Page 30 of Rookie Season
She busies herself getting the three girls situated around the table, and I grit my teeth and borderline stomp out of the room and down the hallway that leads into the kitchen. I can feel Ally on my heels, and I whirl around the moment we’re alone and standing in front of the fridge. “What are you doing here?”
“Why do you even care? It’s not a big deal.” She inhales a sharp breath, looking up at me with those doe eyes. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, drawing my attention to the fabric that’s stretched across her perky tits.Shit.
Ally keeps her spine straight, meeting my gaze. We stare at each other for a long moment, like we’re waiting each other out, seeing who backs down first.
But with every second that passes by with her staring at me with fire in her eyes, I get less angry and more turned on. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath.
“I’m being a jerk. I’m sorry.” I drag a hand through my hair, taking a step back to put some distance between us. “I just didn’t expect you to be here, and it’s been a long day.”
Her expression instantly softens, and she looks at me with something like…pity? “It’s okay. I’m sorry, too,” Ally says in resignation, sighing and crossing her arms. “Andie and I got to chatting after Paige’s class, and she invited me. I really like her and the girls. I don’t have any friends here, Noah.” She holds her hands out at her sides. “And I clearly didn’t know you’d be here for dinner, too.”
I nod. “Well, we’re both here now. So, we might as well enjoy the meal.” I turn and open the door of the refrigerator, grabbing a bottle of water and handing it to her. “Here you go.”
She rolls her full lips into her mouth like she’s fighting a smile. She reaches for the water bottle, but now I’m annoyed and I want to know why she’s laughing.
I hold the bottle of water over my head so she can’t reach it. “What’s so amusing?”
Her smirk turns into a grin, and then a laugh escapes her. It rings through the kitchen in a sound of pure delight. It pisses me off.
“What’s so funny?”
“It’s just…” She breaks off to laugh again. “It’s so hard to take you seriously right now.”
Thrusting the bottle of water into her hands, I dash out of the kitchen toward the laundry room where there’s a half bathroom attached. I close the door behind me and look at my reflection in the mirror. My hair is full of tiny, yellow butterfly clips, my face is covered in pink goop that smells like sugar, and my nails are still a bright, glittery purple. I look like one of those colorful trolls from that movie my nieces love.
Quickly, I yank the clips out of my hair, then turn the water on and wipe the pink stuff off my face. Searching all the cabinets, I don’t find any nail polish remover. I scrub at my fingers, but the paint won’t come off. Giving up, I yank the hand towel from its holder and dry my hands and face off then exit the bathroom.
Ally isn’t in the kitchen any longer, so I grab a probioticsoda from the fridge and take it into the dining room where there’s one seat left at the table…right next to Ally, dammit.
I just can’t get away from her.
I try not to roll my eyes, but it’s like holding back a burp—the harder you try to hold it in, the more it hurts.
Slumping down into the seat, I take a long swig of my beverage and rest it on the table.
“Now that Uncle Noah is done primping,” Mitch says from the head of the table with a glance in my direction. “We can dig in.”
Andie, seated at his right, titters to herself. She’s always thought Mitch was much funnier than he actually is.
“Does your skin feel amazing, Uncle Noah?” Laini asks from where she sits beside her mother.
Unable to stay grumpy with that hopeful expression on her little face, I smile, feeling my shoulders relax. “Yeah, it feels great. And smells like candy.”
Harlow, who’s seated across the table from Andie and Laini, next to Paige, lights up. “That’s the best part!” She glances down at my hands that are steepled on top of the table. “And I’m so glad you didn’t take your purple polish off. I think your teammates will think it’s really cool that your nails match your jersey.”
Paige shoots me an endearing look that silently says,I’m sorry my sisters are ridiculous.
I tip my head in her direction, a silent thanks for the commiseration.
The burgers are passed around, and when the platter makes its way to Ally and me, we both reach for the same burger, our hands brushing in the process. A tingle of awareness that’s completely unwelcome makes its way over my hand and up my arm.
I draw my hand back, letting her have the burger, then take the tray from her and grab one for myself.
“So, Noah,” Andie says. “Funny how you never mentioned you have a female roommate.”
I shrug, feigning nonchalance. “Is it? I didn’t think it was noteworthy.”
She quirks a brow, silently calling me a liar. My sister knows me well, and there’s no doubt she understands just how much I hated the last-minute change of roommates when Ivan went home to Russia with an injury. I’m pretty sure I even had a conversation with Andie telling her it would be so nice to have one whole wing of the loft and a bathroom to myself.
