Page 100 of Mr. Swoony

Eloise

In two days, preseason training camp starts for the boys, so we all decided to head to Peeper’s downstairs because we’ll have less time together from now until the end of the season.

Conor has been touchy, practically never allowing me out of his sight. I can feel his anxiety over the upcoming change to his schedule. Yes, he’s been accessible up until now, but he has to go back to his job, which keeps him away from home a lot.

“Come here.” Conor grabs my hand and guides me onto his lap.

I sit and wrap my arms around his neck. His arms tighten around me. We’re going to have to have a conversation about this, but not right now. Not when we’re having fun with friends. But he can’t be worried about how I’m handling everything while he’s supposed to be blocking shots on goal.

He kisses my neck. “I would rather be upstairs, driving into you,” he whispers, and my face heats.

No one is looking at us. Kyleigh and Rowan are playing darts against Jade and Henry, and we’re to play the winner.

“It’s unfair that Jade and Henry are a team,” Tweetie says. “I think we should put our names in a hat and draw to make it fair.”

“Why don’t you just practice more?” Henry asks, sitting on a stool with Jade’s back to his chest.

“I can’t time warp back to ten years old and have Jade’s dad teach me.” Tweetie shakes his head.

“I want to know why I never received lessons from Reed,” I say.

Reed is Jade’s stepdad and was Henry’s Big Brother when he was younger. He obviously taught them to play before I met Jade during freshman year in high school.

“He tried. Remember that New Year’s Eve party?” Jade raises her eyebrows.

“Oh right. I guess I just suck at it.” I shrug.

“Don’t worry, you’re good at a lot of other things.” Conor kisses my neck again.

“Cool it with the sexual innuendos.” Kyleigh throws her dart, and it doesn’t land on the board.

“Oh, come on, I’ve been watching you pet Rowan for an entire year.” Conor pats my ass.

“And you’ve had something to say every damn time.” Rowan kisses Kyleigh when she comes back from the board without much success.

Jade and Henry are going to win, which surprises none of us.

“Get ready, love birds, you’re our next victims.” Henry tips the top of his beer bottle at us.

Conor pats my hip. “Let me go to the restroom before we’re up.”

I stand, and he presses his lips to mine quickly before he leaves the backroom.

His teammate Alvin, which I’m not sure is his real name, sidles up next to me and sits. “You sure changed our boy,” he says, leaning back in his chair with his legs stretched out.

The two guys who are usually with him sit on either side of us.

“Excuse me?”

“In a good way,” the one on my left says.

“Of course,” the one next to him says.

“It takes a special woman to tame a playboy like Pinkie.” Alvin raises his hands in front of me. “It’s a compliment.”

I sip my drink, telling myself I don’t really care what Conor did before me, it’s how he treats me now that matters, but I can’t deny that a small piece of me wonders if I’m good enough. Tristan sure treated me as though I was disposable.

“Alvin and the Chipmunks, get the fuck away from her.” Tweetie slaps the back of Alvin’s head. “What are these dumbass rookies saying to you?”

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