Chapter 20
Chapter
Twenty
Mom: Jace wants to stay up until you get home. I don’t remember bedtime being this hard when you were a kid!
“Hey, it’s my BFF!” Captain Marvel throws her arms around me, and while I know we’re not really BBFs, it still sounds nice to hear someone say that.
“Hi, Hadley,” I say after our hug. “Great costume.”
“Thanks!”
Hunter moves from my elbow to stand way too close to the guy Hadley was talking to. Hunter says nothing, just gives a menacing stare. After glancing from Hadley to Hunter, the guy melts into the crowd.
“Hunter,” Hadley whines, giving his name three extra syllables. “We were just talking!”
“I didn’t like the look of him. Or the way he was looking at you.”
“And just how was he looking at me?” She pops her hand on her hip and glares, but Hunter is unfazed.
“Like you were his next meal. I think not. Not my baby sister.”
Groaning, she drops her head in her hands. “Again with this baby shit. You’ve gotta give it up.”
He shrugs, unrepentant. “I’m just looking out for you.”
“And who”—she waves her hands around the room— “is it acceptable for me to talk to?”
A lazy grin spreads across Hunter’s handsome face. It’s not directed at me, and still, it makes my stomach drop.
“You can talk to Natalie. And Jasmine.”
“Ugh!” Hadley rolls her eyes, then links her arm through mine. “No offense, Natalie.”
“None taken.” I pat her hand. “I don’t know a lot about brothers, but yours seems pretty overprotective.”
“Seriously.” She frowns at him.
“You know I can hear you, right?” He stares back and forth at both of us, blinking.
“Then listen up and go find us something to drink.”
“I just got a drink for Natalie.” He points to the White Claw in my hand, his voice smug. “And you’re underage.”
She tugs me away. “Stop being such a buzzkill!”
“No buzz for you!” he yells at her back, but there’s laughter in his voice.
“Where are we going?” I ask Hadley. It’s not like this apartment is huge.
“Away from nosey big brothers!” Across the room from Hunter, she leans against the wall and sticks out her tongue. He lifts his beer in salute to her, mouths, “Real mature,” and then turns to speak to one of his teammates.
I giggle at their antics. “I don’t have a brother, so I don’t really know. Is this normal?”
“Yep. All over-protective, all the time.” She smooths a hand down her blonde hair, styled over one side like Captain Marvel. “But I suppose he didn’t have to invite me to this party, and he did anyway. Even if it was to keep an eye on me. He’s fun to mess with, though.”
That he is. I swallow and keep that thought to myself.
“Hey, girls!” Jasmine, in her long white dress with expertly styled Princess Leia buns, holds a fake Star Wars blaster gun and waves it at us as she comes over. “Enjoying your first hockey party?”
“I’d be enjoying it more, but I’m not allowed to flirt with anyone here.” Hadley sticks out her lip in a pout. “Do you have an older brother, Jaz?”
“Nope, just an older sister.”
“Hey, me, too,” I say.
She gives me a smile and a fist bump, then leans against the wall with us.
“Where’s Cooper?” Hadley asks. “I thought you two were attached at the hip. Or the lips.”
Jasmine elbows her, but her blush is apparent, even in the low light. “Come on, we’re not that bad. If you say things like that, I’m not gonna help you get your flirt on with the hockey hotties.”
To my surprise, Hadley bites her lip. “Some of them are pretty cute.”
“Oooh, who do you have your eye on?” Jasmine asks, leaning close, but Hadley shakes her head.
“Nobody.” In a clear subject change, she turns to me. “How do you like working for the team, Natalie?”
I clear my throat. “It’s good. The guys are a lot nicer than I expected.” Then I narrow my eyes at Hunter across the room. I can feel his gaze lingering on us. Tipping the can up, I sip my drink. “Well, most of them.”
“I think there’s some chemistry between you and Hunter. Classic enemies to lovers.” Jasmine waggles her brows at me. “Just like Han and Leia.”
“What?” My mouthful of black cherry White Claw dribbles down my chin, and I wipe it away with the back of my hand. “No way.”
Hunter’s fun to spar with, more fun to hang out with than I expected… but lovers? That’s a bit too far. We’re friends. The butterflies in my belly are because… well, because he’s so good-looking. It doesn’t mean anything.
