“Hi, Ty.” The look in Avery’s eyes is something I wish I could shrink up and keep in my wallet for a rainy day. No one else would notice the shift—I hope—but I do. She stares at me like we’re the only ones in on a secret, which I guess we are.
“You said you wanted a water?” I say, rattling the ice in my glass and casually sipping.
She flops a chunk of her raven hair back over her shoulder. “Yeah, but it’s no big?—”
Before she finishes her sentence, I’m standing, making my way to the wall whereRyanis perched, laughing along with the waitress.
My jaw tenses, releases. “Ryan, right?”
He nods.
“Ave— Your girl asked for a water.” I turn to the waitress, motioning toward the table. “Might as well get a round of waters for all of us.”
She nods.
Ryan pipes up. “Yeah, I was actually just ordering?—”
I don’t wait for him to finish. I’m already halfway to my seat when it hits me. I saidhis girl.
Something about it curdles any drop of brightness hiding inside me. I sit, downing my drink in hopes of washing away the words. Avery can only be someone else’s, I remind myself. She can’t be mine. Paying a fine for breaking a contract contingency is not the same as what it would put her through. She’d be crushed. She’s worked toolong to get to where she is. She slept in her car, for crying out loud.
I keep my head down as everyone deliberates about whatever question the DJ just asked. Something nudges me under the table. When I look up, Avery is staring right at me.
“Come in,” she says.
“What?” I ask, my eyes darting around to my teammates.
“What must you say to a vampire before they may enter your home?” Ramiel says, repeating the trivia question.
“Come in,” Avery reiterates, beaming at me.
“Yeah. She’s right,” I confirm, nudging her back with my toe under the table.
She smirks.
“I think everyone knows that,” Foster adds.
Avery shrinks a little.
“I didn’t,” I say, eyeing Foster. “Not until recently.”
Which obviously isn’t true, but that was one of the last times I thought about vampires. When I invited Avery into my room. Apparently, she was listening despite being completely distracted that day. I won’t let anyone make her feel inferior, even if it is over a dumb trivia answer.
Avery smiles up at me, her honeyed eyes warm and grateful. Swirling her straw through her sweating glass, she winks at me before bringing it to her full lips. My grip tightens around my own drink. It’s all I can do to keep myself across this table. If only we were alone at home. Maybe then I’d have the nerve to do something about this feeling. Thislonging.
A shrill sound breaks my trance. Maleko, one of our linemen, clamors to our table, adds a seat at the end, and plops down. “What I miss?”
“Our team’s full,” Foster hollers down at him.
Maleko throws a hand his way before finishing off a glass of dark liquid. He stands, scanning the table. “Any of you clowns need anything?”
His eyes land on Avery, and he arches a brow. “Except for you. You’re not a clown... I assume.”
She smiles widely and shakes her head.
“I’m Maleko,” he finally says.
“Avery.” She lifts a hand in a little wave, and I can’t help but smile. She seems comfortable with the guys. Maybe even more so than I am with most of them. Still, I can’t help but like it. Even if she technically—definitely—should not be here right now, she looks like she belongs.
