Page 45 of Slapshot
“Vonne? Hellooo?” Pax waves a hand in front of my face.
“Good. Yeah, I feel good.”
Kaitlyn finally spots me, and I lift a hand to wave. She smiles, waves, but then walks toward the back of the house. Vivian gives me a friendly glare. I think I’m slowly winning her over. Very slowly.
I snap my attention back to the guys. “What were you saying?”
They laugh.
Pax shakes his head. “What’s your deal with Kaitlyn?”
“I don’t know. She’s fascinating.”
“She’s trouble,” Jonah states implicitly. “Hot trouble, but definitely trouble.”
“I can handle her.”
“You sure about that?” Pax asks.
I don’t think she’s as tough as she lets on, but I doubt saying that to the guys would win me any points with her. I stand. “I’m sure.”
I start toward her, but hear Jonah call after me, “Better double-check your shit every day just in case.”
She’s talking with Patrick when I get to the kitchen. He hands her a cup and then Vivian.
“Thank you for the empty cup.” Kaitlyn holds it in front of her.
“Keg’s out back.” Pat tips his head toward the yard.
“Do you live here?” Vivian asks him.
“Nah,” I interrupt. “None of the rooms were big enough for his ego.”
“Hey.” I lightly bump shoulders with Kaitlyn and then jut my chin to Vivian. “You guys came.”
“It took some convincing.” Patrick leans against the counter. “They were going to the lacrosse house instead. Those dudes are lame.”
Kaitlyn glances at me. “We planned to bounce around a few parties, but you guys were very convincing.”
“Let’s get you ladies a drink,” Pat says and turns his hat backward.
Vivian follows him to the door. Kaitlyn hangs back a second. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
Nodding, I let her go. Guess we won’t be hanging out.
I head out back too, but instead of following Kaitlyn, I go over to where Ash and some of the guys are standing around the fire pit. For the next couple of hours, I find myself getting more and more frustrated. Why the hell can’t we hang out at a party? She can hang out with everyone else but me?
I’m trying to be sensitive to her feelings and I know she doesn’t want to throw it in everyone’s face, but no one gives a flying fuck if we stand together at a party. It’s bullshit and it makes me feel like I’ve been tossed on her fourth line.
She and Vivian are near the keg and I head there to refill my cup. Patrick is still with them.
Kaitlyn looks up and smiles when I get close. A smile that tells me she wants to be hanging with me, which in turn just makes me more frustrated and determined to do just that.
“You ready then, Dalager?” Pat asks.
“This I have to see,” Vivian says excitedly.
“See what?” I ask, looking around.
