Page 78 of Wild Ever After
After I shove another piece of stale roll in my mouth, I nod. I’m about to ask her if she wants to make an escape when one of the men, I think he said his name was Dave, turns his attention to me.
“Tough loss last season.” He rests an elbow on the white tablecloth, flashing a Rolex.
“Yes, sir. It was.”
“How’s the wrist?”
I make a fist, instinctively, checking for any discomfort. Late last year, I broke it during a game and had to have surgery. Longest six weeks of my life.
“All good. I’m ready.”
Dave grins. “Is it true you stayed in that game against Tampa after you broke it?”
“I heard you stayed in the game and scored two goals,” the guy next to Jade leans over her and pipes in loudly. He’s had four glasses of scotch in under an hour, but he started out being loud, so I’m not sure his booming voice can be blamed on the alcohol.
“Don’t believe everything you hear.” I drop a hand on Jade’s thigh, and she jumps with surprise.
“I think I see an old friend across the room. Come with me to say hello?” I stand and offer her a hand.
She gets to her feet quickly. “Of course.”
Clutching her fingers in mine, I head across the room as she expects, but then duck out into the hall.
“Where are we going?”
“No idea.”
“You didn’t see an old friend, did you?”
Giving my head a shake, I come to a stop next to the wall and lean my back against it.
Jade places both hands on my chest as she invades my space. “You aren’t very good at being the center of attention, are you?”
“Tonight isn’t about me.” I cover both her hands with one of mine.
“It isn’t really about me either. I was hoping I’d get a chance to talk to Robin. She’s an editor that’s been with the company for like twenty years. She’s a legend. But she isn’t even here. I’m sorry I made you come for nothing. I owe you.”
“No, you don’t. I signed up for this, remember?”
I get an almost imperceptible nod. “Did you really play with a broken wrist?”
“Two games.”
“Why?” Both brows shoot up as she searches my face for understanding.
“The team needed me.”
Pushing off me, she takes a step back and glances down the hall in both directions. “Let’s get out of here and save whatever’s left of this evening.”
“Are you sure? I can go back in and booze and schmooze some more if it’ll help.”
“I’m positive. Those guys at the table don’t even know who I am.”
“You’re Jade freaking Davis.” I raise my voice and lift my arms over my head.
“And you’re ridiculous,” she says, but the smile it gets out of her is worth the stares in our direction. I’ll shout her name from the rooftops if it’ll make her happy.
When we get to the car outside, I go to the passenger side to open her door. That happy look is gone and replaced with a sort of somber expression.