“Okay, if you say so.” Jasmine’s eyebrows stay raised like she doesn’t believe me, but she drops the subject. “I’ve always wondered what it’s like, traveling with the team. What’s the weirdest thing about it?”
I hadn’t thought about it. I guess it could be weird, but the guys are just… cool. Even Hunter is growing on me. Looking out for his baby sister, helping me with my videos instead of complaining, inviting me to this party. And the way he looks in that Fedora…
Why do I keep thinking about him? I force myself to focus on the question.
“It is a little weird to spend so much time on a bus and to sleep in hotel rooms. I usually share with Keisha and Jayne. Do you know them?”
“Yeah, they’re great! I bet they’re here somewhere.” Jasmine smiles. She’s so easy-going and genuine, it puts me at ease. “And how’s the social media part? What’s it like, to get paid to post things?”
I shrug, trying to be modest. “It’s like any job, I suppose. Some parts are hard, some come more naturally.”
Jasmine nods, like this makes sense, and then I blurt out, “Plus I have a fashion blog, so I have some experience already.”
Both of their eyes light up and fix on me. I guess I tell people about it now. The words flowed out easier this time, though, after Hunter’s support before.
“A fashion blog!” Hadley’s mouth drops open. “I didn’t know that. What sort of things do you promote? How many followers do you have?”
“I don’t talk about it a lot. My family thinks it’s dumb. But it’s all about looking stylish on a budget and finding good knockoffs and stuff like that.” I’ve seen the name brands Hadley wears. I don’t think she’d be interested. “It’s no big deal. Just means that thanks to my hockey job, I’m finally getting paid for my knowledge.”
Jasmine whips out her phone. “What’s your username? I can’t wait to follow you.”
“Oh, it’s called The Frugal Fashionista. But you don’t have to—”
“This is awesome!” She’s already scrolling through pictures. “No wonder the team hired you.”
“Why aren’t you majoring in this stuff?” Hadley holds up her phone, displaying my most recent blog post. “You’re so good at it.”
“No, it’s not a career. Nothing that could support a family. I need something more dependable.”
“It can still be fun, though.” Jasmine puts her hand on my arm. “It’s okay to have hobbies. And you’re really talented.”
Their praise lights me up inside, and I can’t help but smile. Hanging out with other girls is encouraging. I love my family, but the freedom I feel tonight is intoxicating.
I mean, I don’t mind putting them first. They deserve it. But what would my life be like if I was a typical college student, living in the dorms and thinking of myself?
Hadley grabs my hand, pulling me back to the present, and examines my fingernails. “So I’ve been thinking. After my frat party adventure, I owe you a mani-pedi, and—”
“No, you don’t.” I squirm, uncomfortable with the idea that she needs to repay me. “Friends help each other out.”
“Regardless,” Hadley waves away my protests. “We should have a spa day before the arena dedication ceremony. You know, get our nails done to go with our fancy dresses. Jaz, you’re coming, too.”
“That’s a fun idea!” Jasmine twinkles at us both. She’s shorter than me and so full of bubbly energy, I want to pick her up and hug her. “What are you wearing?”
“I treated myself to a new Valentino dress.” Hadley’s eyes roll back into her head in exaggerated ecstasy. “It’s gorgeous. Red and slinky. I look like a million bucks!”
“It probably cost that much!” Jasmine laughs at her, and I’m grateful I’m not the only one who thought that.
“Not quite.” Hadley gives us a smug smile. “But sometimes Daddy’s money has its uses.”
I can’t imagine ever thinking of money that way, but I try to keep my face impassive. Jasmine turns to me.
“I’m wearing the same dress I wore to my department party last year. It’s one of my favorite vintage thrift store finds. Have you picked out a dress yet?”
“I haven’t even thought about it.”
“Oh, we could go shopping together, too! Help you find something.” Hadley bounces on her toes with excitement.
I don’t want to disappoint her, but I shake my head. There’s no way I’m letting her see me shop, not when I’m on a budget, and she’s so obviously not.
“Nah, I’ll probably just order something online to save time.”
Jasmine nudges me. “Your figure is so perfect, I bet it’s awesome to buy off the rack and not have to try things on.”
