Her mouth drops open. ‘They’re the cheerleaders?’
‘Uh-huh.’
‘No. Way.’
‘I didn’t know you cared.’
‘Duh. Like, do you know how competitive it is to become CMC? Their audition process is notoriously ruthless. And there’s the damage all that performing does to their bodies.’
‘How do you know all this?’
I don’t think I’ve ever seen River so animated. ‘I watched an exposé on TikTok. Compared to you guys, they literally work for peanuts. And they get none of the perks you guys do either. Is that why they’re all over there and not over here with everyone else? You know they have a clause in their contract? They can’t go near the players.’
I stare at her, aghast. ‘I did know that, yes.’
‘I’ll bet you don’t have the same clause inyourcontract.’
‘You’re right,’ I admit. ‘I don’t.’
River shakes her head in disgust. ‘Yet again, always with the double standards.’
I don’t have a reply for her because, once again, she’s correct. ‘Do you like one of them, or something?’ I hear her ask.
I straighten my back.Oh god, am I no better than Lemon?‘Why’d you ask that?’
‘I don’t know. You keep looking over there like you’re searching for something. Or somebody.’
I rub the back of my neck. Then I look at Hud Briar on the grass to my right, who’s holding a beer in his hand. He’s wearing sunglasses but I’d bet my last dollar he’s staring in exactly the same direction I am.
‘Can you give me a sec?’ I ask my sister.
‘Sure,’ she shrugs, looking nonplussed as I move through the crowd to Hud, pressing one hand on his shoulder.
‘Who’s the gatekeeper?’ I ask him and he snaps outta whatever thoughts he was sunk deep into. ‘The redhead over there.’
‘Kathleen Lafferty,’ Hud says with a grimace. ‘CMC squad coach. Professional cock blocker.’
‘Right now, she looks like a goddamned cattle rancher.’
He laughs at that. ‘It does look kinda ridiculous, right? I mean, what’s the point of having them as guests if they’re just gonna be rounded up and segregated?’
I lower my voice. ‘I got an idea. You wanna talk to Harmony, right? I say we go over there, point out to Ms Lafferty that this is a wedding reception. Nobody’s going to do anything to embarrass themselves if we mingle a little with some off-duty cheerleaders for an hour or so. No harm can come of it, right?’
Hud looks at me, inhales and puffs out his chest, as though psyching himself up. ‘You’re right,’ he says.
‘Want me to be your wing man?’
‘You bet.’
I slap him on the back. ‘Then let’s go, man.’
Side by side, we walk across the lawn toward Kathleen Lafferty. A band with violins is still playing. As we edge closer, I can pick Serenity out of the crowd. She’s in a long green dress, next to a woman with corkscrew curls tied back. For a brief second, her eyes meet mine, and it only makes me more determined to talk to her.
‘Good afternoon, Kathleen,’ Hud says as we stop in front of the fierce-looking fifty-something, elegant redhead, standing with her legs apart.
She looks down at his beer, gives his suit a visual appraisal. ‘Good afternoon, Mr Briar. Who’s your friend?’
Hud puts his arm around me and now I’m wondering if he’s not a little lubricated. ‘This is Jake Walsh. He’s a rookie.’
