Page 64 of Wild About You
WANT A SHOT BEFORE YOU GO?
TYLER
We finally geta night to relax and cut loose on Friday. Our next game isn’t until Sunday, so Coach gave us tomorrow morning off to rest up. We have a big push until the end of the season to make the wildcard cutoff for a chance at the playoffs, so a night to chill is exactly what we all need.
Ash tosses me a beer. I catch it and hand it back. “I have to take Everly to a friend’s house first.”
On cue, she comes downstairs with a bag slung over one shoulder, hugging her pillow to her chest. She looks around at the guys and girls already over, drinking and hanging out. “Figures you guys throw a party the first time I’m leaving for the night.”
I take her bag from her, and Ash throws his arm around her shoulder. “We aren’t having a partybecauseyou’re leaving, Little Sharpie. It’s just convenient timing. Want a shot before you go?”
I glare at him, sending him chuckling and stepping back.
“Kidding. Have fun.”
Ev and I start out the door. Jack is walking up the drive. He eyes the bag and pillow. “Where are you two going?”
“Tyler is dropping me off at a party.”
Jack stops in front of her, one dark brow raised. His gaze slides to me. “An overnight party?”
Everly rolls her eyes. “I swear, it’s like I have a whole team of big brothers. I’m eighteen, not eight. Besides, this place is far less kid-friendly than where I’m going tonight.”
“Except we can’t keep an eye on you there,” he says. He crosses his arms over his chest. Jack is an intimidating guy when he wants to be, and right now he wants to be. “Is your loser boyfriend going to be at this party?”
Instead of answering she steps around him and heads to my car.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Jack yells after her. When she flips him off without looking back, he grins and slides his gaze to me. “Are you coming back?”
“Yeah.”
He nods, gives Everly another glance, and then continues inside.
Everly’s friend Grace doesn’t live too far. I pull up to the house and kill the engine.
“Please don’t come in,” she says as she opens the door.
Relenting, I stay in my seat. “If you need anything, call me.”
“I already promised Piper I would text her if I wanted to leave.”
“I was actually thinking more along the lines of you burning the house down and needing me to drive the getaway car.”
“Ha, ha,” she says, and then sticks her tongue out at me.
She hurries away from the car. I wait until someone opens the door and Everly steps inside before I pull away from the curb.
An hour later, I’m sitting in the living room with my teammates and their friends. I haven’t had a lot of time for branching out to meet new people, but right now the person I’d like to see is nowhere around.
I’m slowly working on my first beer as I wait for Piper to show up. I told her to take the night off since I was free, but I obviously didn’t think that through because I assumed she’d stick around for the party at our house.
“Have you seen Piper?” I ask Ash when I see him playing video games on the couch with Leo.
“No, not since this morning. Why?”
“Nothing. I haven’t seen her either.”
“She’s probably enjoying her night off. Like you should be doing.” He tips his head toward my mostly full beer.
