Page 103 of Lucky Shot
His lips twist into a smirk. “Watch me, Red.”
24
NICK
“Can I get another Coke and a pina colada?”
The bartender looks like he wants to murder my ass for ordering a complicated drink while it’s packed, but I set a fifty on the bar and he begrudgingly nods.
“Thanks.”
He gets the soda first and sets it in front of me. Taking it, I turn and rest my back against the bar as I take in the scene of the busy lakeside hotspot.
A live band is playing “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” and people are dancing around, singing the lyrics at the top of their lungs.
My gaze goes to one person in particular.
Ruby.
Her red hair sways and bounces as she jumps around to the beat. She has my teammates out on the dance floor. Trav and D-Low are singing and dancing with her while Shep and Penn sort of shuffle and sip at their drinks.
Travis glances around until he spots me at the bar, then he leans in and says something to Ruby before walking my way.
He’s grinning from ear to ear when he reaches me. I scootch over to make room for him.
“Your girl is a riot.” He chuckles and shakes his head, then orders another beer.
Ruby isn’t technically my girl, but I don’t mind the label. At least it means he might stop hitting on her.
Once he has his beer in hand, he turns to stand with me. The band has moved on to another classic cover song.
“Can you believe she has Penn out there?” he asks me.
The big goalie looks like he’s seconds from running away when Ruby takes his hands and raises them in the air, except she’s so much shorter than him, they’re only about shoulder height.
“After seeing his dance moves, I think I understand why he avoids it at every turn.”
“No doubt,” Travis quips, then lets out a happy sigh. “Today was a blast. Perfect way to end the summer.”
“It’s not over yet. A couple more weeks.”
“And then it’s hockey season, baby.” He holds his beer out and we cheers.
As much as the time off is needed to rest and recoup, and spend time with Aidan, I love the start of the season. It’s a fresh beginning. I’m still worried about playing, or rather getting injured again, but I’ve had less time to worry about it since I’ve been spending so much time with Ruby.
We stand together, watching our friends and leaning against the bar. I feel a contentment that’s been missing since my injury. A day on the lake, soaking up the sun with good friends and a gorgeous girl. I’ve never been big on the bar scene, but even I don’t want this night to end.
“What the hell happened today?” Trav asks, breaking the short silence. “Shep said you threw his book into the lake and Ruby looked like she was about to burst into tears.”
My jaw tightens at the reminder. For Ruby’s sake I’ve done my best to put it out of my mind, but I’d like to burn every copy in a thousand-mile radius of that damn asshole’s book.
“It’s not my story to tell,” I say through gritted teeth.
Travis’s gaze narrows as he nods. “Got it.”
We’ve known each other long enough that he can read between the lines. I also trust him more than just about anyone. He might come across as a guy who jokes all the time and cares about little, but that’s not really who he is at all. He’s the first guy to call when shit goes down, always has a smile or a joke, but will absolutely throw down – on the ice and off – at the first sign that someone he cares about is in trouble. I don’t think his happy façade is a cover so much as his innate instinct to put other people’s feelings before his own.
“Suffice it to say, I don’t like the guy.”
