“Are you Violet?” she asks, her eyes flitting between me and Ben.
“Yes?” I answer, more confused than ever now.
“Mackenzie.” She stretches out her hand to shake mine and points over her shoulder to the Viking of a man next to her. “And this is Waylon.”
I shake her hand and nod at the guy behind her when he gives me a chin jerk. Then I look to Ben for clarification and he’s shaking his head at Mackenzie while she grins like a Cheshire Cat.
“You’re coming to dinner with us, right?” She looks to me hopefully.
“Um, I was actually about to go to dinner with my friend Joss.” I look back at Joss who is intently studying the entire scene playing out like it’s a Broadway musical.
“She can come too. Do you want to come with us?” Mackenzie looks to Joss.
“You know, I think I do.” A mischievous smirk flies over Joss’s face before it disappears again.
“I am really confused right now,” I say quietly and look up at Ben again for direction, and his eyes snap to mine.
“Just ignore them. If you want to go, you can. But you can come to dinner if you want, too.”
“Do you want me to go?”
“Honestly, I have my concerns at this point.” His eyes flick to Mackenzie and then back to me. “But yes. I want you to come and meet them. Waylon used to play with me, and she’s his girlfriend. He plays for Seattle now, but they’re in town for the night.”
“It’s really up to you, Ben. I don’t want to be in the way.”
And then as if on cue, an older woman pushes in, “Can we get a picture? My boys really want a picture with you.” She shoves her kids in front of him, and I step to the side.
He entertains their request, but the way the woman gleefully wraps her arms around him for the photo I wonder how much her sons wanted the photo and how much she wanted it.
“Not used to that part yet, huh?” Mackenzie grins and raises a brow.
“What?” I ask cautiously, wondering if my face was that readable.
“Oh, the way every woman thinks that because your guy is on a team they cheer for that they own part of him. And they reallllyyy like to touch anything they can get away with.” Mackenzie’s lips purse as she glowers at the woman currently fawning over Ben.
“Oh, um. He’s not my guy. We’re just friends. But yeah, it is crazy the way they take advantage.” I nod, continuing to watch as another group of women, these ones younger than the last, comes forward to get a picture with all three of the guys.
“Waylon, you too!” One of the girls calls him over.
I look to Mac to see her reaction and she rolls her eyes, “That one is a pain in the ass, but mostly harmless.”
Waylon looks to Mac and gives her a cheeky little grin before he joins the guys.
“Except in the way she is going to blow his ego sky high tonight, and I’ll have to do extra work to bring it down.”
I hear Joss’s laughter behind me, and I turn around to see she’s made her way over.
“I think I like her.” Joss gives Mac the once over.
“Mackenzie.”
“Joss.”
They shake hands and smile, and I can’t help but feel like some sort of pact has been made between the women. My eyes narrow at Joss, but she just grins in return.
A few more fans filter up to them and take pictures and then Ben joins us over at the side. He gives a wave to Colton and Jake.
“You coming to The Aspen later then?” Jake asks Ben.
