duh ;) See you guys!
Me
See ya.
I didn’t knowwhat to wear, but I settled on ripped jeans and a cropped sweater that exposes one shoulder. It must work because Finley whistles when I open the front door, locking it behind me. The weather is cooler tonight, and I can’t help but wonder if it will snow. Then again, maybe it’s wishful thinking. I love the snow. The way it muffles the noise around you. The way you can taste it. The way it burns your lungs if you breathe in too deep. It’s beautiful. Peaceful. And makes you want to snuggle under a blanket. Seriously, what’s not to love?
Putting aside my wistfulness, I head toward Finley’s car when my phone rings. I pull it out to see Everett’s calling.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Hey.”
Silence follows, and my brows tug. A million questions race through my mind. How’s the wedding? Is his date pretty? Is her family nice? Does he regret going? Did he kiss her the same way he kissed me? The last thought brings a sharp pain to my chest, but I breathe through the strange ache.
“Are you…already finished with the wedding?” I ask.
“Nah. Needed to step away for a minute.”
“Oh.” I stop moving, unsure what else to say. A minute? Why does he need a minute? And why is he calling me during said minute?
“What are you doing?” he prods.
“Nothing really.” Forcing my feet to move, I close the last bit of distance between me and the car, open the back door, and climb inside. “Finley just picked me up, and?—”
“Where are you going?”
“Shit, are you talking to my brother?” Finley interrupts from the front seat.
I glance at her, then close my eyes, hoping to block her out. “Uh, we’re going?—”
“You shouldn’t be going anywhere,” he reminds me. It isn’t bossy or rude. It’s…confused.
Why is he confused?
My eyes pop open, and I stare at Finley. “Did you not call Ev?”
She grimaces. “I knew he’d say no.”
“Knew I’d say no to what?” Everett asks through the speaker. “Finley?—”
“Nothing!” she calls sweetly, then mouths, “Hang up the phone.”
“Raine,” Everett warns.
Plugging my opposite ear, I explain, “Finley invited me out for a girls’ night.”