I continue sipping my tequila and ignoring them as they talk about hockey and their next game and how they’re going to beat Stanford.
“No way. Are you going over there or playing them here?” That’s Leyla.
“We go up next Thursday,” Colson says.
“So do we.” Leyla grins, looking over at me. “It is next Thursday, right?”
“Yep.”
“Well, shit, maybe we can hang out after the game,” Brian says. “I wonder if we’re sharing transportation.”
“There’s no better way of getting to know someone than sitting beside them on a long flight or bus ride,” Leyla adds with a wink. “Trust me, I know.”
“I bet you do.” I laugh and finish off my drink, setting it down on the bar.
“You wanna get out of here?” she asks me. “Peyton texted about a party.”
“Sure. Why not?” I shrug.
“You’re just going to leave?” Mav sidles up beside me.
“You’re with your boys. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“So? You always hang out with us.”
“I know and I was just thinking about the fact that we need to hang out less.”
“What?” He turns to me fully now, completely blocking everyone else from my vision. He really is a freaking powerhouse of a guy. “Why would we do that?”
“For starters, we already live together. We can hang out at home. And no one wants to talk to me when I’m with you, and the ones who do, you don’t let.” I purse my lips. “Like Brian, who had to ask me out when we were away from the table.”
“Brian?” Mav chuckles. “He’s not even your type.”
“My type? What even is my type?”
“Well, you dated that guy Mike with the surfer dude vibe.”
“Mike.” I shake my head with a laugh. “We literally dated for two months. I can’t believe you even remember him.”
“And Danny. He was nice enough.”
“Another guy I only dated for a month.”
“That’s your thing though.” Mav shrugs. “You’re a short-term dater. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“A short-term dater?”
“Yeah. You date a guy, he doesn’t make you happy, so you cut your losses and move on. It’s smart.”
“That’s . . . ” I shake my head. “Okay.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” I take a breath and start walking over to Leyla.
I’ve never really thought about it in those terms, probably because that’s not what happens at all. What normally happens is that I start dating a guy, he wants to move way too fast, and they start acting uninterested. Sometimes they break up with me, other times I cut it off before they get a chance to. It’s never a case of me moving on because they don’t make me happy.
“How are you going to give me lessons in what girls want if we don’t hang out?”
“You clearly do not need my help in that department.”
“We can help each other.”
I laugh. “How would you help me?”
“I can tell you what guys want and you can tell me what girls want.”
“Guys want sex. Easy.”
“Some guys want more than just sex.” He says this with the most serious expression on his face.
“That’s all you and Colson ever want.”
“Because I haven’t met the right girl.”
“What about Rebecca?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Well, maybe I’ve met the right girl but haven’t made my move yet.” He sighs heavily. “I need to know what I’m doing wrong.”
“For starters, you’re not asking anyone out on actual dates. You’re just taking them home and fucking them and then ghosting them. I can’t imagine anyone would take you seriously after that treatment.”
“Fair.” He flinches. “That’s why I need help.”
“Stop taking girls home that you don’t think have potential.” I shrug.
“Fine.”
“Okay. That’s step one.” I reach up and he instantly lowers his face so I can kiss him on the cheek. “See you later.”
“Be careful. Call me if you need me to go pick you up or whatever.”
“Okay, Dad,” Leyla says, rolling her eyes. She links her arm with mine as we walk away. “I swear he hasn’t stopped looking at you tonight. It’s almost like he can’t fathom that you’re this hot and just sitting right under his nose.”
“Maverick?” I shoot her a look. “You’re insane. He sees me as a little sister. Don’t you see how he’s acting because Brian asked me out?”
“Like a jealous man.”
“Or an older brother.” I raise an eyebrow.
“How would you know? You don’t have an older brother.”
I nod. Very true. Maverick is the closest thing I have to an older brother and he’s definitely not that, at least not in my mind, at least not anymore. Freaking hormones.
Chapter Five
Maverick
“She is so hot. I can’t believe you have never introduced us,” Brian says. “Or maybe I can. I guess if you want a piece of that.”
“Don’t.” I shoot him a glare that makes his eyes go wide. “Don’t talk about Rocky like that. She’s not a piece of anything.”
She’s the whole damn thing, I want to say, but don’t. It would make me look like I’m cockblocking or interested and I’m not. I’ve had a crush on Rocky for as long as I can remember, but I’ve never let myself entertain the thought that maybe there could be more than friendship there, not because I’m not attracted to her or think she’s the coolest girl in the world. I just don’t want to mess with our friendship. That was a decision I made when I was fifteen years old and stick by even now. It would complicate everything. I love her parents. She loves mine. Mine loves hers. I mean, we’ve spent holidays together. We’ve gone on trips together. I’ve stayed over at her house and vice versa. If her father found out I was interested in his daughter in that way he’d have my head, and as much as I love Mike, I’d never disrespect him like that. Or his daughter. I can’t deny that the thought of her dating one of my teammates hurts though. Brian’s a cool guy, but it doesn’t matter. It’s Rocky. She’s worth anyone’s weight in gold.
“Yo.” Colson hits my chest. “You wanna ride?”
“Where?”
“A party.”
I look over at Brian, who’s texting on his phone. “Are you coming?”
“Sure.” He doesn’t look up from his phone. “I’ll follow you.”
“Why don’t we just invite them to the house?” Colson says, looking at his own phone. “It’s Laura, Mel, and Kayti. They’re with some other friends. We have Brian and Chase.” Colson frowns and stops walking. “Did we lose Chase?”
“I don’t know how the fuck anyone would lose the giant.” I look around and spot Chase in the back by the bathrooms talking to a blonde, and tap Colson so he looks where I’m looking.