Beside me, my friend snorted, but I noticed how her attention focused on the action on the gridiron.
As it turned out, Callahan O’Reilly gained all the glory, and deservedly so since he’d scored his second touchdown of the game. Once again, he pointed the ball at the stands, but the lady he singled out was ready this time with her scarf covering her face up to her eyes. Whoever he was dating, she wanted to remain as anonymous as he was local-hero famous.
Following the game, Zoe and I headed to our favorite burger place, but the wait was an hour, and we were starving.
“How ’bout we go to my place and order Pickle Barrel delivered?” I asked.
“You don’t have plans with Danny?”
“Um—”
On cue, my phone vibrated in my pocket. When I checked it, I saw a text from Danny.
Danny: Hey T. It’s celebration time. Meet me at Stromboli’s?
I fired back:
Me: Zoe and I were thinking Pickle Barrel delivered to my place.
Danny: Negative, Ghost Rider. I scored a touchdown in the game today. Meet me at Stromboli’s in ten.
Me: Then we can go to plan B when that place is packed too.
Danny: If it’s too crowded, you can sit on my lap.
Me: Will Zoe occupy your other knee?
Danny: Taryn, babe. I have single teammates who’ll love Zoe’s lack of filter. Stop stalling and meet me in seven.
Me: I thought you said ten.
Danny: Killin’ me, T. I haven’t seen you since Thursday.
Me: And here I thought Zoe was the drama major.
Me: See you at Stromboli’s.
“I take it you have plans with Danny now?” My friend smirked.
“We both have plans with Danny now,” I corrected as I pocketed my phone. “Pizza with the team at Stromboli’s.”
Zoe bounced up and down. “Yay! I’ve always wanted to hang out with Wildcats players at their favorite bar after games, but whenever I’ve tried, it’s been too packed.”
I sighed as we walked back to where Zoe had parked her car. “Judging by the wait at Burger Bill’s, Stromboli’s will be packed tonight too. We’ll be sitting on someone’s lap—if we find a place to sit at all.”
A sly expression passed over my friend’s face. “I don’t see a problem with that either.”
?Chapter Twenty-Two
?Danny
“You made it!”When I spotted Taryn near the bar, I stood from our booth in the back of Stromboli’s and waved to her.
Behind her, Zoe gave me a discreet thumbs-up, and I grinned. Good to know I had an ally when my girl got skittish.
The expression on T’s face alerted me she could bolt any second, so I said, “Slide in.” Shooting Finn a warning look, I said, “Make room for nice girls.”
“What does that mean?” Taryn asked as she slid into the booth between me and Bax.
