The sound of feet coming down the stairs barely registers, but Bridget can’t get away from me fast enough when she glances up to see Everly and Grace at the bottom of the stairs looking at us.
“What do you think of your dance floor?” I ask Everly, pushing the last few minutes dancing with Bridget out of my mind for the moment and smoothing over the awkwardness that she’s obviously feeling. I don’t know why. We were just dancing, but the why isn’t important. I don’t ever want to be responsible for making her feel anything but good.
“This is incredible.” Everly walks out to join us. Grace is right behind her with three shot glasses in her hand. She gives one to Bridget, then Everly.
“What is it?” Bridget asks.
“Tequila.”
She scrunches up her face.
“If it’s the stuff Jack brought then don’t worry. It’s good tequila.”
“Good and tequila don’t belong in the same sentence.”
I lean over and whisper, “Can’t be worse than the concoction I made.”
“True,” she says with a little laugh.
“You’re not going to give me a lecture about underage drinking?” Everly asks as she brings the shot to her lips.
“Would it do any good?”
Her smile widens. “No.”
“To Everly. Happy birthday!” Grace lifts her glass.
“Happy birthday!” Bridget reluctantly pushes hers into the air.
Ev clinks her shot glass against the other two girls’ and then all three of them toss back the tequila.
Bridget only drinks about half of hers, grimacing as she holds the glass away from her. I take it from her and swallow the rest.
She watches me like she’s waiting for me to make a face. “I don’t know how you took that so easily.”
“Lots of practice,” I say as Grace and Everly start dancing together. Bridget sticks by me.
“What’s your favorite kind of shot?” I ask her.
“I don’t know…a lemon drop.”
“So sweet drinks?”
“Only in shots. I don’t like super sweet cocktails. You?”
“Tequila?”
She laughs. “Figures.”
“I don’t have a go-to shot, I guess. I usually stick to beer, sometimes whiskey, sometimes wine. Basically, whatever is available.”
“So, you’re easy?”
Her teasing me is so unexpected that my brows shoot up in surprise. That just makes her smile widen. Fuck, she’s gorgeous.
The dress she’s wearing hugs her curves and shows off long legs and toned arms. And that hair. I’m a total goner for her hair. All those blonde curls framing her face and hanging down her back.
“Ash?” she asks, snapping me out of a haze I didn’t realize I was in. She laughs again.
“Sorry, what?”
“I said I’m sorry about Gabe.”
“Nothing to be sorry for.” I bite down on my back molars at the thought of her asshole ex. He came by practice this week with Jim to introduce himself but otherwise I’ve been able to avoid him. His threat still hangs over my head, though.
Even so, he’s the last thing I want to think about right now.
“I texted him and let him know that nothing was going on between us, then I blocked him.”
“I’m sure it’ll all be fine,” I tell her.
“Okay.” She smiles again, then Everly comes over and takes her arm and pulls her over where Grace is dancing. A few more people have come downstairs and join them.
Nothing going on between us. Accurate, but I still don’t like the sound of it.
Jack comes to stand next to me, holding a half-empty bottle of water in hand. A lot of the party has moved downstairs since that’s where the birthday girl has stayed. Some of our teammates are making asses of themselves on the makeshift dance floor, others are sitting around. It’s been a long week and partying wasn’t on most people’s agenda for the weekend. We have three days before our next game, then a short break for the holiday. After that it’s madness until the end of the season.
“I thought you were going out with Meredith tonight?” I ask him.
“I did.”
“Funny, I don’t see her.” I turn in a circle, pretending like I’m looking for the gorgeous blonde that’s been out with Jack the last few weeks. It’s possibly the longest amount of time I’ve known him to spend with one woman.
“I dropped her off when I got the call from Midnight.”
“Everything end up okay with that?”
“Nothing that won’t blow over.” He clears his throat. “Speaking of Midnight, can we keep that between us.”
“You haven’t told anyone else that you’re—?”
He gives his head a small shake before I finish the sentence. “Only you and Declan know.”
Jack owns the place, though his involvement isn’t public knowledge. It’s just one of many investments he’s made, so I’m surprised he’s kept it private.
“Sure, but why?”
“Just until I’m sure I’m not going to sell. If I do, then it won’t matter, and if I don’t, then I’ll tell everyone.”
I nod my agreement.
“Meredith said you’ve been blowing off Kennedy since you started playing again.”
“I’m not blowing her off.” As soon as I say the words, I wonder if they’re true. Fuck, maybe I have been. “I’ll text her tomorrow. I don’t think it’s going to work. It shouldn’t be this complicated to just set up a single date, you know?”
“It’s only complicated if you make it that way. She’s home tonight. Call her now.” He turns to face me. “Unless there’s some other reason you haven’t called.”
Slowly, his gaze roams around the room and lands on Bridget.
“Fuck you.”
He chuckles. “Thinking of blowing up your career and making a move?”
The reminder of what’s at risk has me gripping the can in my hand a little tighter. “No.”
Both of his dark brows rise like he isn’t buying it.
“No,” I repeat with more force. “But she reminds me of what it could feel like. Excited, hopeful, a little crazed but in a good way, you know? When’s the last time you felt that way about someone? Do you feel that with Meredith?”
“Insane? You’re asking me if I feel insane when I’m with Meredith?” He shoots me a disbelieving look then shakes his head.
“In a good way,” I emphasize again.
“Feeling insane is a good thing?”
“Yeah. It’s like everything inside of you is on fire and at the same time you’re so aware of every thrum of your pulse in a way that you usually don’t notice.”
“You sound crazy, I’ll give you that. Whatever floats your boat. Just make sure Gabe doesn’t find out.”
“She’s not interested anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”
“You sure about that?”
When I look over to where she’s dancing with Everly and Grace, she’s staring this way. A hint of a smile pulls up her gorgeous lips and then she looks away.