Picking up on his defensive attitude, I softened my tone.“How do you have time for a fraternity and football?”
“You have to live somewhere.I live in a frat.”He shrugged.“Last fall after I pledged SCR, some of my brothers sat me down and taught me how to play poker.I cleaned out Bax’s pockets on the first bus trip of this past season.”His wicked grin said a story lay behind that comment.
“I take it that was payback?”
“One of the sweetest moments of my life.”If anything, his smirk grew even more diabolical.“By the time he was done with me last year, I nearly had to get a job to cover my losses, which is sad since we didn’t have that many bus rides.”He laughed.“Bax was looking forward to more of my hard-earned summer money when the season started, but my frat boys taught me how to read tells.”Clearing his throat, he said, “Bax has a few pretty obvious ones once you know what to look for.”
“Your frat is throwing a party, huh?”
“Not just any party.Theparty of the season.”He wrapped one of his long arms across my shoulders and guided me out of the locker room.Dalton could kick the shit out of the ball because he was built on stilts with arms to match.“Every year, one of the fraternities takes a turn hosting the Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball.This year it’s our turn.Though they don’t live in the house, Taco, Taylor, and Baker are all SCRs too.”After we’d walked through the doors of the facility and into the parking lot, Dalton dropped his arm.“Our goal is to throw the bash everyone remembers.We need guys from the team to help us meet that goal.”
“What?Like, to help you run the party?”
“No.To attend.The more Wildcats we have in attendance at our bash, the bigger our turnout.In case no one’s told you yet, chicks dig footballs players.”His loopy wink cracked me up.“Anyway, do you have a suit?This is a dress-up party, suit and tie required.And a mask.”
“A mask?”I chuckled.“Halloween is a long way off.”
“No, dumbass.A Mardi Gras mask.We have some extras at the house.I’ll set one aside for you.”
“I’m not sure how much of an asset I’ll be to your shindig, considering how few people I know outside the team.”
His expression turned speculative.“You’d be surprised.”
Huh.“All right then.Sounds like I’m hitting a frat party this weekend.”
With a smile, he held out his fist, we bumped, and then we walked across the parking lot to our respective rides.I’d been invited to a semi-formal frat party?Shaking my head, I climbed into my Jeep.My time at Mountain State hadn’t started at all the way I’d worried it would.
Chapter Four
Saylor
“Idon’t know, Saylor.I’ve never been much into frat parties,” Chessly said.
“Come on, Chess.It’s going to be a great time—even better than dancing on a tabletop in your favorite hometown bar.”I exaggerated a wink.
“My hometown only has one bar.Wait.What do you know about that?”she hissed, shooting a glance toward a table full of underclassmen seated next to us.
Between classes, we’d met up in the Union for coffee.I needed reinforcements for the SCR party this weekend, which I was hoping would be Chessly.Jamaica and Callahan had said they’d be there, but they’d be together.I doubted I’d be able to talk Jamaica into doing naughty things with me like shots and flirting with masked men.Piper was a maybe, depending on how things were going with Bax, which meant if she showed, she’d show up with a plus-one.No fun to be had there.
“Everyone wears Mardi Gras masks.I found a couple of super-sexy ones on eBay.You can choose which one you want to wear.”I pulled up the pics on my phone and showed her.“The hot-pink one would look gorgeous on you, especially if we piled your hair in curls on the top of your head with a couple slipping down the side of your neck.”Handing her my phone, I lifted my hair and leaned beside the photo to show her what I meant.
“You could wear your sweet black cocktail dress and borrow my hot-pink cross-strap Mary Jane stilettos.”It was all I could do not to bounce in my chair with excitement as I envisioned my friend in the outfit.With her blonde hair and her petite frame, she’d knock out every guy with a pulse at the party.
“Saylor.”She dragged my name out to four syllables.
“Yeah, yeah.Frat parties aren’t your scene.Blah, blah, blah.”I peeked up at her from beneath my brows.”The last time you went to an SCR party with me, I had to drag you out of it to avoid us being the very last ones to leave.”
Chess pursed her lips, and I put up my hand.
“You know I’m right.You had so much fun playing darts, drinking, and flirting with my boys that you wanted to stay the night.”I touched my coffee cup to hers and took a drink.
“Your pink Mary Jane stilettos, huh?What are you going to wear?”
Throwing my hands in the air, I squealed.“Yes!You’re going with me!We’re going to have the best time.”
Chess rolled her eyes at my enthusiasm, but a grin tugged at the corner of her lips.The girls at the table next to ours stopped talking to stare at us.I did a little dance in my chair, letting go of my worry about Chess rejecting my invitation—and maybe to give those underclassmen a show.
“What are you wearing?”she asked me again.
