Ooh, he’s clever. It’s been so long since I’ve talked to a clever man.
And Iloveclever.
“Why wouldn’t you?” I ask.
“I will excuse you if you promise to come back,” he says softly.
OOH!
“I’ll come back,” I say.
“Then you’re excused,” he teases.
“I’ll be right back,” I promise.
As I move past him, I see a gaggle of fans lined up to talk to him. I smile. Perhaps I’ll join that queue when I return, just to surprise him.
I make my way through the crowd. My mood deflates a bit as I catch a glimpse of my dad talking to people near the bar. I know I need to tell Aiden who I am. If guys on the team recognize me, they’re friendly, but they don’t show an interest in me the way he did.
A shiver runs through me. He’sdefinitelyinterested.
But worse, I’m interested in him, too.
I return to the ladies’ room, and as soon as I see my reflection in the mirror, I gasp in horror, forgetting about Aiden for a moment.
I’m not a hot mess.
I’m a freakingdisaster.
The shimmer goo that I thought was such a brilliant idea is not merely on my cheekbones, providing a glowy highlight. I look like I’ve bathed my face in gooey glitter.
GAH!
Worse, where the feathers and hair got stuck, there are now streaks that remind me of when you see tire tracks in mud. Now I completely regret that Aiden pulled my hair away from my face so he could see it better, because this is what he saw.
OY.
I quickly grab some paper towels out of the dispenser and begin to blot my face.
Then I pause and look in the mirror. I’m still sparkling.
I frown. Or I look sweaty. Ew.
No. I’m sparkling. I refuse to think I look sweaty.
I smile wryly to myself. That’s me putting a kind public-relations spin on the description. But if they turned out the lights in this place, my face could lead the way to all the nearest exits.
Stupid glow balm. And stupid me for giving it a test run tonight of all nights.
I decide to work on the tire tracks and remove the faint streak of red that has traveled up my cheek. I push my hair back into place and reapply my lipstick. Then I remove my powder compact from my clutch, and test putting some over a patch of skin. Crap! Instead of muting the glow, the powder cakes up in the space where I put it.
A heavy sigh escapes my lips. I have no choice but to go back out there and celebrate Casino Night like I’ve bathed in a tube of body glitter.
Fabulous.
Accepting my fate, I leave the ladies’ room and make my way back to where I left Aiden.
Sure enough, he’s still there, surrounded by a group of fans. I stand a bit back, content to watch him for a moment. Aiden came to the Manatees this summer as part of a trade with Salt Lake City, joining his brother Wyatt on the team. He’s the older brother and quickly proved himself in training camp as a quiet, strong leader. My dad was so impressed by him and his work ethic that he made him an alternate captain—something he’s never done before, naming someone so new to the team as an alternate.
