Travis playfully pushes at him as he throws back his shot, spilling some down his chin. He laughs and wipes at it.
“Where’s Emma?” Letti asks.
Travis cringes. “Hmm, maybe next question, baby.”
“Oh, okay.” Letti shies away.
“It’s okay, Letti, we broke up. It was very messy, but it’s done now...I hope.”
“Give that man another shot,” Tyler yells as Christian passes him the nearly empty tequila bottle.
“Man, we have demolished that bottle,” Walsh adds.
Letti does a zipper motion across her lips and Merrick smiles and shoots her a wink.
“It’s all good, gorgeous,” he says to her. “I’m just hoping I don’t run into her tonight. I don’t need any more drama.” He shakes his head in exhaustion and throws back a swig of his drink, swallowing. “I’m so done.”
“Sounds like a story for another time,” Tyler says, holding up the now-empty tequila bottle. He throws it back, his tongue sticking out as he gets the last few drops from the bottom.
Dani wrangles up some jewels and spells out “Eat, sleep, hockey, repeat,” in blue across Merrick’s bicep, and “Don’t puck with me,” in black down Travis’s inner arm. Once the boys have been officially inducted into our glittery, bejeweled club. I clap my hands together. “Guess we should head off to the party
“Grab your roadies,” Shelby yells. “Let’s go!”
All the couples seem to make a beeline to each other, and I’m no exception, walking straight over to Rachel and wrapping my arms around her waist. “Ready, baby?” I whisper into her ear and place a kiss on her cheek.
She smiles and nuzzles into my affection. “Grab me a drink and let’s go ring in the New Year.”
18
Rachel
The sorority house is massive and packed with partying students. Held here every year, the well-organized family of women have the place looking spectacular. I’ve never attendedobviously, but the rumors haven’t done it justice, as I scan the space, wide-eyed, taking it all in. The guys start mingling as soon as we walk through the door, back slaps and high-fives flying within seconds. Between the seven of them, it’s entirely possible they know everyone.
Randy holds my hand tightly as we head upstairs. I follow him closely, concentrating on my strappy heels and the stairs as he greets everyone we pass. They all know his name. They’re all excited to see him. What’s crazy is how many people know him, and even crazier, how many women he knows. They smile, wave, flirt… even ask him to dance, all right in front of me.
I’m so glad I spent ages on my makeup. It’s obviously doing a stellar job of making me completely invisible.
He squeezes my hand and gives me a tight smile, and it puts my mind at ease. The music is quieter at the back of the house, and the room we enter is large with big glass windows that look out over a large stone balcony.
“This is the best place to watch the fireworks,” Randy says, leaning down into me. He grabs me around the waist and tucks me by his side as we follow Seth and Walsh over to a largegroup of people, all looking like fellow Raptor teammates. Randy introduces me around, and I’m given a bunch of names that blur together almost instantly as they start rattling off football talk.
The semis and finals are coming up, so everyone is riding the high of football talk and the championship prospects. Even walking here, frat row was covered in blue and silver Raptor flags and banners. And here I stand tucked under the throwing arm of Mr. Quarterback, the Adonis himself. My feelings are growing stronger every day for this man, and it worries me that at a drop of a hat he could have anybody he wanted. I could be left heartbroken, and he could have a new girl in his bed within minutes.
“Drink time,” I hear the Australian accent as her soft hand slides into mine. She smiles at me as if to say I’m rescuing you from the awkward football talk, where all you can do is just stand there and smile.
Randy frowns at Shelby, or maybe it is to himself. “Fuck, sorry, I should be getting you ladies a drink.”
Shelby pats him on the arm. “Next round. You stay and talk, I’ll look after Rachel.”
He nods to both of us. “Okay,” he leans in, pressing a kiss to my lips. “I’ll be right here waiting for you.”
“Beer?” I ask.
“Actually, make it a scotch; the girls always have the spirits flowing. Then I’m done for the night; any more and Coach will kill me.”
I nod, turning and walking off with Shelby toward the drinks table at the other end of the room. “Thank you for that.”
“No worries. You all good?” she asks me. Her jewels glistening in the lights circling above us.
