We’re pulling into his driveway. His roommates’ cars are parked in their Tetris configuration to work for their busy schedules. Cooper cuts the ignition. Jerking the gear shift into park first.
“No?” He’s taken aback.
“Try again.” His mouth starts to split. “Not right now. You’ve waited how long for this?” I unbuckle myself and open the door. Lean across the console and kiss him. “Goodbye, Carmichael.”
He’s smirking, shaking his head at me. Gotta keep him on his toes somehow.
“Goodbye, Davis.”
I tilt my head over my shoulder, run my tongue along my top teeth. Give him an eye roll and close the door behind me.
Not that I’m going very far. I walk inside, find Elliot and Jordan on the couch. We leave two minutes later.
Leaning against his car, Cooper has his arms crossed in front of his chest. Sunglasses pushed up into his thick hair.
We lock eyes, stare at each other my entire walk to Elliot’s small SUV.
“What’s wrong with my brother?” Jordan asks.
“Nothing,” Cooper and I say in unison.
THIRTY-SEVEN
COOPER
“So,how is this supposed to work?” Chase holds up a face mask. Head tilted and a brow arched. “Why is it wet? What are the flaps for? Am I supposed to tuck that into my mouth?”
“No.” Elliot laughs, scooting closer to him on the couch. “Here. Let me help you.” Chase hands her the charcoal mask, cheeks tickled pink. “You want to place the top at your hairline right here, then work down the rest of the mask. This goes over the bridge of your nose. And the flaps…” She snickers. “They are to help bend around your chin, jaw line, and mouth. Most definitelynotto go into your mouth. Pat it down and make sure it won’t slip off your face. Now start your timer for fifteen minutes and enjoy your wine.”
Chase follows her instructions, leaning back into the couch with an oversized glass of red wine.
“Good boy.” Elliot pats his shoulder before moving to help Beckett with his mask.
This isn’t the first girls’ night we’ve crashed…or wanted to be a part of. Classes kick back up tomorrow. Coach gave us last Monday after practice through today off. It was a welcome reprieve for everyone with the conference tournament right around the corner. From here on out, everything is about theroad to the Frozen Four, hauling the trophy over our head, and bringing it back to Lakeland. Both the women’s and men’s teams are leading the standings.
However, before departing from the locker room, Coach gave us a stern lecture on behavior over break, which went in and out of the ears of half my teammates.
My cousin, who plays for Chicago, had called a couple of weeks ago to catch up. I opened up after he asked about NHL prospects, and yet another article about my dad and me. I don’t know why I hadn’t sooner, he understands. He reminded me that people criticize us because they’re jealous or have nothing better to do and don’t want to face their insecurities. Comparing me to my dad is easy, buzzworthy, and clickbait; they don’t care about what it’s doing to me. All of which were reiterations of what Sutton and Dad have said to me.
When I asked him about how he stays grounded, he invited me to volunteer with his and his twin sister’s charity. A couple of the guys came with me, but the rest of the team was scattered across the US doing who knows what.
It’s relaxing the eight of us being back together now.
Sutton’s bathroom door opens, and I can hear Jordan and Jaxon heading toward us.
“That hurt,” Jaxon groans.
“You wanted to bleach your tips. Bleach hurts.”
“You purposely got it in my eyes.”
“It didn’t get anywhere near your eyes. Stop being a big baby. You wanted this.”
“I wanted your hands on me,” Jaxon mutters, but unfortunately for him, I hear him from the kitchen.
“That’s my little sister you dick. Stop thinking about her like that,” I holler.
Jaxon leans over the counter and apologizes when he reaches the eat-in. Jordan is behind him, pulling off the plastic glovesshe’s wearing and washing her hands. His hair doesn’t look as ridiculous as I thought. The blond tips are…interesting to say the least.
