Kaitlyn said. “I knew you guys were partiers.”
I shook my head. “No way. You’re a freshman, and you’re in season. We’re not supplying you with alcohol.”
“Well, that’s ruuude.” She pouted again. “You invite me to play cards and don’t even serve me a beverage?”
Josh had only invited her because he’d run into her at the gym, after our stint in the weight room for the day. The girls had just finished afternoon practice. I’d wanted to invite Maddie, but she was going out with her boyfriend, and there was no way in hell I’d invite Lucia.
“Relax,” Josh said as he set three bottles of beer on the table and farmed one out to each of us. Kaitlyn’s face lit up as she downed a big swig.
“Dane, don’t touch that beer,” Brad said. I took a sip.
When Josh returned to the table with his own bottle, I tilted my head toward the freshman. “Coach Holter will kill us if he finds out.”
“ You’re not supposed to drink, either, Mr. Sophomoric.” Kaitlyn glared at me.
“Yeah, but our coach isn’t a control-freak fuckbag. And our season doesn’t start until January. If I’m a little slower in practice, I’ll have no one to blame but myself.”
I heard the sofa shift as Brad heaved himself up. “I can’t be here while you girls break the law.” He pressed a button on the remote. “I’ll be outside with China.” It wasn’t until he was at the door that I realized he’d increased the volume on the TV as a parting gift. Jerk.
I sniffed and pretended to wipe away a tear. “I’ll miss you, Braddy Boy.”
When he slammed the door on the way out, I grinned. If all it took to get rid of him was alcohol, I would drink lots this fall. But following Brad’s departure, I looked up at three sets of wary eyes. I guessed I wasn’t the only one still getting used to the Secret Service supervising my every move.
The TV volume was epic. “ Secretary of State Bob Cannell appeared in front of the congressional special committee, but he might as well have stayed home ,” the reporter said. “ I’ve never seen an official of the state dodge and deflect questions about Americans getting killed. ”
My stomach clenched. That bitch sounded like somebody on Fox News. I popped off my chair and stormed over to the couch. Sure enough, the Fox reporter droned on, “ When will this administration stop hiding behind its mistakes? What exactly happened in Yemen? You can be sure we’ll get to the bottom of this mess. ”
“Shut this shit off.” I grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, then stalked over to the table and seized my beer, knocking back half of it in one gulp.
Josh studied me as I sat back down. “Your mom’s going to win. Don’t worry.”
“I know.” I sighed. “Then I’ll have even more agents crawling up my ass.”
“Are you sure it’s okay he saw us drinking?” Kaitlyn asked. “I mean, like, will he tell my coach?”
“Not so confident anymore, freshman, huh?” I teased. “Scared about losing your scholarship?” When she paled, I took pity on her. “The agents aren’t supposed to interfere with my life, and they’re sworn to secrecy. So we’re cool.”
Her second sip conveyed that I’d convinced her. “That blows that you and Lucia have to be protected,” she said. “I heard she’s stuck living in a hotel for preseason.” Kaitlyn grimaced. “That would get old real fast.”
Josh and I glanced at each other. I’d told him about Lucia crashing my place—hence our presence at his apartment, not mine—but apparently that wasn’t public knowledge yet.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. Daddy Adolf will take care of her.”
Pete shifted in his chair. “Are we gonna play this game or not, children?”
“Yeah, we are.” Josh shuffled the deck and grinned across the table at Kaitlyn. “The Golden State will win the gold.”
I snorted. Nobody was better at euchre than I was.
Five beers, three victorious games, and countless fist pumps later, I
I shook my head. “No way. You’re a freshman, and you’re in season. We’re not supplying you with alcohol.”
“Well, that’s ruuude.” She pouted again. “You invite me to play cards and don’t even serve me a beverage?”
Josh had only invited her because he’d run into her at the gym, after our stint in the weight room for the day. The girls had just finished afternoon practice. I’d wanted to invite Maddie, but she was going out with her boyfriend, and there was no way in hell I’d invite Lucia.
“Relax,” Josh said as he set three bottles of beer on the table and farmed one out to each of us. Kaitlyn’s face lit up as she downed a big swig.
“Dane, don’t touch that beer,” Brad said. I took a sip.
When Josh returned to the table with his own bottle, I tilted my head toward the freshman. “Coach Holter will kill us if he finds out.”
“ You’re not supposed to drink, either, Mr. Sophomoric.” Kaitlyn glared at me.
“Yeah, but our coach isn’t a control-freak fuckbag. And our season doesn’t start until January. If I’m a little slower in practice, I’ll have no one to blame but myself.”
I heard the sofa shift as Brad heaved himself up. “I can’t be here while you girls break the law.” He pressed a button on the remote. “I’ll be outside with China.” It wasn’t until he was at the door that I realized he’d increased the volume on the TV as a parting gift. Jerk.
I sniffed and pretended to wipe away a tear. “I’ll miss you, Braddy Boy.”
When he slammed the door on the way out, I grinned. If all it took to get rid of him was alcohol, I would drink lots this fall. But following Brad’s departure, I looked up at three sets of wary eyes. I guessed I wasn’t the only one still getting used to the Secret Service supervising my every move.
The TV volume was epic. “ Secretary of State Bob Cannell appeared in front of the congressional special committee, but he might as well have stayed home ,” the reporter said. “ I’ve never seen an official of the state dodge and deflect questions about Americans getting killed. ”
My stomach clenched. That bitch sounded like somebody on Fox News. I popped off my chair and stormed over to the couch. Sure enough, the Fox reporter droned on, “ When will this administration stop hiding behind its mistakes? What exactly happened in Yemen? You can be sure we’ll get to the bottom of this mess. ”
“Shut this shit off.” I grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, then stalked over to the table and seized my beer, knocking back half of it in one gulp.
Josh studied me as I sat back down. “Your mom’s going to win. Don’t worry.”
“I know.” I sighed. “Then I’ll have even more agents crawling up my ass.”
“Are you sure it’s okay he saw us drinking?” Kaitlyn asked. “I mean, like, will he tell my coach?”
“Not so confident anymore, freshman, huh?” I teased. “Scared about losing your scholarship?” When she paled, I took pity on her. “The agents aren’t supposed to interfere with my life, and they’re sworn to secrecy. So we’re cool.”
Her second sip conveyed that I’d convinced her. “That blows that you and Lucia have to be protected,” she said. “I heard she’s stuck living in a hotel for preseason.” Kaitlyn grimaced. “That would get old real fast.”
Josh and I glanced at each other. I’d told him about Lucia crashing my place—hence our presence at his apartment, not mine—but apparently that wasn’t public knowledge yet.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. Daddy Adolf will take care of her.”
Pete shifted in his chair. “Are we gonna play this game or not, children?”
“Yeah, we are.” Josh shuffled the deck and grinned across the table at Kaitlyn. “The Golden State will win the gold.”
I snorted. Nobody was better at euchre than I was.
Five beers, three victorious games, and countless fist pumps later, I
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