Page 6 of Bad Crush
Her eyes fall to her lap. “Sure.”
In the kitchen, I pour Reagan a glass of wine and grab myself a beer. She’s reverted back to looking timid and unsure, quiet. Now I know she has some fight in her, I want to see it again.
“You were scrappy back there.”
“Mean girls are the worst. Old wounds, I guess.”
I can’t imagine why anyone would be mean to Reagan. Aside from generally being one that hangs back out of the center of attention, she’s just so sweet and good. She has a way about her that makes people want to be friends with her. I know that’s how it was for me. The second I saw her, I wanted to talk to her and find out more about her. Being ridiculously hot probably had something to do with that too, if I’m honest.
Two years later, and I don’t know as much about her as I should for the amount of times we’ve hung out.
Leaning against the counter, I scan the living room. Guys from the team and the group of girls that tend to follow are piled into the tight space watching the Coyotes play Vegas. I’ve never dated from the jersey chaser pool, and now I’m remembering why. They outnumber us and more than one seems to have noticed that Leah left.
“Since you scared off my date, I think you’re going to need to stick with me.”
Reagan looks to the girls eyeing me up like a prize. “Why’s that?” She bats her lashes, playing it all innocent like she doesn’t know why. “I think the two next to Ginny are playing rock, paper, scissors to decide which one gets to make a move next.”
“That’s weird, right?”
“Yeah, that’s weird,” she confirms.
“If only I had someone else to be my date tonight.” I tap my chin. “Keep the crazies away.”Date, friend, bodyguard.
Her dimples pop out and she gives me a big, wide smile. “Oh, I see. You want me to be your beard.”
“You’re too beautiful to be anyone’s beard. Let’s go with date.”
Ginny walks into the kitchen and looks back and forth between us. “What are you two talking about?”
I grab her a hard seltzer from the fridge and toss it to her. “Reagan’s my date for the night.”
“He’s joking,” Reagan says quickly. “He’s hiding out.”
“I think it’s a great idea. You two would be adorable together.” My sister beams.
“All right, easy on the booze,” Reagan says to her. “Remember last night?”
“Yes, I do. Doyou?” Ginny volleys back. They share some sort of look that I can’t decipher.
“Baby doll,” Heath calls to Ginny from the living room. “You’re too far away.”
“Gotta go,” she says and skips off toward her boyfriend and my roommate. It’s easy to see that Heath is crazy about her, but I’m still not loving that my baby sister is dating one of my teammates. Not that she asked. She didn’t. My little sister is in a relationship and I’m… I don’t know what this is I’m doing yet. If it’s playing the field, then I suck at it and I don’t enjoy sucking at anything.
“They seem happy.” Reagan watches them over the top of her wine glass.
“Yeah. I think they are.”
“You don’t look as angry as you did a couple of months ago when you’re in the same room as them.”
“As long as he doesn’t hurt her, we’re good.”
“You should try saying that with a smile.”
My jaw loosens. Shit, I do sound like a grump. “What about you? No date tonight, so that must mean last night’s blind date was a dud?”
“How did you know?” She nods her head and glances at my sister. “Ginny?”
“Yeah. Before she rushed out of here last night, taking my wine, she mentioned something about your date ordering a salad for you.”
