Page 57 of What Are the Chances
After Stella complimented my top and I gave all credit to Parker, Stella had explained she styled her friends too. Stella and Parker had then preceded to make digs at our ‘sporty girl’ wardrobes and were now down a rabbit hole about brands I knew I’d never be able to afford, which I was okay with. Gucci and Versace did nothing for me. Not that I would ever say that out loud to Parker. She’d never speak to me again.
Grace frowned at her phone.
“Everything okay?” Ava checked.
“One of the hockey girlfriends went to the away game and just text. We’re down four-one, and Will is serving a five-minute major so it’s more than likely going to be five-one soon.”
That surprised me. Will didn’t serve penalties. He was too clean as a player, and he never took part in the scrimmages unless it was for a valid reason.
Grace set down her phone. “Luckily we had a strong start to the season because we’ve been struggling lately.”
Ava snickered. “Look at you. You’re a full hockey WAG.”
Grace shrugged. “It’s about to become my entire life. I’ve got to get used to it.”
Our attention was pulled to raucous laughter across the bar. Lastlings had recently installed a mechanical bull, which had gathered quite the crowd. For the most part, girls tended to ride it and guys tended to watch. I might be tipsy, but not tipsy enough for that.
Stella signalled down the bartender. “Can we get a round of tequila shots please? It’s my birthday and we’re way too sober.”
The thought of tequila made me shudder. But hey, I hadn’t had a night out like this in a long time. And I was having a lot of fun.
“Riley’s the best hockey teacher,” Parker told Grace. “She’s obsessed with the game.”
I nervously laughed her comment off. I didn’t want her blowing my cover.
Ava leaned closer to me. “Grace mentioned you dated Will. What’s he like? I swear I’ve never seen the guy smile.”
Grace came to Will’s defence. “He smiles.”
“To his friends, maybe. But whenever you see him at parties or out he’s always, like, dark and mysterious.”
I chuckled. Dark and mysterious was new. But I understood what she meant. Unlike Levi, Tripp and Ryan, I considered Will to be more reserved in the sense that he saved his full self for the people he was closest to. He didn’t bathe in the hockey limelight or commit to being an on-campus personality. But there was a lot more to him than being dark and mysterious. He was caring, smart, funny when he wanted to be... and I needed to stop listing off his good qualities while I was drunk.
“Dark and mysterious is hot,” Parker said.
“Totally,” Stella agreed.
“Hey.” Grace nudged my foot beneath the table. “Who’s the guy with the slicked back hair? He hasn’t taken his eyes off you.”
I discreetly checked over my shoulder.
Hayes was standing amongst a group of soccer players. When he caught my eye and waved, it wasn’t simply a friendly gesture. The way he held my gaze and subtly licked his lips was suggestive.
“Hayes Braddock,” I answered.
Parker added tea to the story. “Riley fucked him.”
Stella brought her straw to her lips. “It looks like he’s ready to go round two.”
I shook my head. “Nope. Definitely not going there again.”
The tequila shots arrived.
Stella handed her phone to a passer-by to record us all and post it on her Story. Then before I knew it, one shot had turned into two, then three, then four. And I was having a hard time counting beyond that.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
A fun amount