I send her a grateful smile, both at the compliment and at getting me out of the shopping trip.
Before I can say anything else, Hunter appears at my side and slings his arm around my shoulder. The alluring scent of his expensive cologne surrounds me. I wish I could sink into it, into him, but that doesn’t feel safe. I stay stiff.
“Is Hadley done complaining about me?”he asks.
“No.” She glares at him. “I’m not.”
“I invited you to this party.”
“Only to monitor me.” He snorts, and it’s clear she’s right but he won’t admit it. “I’m not falling for that again. I’ll just have to go where you can’t find me next time.”
With a cheeky finger wave, she flounces off, and Jasmine points to Cooper. “I should go check on Han. I don’t want him to make the Kessel Run without me.”
“You two are so weird.” Affection laces Hunter’s tone as she pretends to shoot him with her fake gun. He keeps his arm around me as we watch her walk away and plant a kiss on Cooper’s cheek.
“Is that why you invited me, too?” I turn, bringing myself closer to him. Hunter drops his arm and I lose myself in his intense gaze. “To keep an eye on me?”
“Yeah.” His voice is gravelly, and a shiver runs down my spine at the sound. “I’m watching you, Natalie.”
His protective big brother vibe is gone. His eyes rake me up and down. This feels different—like instead of looking out for me, he enjoys looking at me. Low heat pulses in my belly, and I clench my thighs together.
“Stalker,” I whisper. Stepping into his space, I can’t stop staring at his lips. What would it be like to kiss him?
Leaning towards me, he cups my face. “It sounds creepy when you say it like that.”
“And how do you say it?” Our mouths are inches apart. He’s going to kiss me for sure. Do I want him to?
My eyes bounce to his mouth and my blood thrums through my veins. I definitely do.
“Hunter, we’re starting a game of beer pong in the kitchen! We need you, man.” A deep voice breaks the moment, and I blink.
Pulling away from me, Hunter gazes at me for a beat, his expression unreadable. His hands slip off my body, and he steps back, leaving me cold.
His Adam’s apple bobs in a swallow and then one side of his mouth quirks up in a smile. “I bet you’ve never played beer pong, huh?”
“Nope, never.” I take a deep breath, trying to get my heart to stop racing.
“It’s a college party requirement.” He holds out his hand, and I lace my fingers through his.
“Is it hard?”
He snorts a laugh. “So simple a drunk frat boy can do it.”
“Let’s go.”
He shifts his hand to the small of my back, and why is that so hot? I inhale, and goosebumps pebble my skin.
He guides me back to the kitchen. A long table dominates the space, with red Solo cups set up on either end, in a triangle formation that reminds me of bowling pins. Evan, Adam, and Jonas wait there.
Hunter wraps his arm around my waist, fingers warm even through my shirt. “Sorry to disappoint one of you, but Natalie is my partner.”
Jonas shrugs and salutes with his beer. “Good luck.”
“Go check on Hadley for me,” he asks, and a weird look crosses Jonas’s face as he swallows. Hunter doesn’t seem to notice, pointing at the setup on the table.
He moves close to explain, ducking his head towards mine. The butterflies in my stomach multiply. Is it normal to feel my pulse pound throughout my body like this?
“Okay, so. Our goal is to bounce this ball”—he holds up a small white ping-pong ball— “into their cup. Then they have to drink. When all their cups are empty, we win.”
Hunter shrugs like it’s as simple as that and smiles at me.
“And the same goes for us? If they get the ball into our cups, we have to drink?”
“Yep, you’ve got it.”
“I’m a quick study.”
“I know.” His voice is husky, and his eyes burn with intensity. My gaze flies to his lips again. Is he thinking about the same thing I am?
“Prepare to lose!” Evan interrupts the moment and I step away from Hunter. I’m going to need a little space from him if I want to win.
Hunter hands me the ball. “Wanna go first?”
“Sure.” My fingers brush his as I take the ball, and so much for eliminating distractions. I swallow, take a breath, and stare at the cups.
Then I bounce the ball off the table and sink it in a cup in the middle of the formation. Beer splashes out, and the guys cheer.
“Way to go!” Hunter picks me up in a hug, and I think I like beer pong. I think I like it a lot.