She’s walking into Rookie's like she owns the place.
Her dark hair falls in wild curls around her shoulders. Those eyes of hers are bright and mischievous. She's flanked on either side by two guys. One of them is tall and lanky. The other one is someone I know.
Why is she here with Keegan Lambert, the goalie for the Boston Bears, and Truett’s nemesis?
She hasn't seen me yet, but I can’t take my eyes off of her. And just like that, every rational thought I've had for the past four months goes straight out the window.
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath.
Holden follows my gaze. “Who is that?”
“The reason Maxton looks like he wants to beat my ass.” I tip my head in his direction, but my eyes never leave Gianna.
Kai grunts, “Oh, this is going to be good.”
Maxton groans, “I'm going to need a lot more alcohol.”
The guys continue to joke and grumble around me, but I barely hear a word they’ve said. My brain is too busy following the stunning woman walking through the bar, like she didn’t just completely change my plans for tonight.
Four
Gianna
As I walk into Rookie’s with Jeremiah and Kevin-Keegan by my side, I’m shocked by the number of people swarming the space around us. It’s Friday night, but this bar is as packed as it is during the Hudson Huskies game nights.
Jere is on my left, gesturing wildly about something I stopped paying attention to ten minutes ago. Kevin-Keegan is on my right, scrolling through his phone like he's too cool to be here. Which, honestly, he probably is. Jere comes here all the time with me and Griffin, who has told my bestie on more than one occasion that his brother hates this place.
“I'm just saying,” Jake shouts over the music that is way too loud. “If you're going to graduate in a month, you need to live a little. Stop being so responsible.”
I laugh at his ridiculous suggestion. "Jere, I literally went home with a stranger on New Year's Eve and have been using his credit card for Ubers ever since. What part of that screams responsible?”
“Fair point.” He grins before leaning over to order drinks for all of us. When he turns back to me, he lifts a brow suggestively. “You're a terrible influence and I love it.”
Kevin-Keegan looks up from his phone. “Wait, you're still using some random guy's card you met several months ago?”
“He's not technically random,” I say defensively. “He's something, but I’m not sure what he is to me.”
“He's your sugar daddy,” Jere squeals before grabbing our drinks from the bartender.
“He's not a sugar daddy. He just left me his card so I could get home safe.” I take a sip of the Jameson and Ginger Jere justhanded me, and I smile when the sweet and smokey taste hits my tongue.
“And you've been milking it ever since.” Jeremiah clinks his glass to mine.
“I've been using it responsibly,” I correct him. “ I only use it for rides home when it’s late. I’ve never used it for anything else.”
“You're still insane,” Kevin-Keegan adds, shaking his head.
“Thank you.” My response is dripping with sarcasm, but he doesn’t seem to notice.
I take another sip of my drink and scan the bar. Normally when I come here, the place is packed with people decked out in Huskies gear. However, I don’t see any of the usual purple, black, and gray attire that I’ve become accustomed to. Instead, all I see is dark blue and a light blueish green color.
I point to the crowd and ask the guys, “What team are those colors for?”
Jeremiah shrugs and takes another sip of his fruity, red cocktail. I should have known he would be no help to me.
Turning to Kevin-Keegan, I wait for him to look at the people around us, like this is the first time he’s noticed them. “They are dressed for the basketball game.”
My brows pull together. “Hudson has a basketball team?”
