Page 103 of What Are the Chances
“I can’t believe half of the boys in the bachelor pad have settled down,” Lana whistled in disbelief.
Grace chuckled. “Who knows, maybe Ryan and Tripp will have girlfriends too by graduation.”
“My money is on Ryan,” Lana said. “The guy is a freaking smoke show.”
I stirred my drink, amused. “Do you really buy into the pretty boy thing?”
“Please.” Lana lounged back in her barstool. “The whole clean-cut thing is an act. That guy would be dirty as all hell in the bedroom.”
A bubble of laughter burst from Grace and me. I liked Lana. She had no filter. One of the traits of the Holloway confidence.
“I do like the easiness of Tripp though,” Lana confessed. “He always makes me laugh. And you should never discount the guy who makes you laugh.”
Grace regarded Lana with curiosity. “Would you ever–”
Lana didn’t allow Grace the chance to even finish the question. “God no! You of all people know how protective my brother is. He’s coded his brain to pretend I still haven’t kissed a boy. If I hooked up with one of his friends, the world would literally end.”
I could easily picture that scenario. Most hockey players were hot headed at the best of times. Add emotion to that, and things easily got out of hand.
Lana angled her body towards me. “Speaking of boys.”
I was starting to get the sentiment that Lana was always speaking about boys.
“Who was the hottie you were talking to after the game?”
I scrunched up my nose.Gross.Tanner was my brother, not a hottie, despite consistently being told otherwise.
“A friend,” I lied, feeling the same level of guilt I always experienced when I concealed the truth. “My friends, Marnie and Brooklyn, go to Allentown. Marnie is dating Tanner’s best friend and roommate.”
On the hour drive back I’d sent a message to Tanner, checking in. I hated arguing with him. It made me uneasy. He hadn’t responded yet though, which made me worry he was super mad. He never ignored me.
I did another scan of the party, hoping to catch sight of Will. While I was having fun with Grace and Lana, I had come here for him, and hopefully also a repeat of the training room earlier today.
“Did your parents have fun tonight?” Grace asked Lana.
Lana dramatically rolled her large brown eyes. “They always have fun watching my brother play hockey. I swear if dad could be on the ice with Levi, he would be.”
I sipped my cocktail, which was freaking delicious. Grace could sell these at frat parties and make a fortune.
“Are you in town just to watch Holloway too?” I asked.
For the first time since meeting Lana, her confidence faltered a little. Her gaze cut to the left momentarily before returning to me.
“Kind of. I, ugh, just needed a break from Boston.”
It wasn’t a raging party tonight – mainly the team and the few girlfriends that existed hanging out. There were a whole group of cheerleaders though, including Summer Spritz and her insanely limited clothing, which also frustratingly looked insanely good.
Grace subtly rolled her eyes when Summer giggled. It was a high-pitched grating laugh, like the laughing equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard.
“Not a fan of Phil-U’s head cheerleader?” I teased.
Grace snorted. “She’s not a fan of me.”
I wasn’t sure how that was possible. Grace was crazily nice. Not liking her would be like not liking a puppy.
“She had a thing for Levi. I guess she thought something would happen again if I wasn’t in the picture,” Grace explained.
Lana flicked her thick brown hair over her shoulder. “Ugh. I hate her already.”
