With that, I slipped on my double-strap black shoes, picked up my blazer, and stepped out of the dormitory and into the cool fall evening.
I basked in the attention of the three girls stepping out of the library and giving me a thorough scan. A job great done, if I could be that self-congratulatory.
It was a special evening. My friends were so into their relationships that I never saw them these days outside of practice and games. We used to work out together and hang out before and after practice. Hell, I used to share my room with one of them.
And Shane was coming, too. I’d asked him three more times over the days just to make sure.
We ditched Lumière for a nice indie bar downtown. It wasn’t often that we had a reason to leave the campus. Everything was here, then a few good ideas for dates. And since I didn’t do dates, I rarely went far. Dates got in the way of fun, in a manner of speaking.
Until tonight, triple trouble was about to be released upon this good town, and I was all in. I strolled to the metro and hopped over to the place just fashionably late. Shane had texted me when he left his room, but I hadn’t been ready, so he would wait for me outside. I didn’t nudge him to go in without me. He was shy and awkward, and he knew me the best, so it was a solid plan.
As I walked down the street toward the bar, I saw him. A few people stood on one side of the door, smoking and chatting with drinks in their hands, but Shane was keeping a distance. His black-rimmed glasses were pushed high up his nose, framing his face in a wholly handsome way. He wore a blue shirt that actually fit him to a dot and a pair of white pants that did wonders for his figure.
My fingers twitched for a second as I neared him. “Pop that button and you’ll be a ten,” I said, regretting it even as the words were coming out of my mouth.
“Crass,” Shane pointed out, and I couldn’t grudge him.
“Nah, you look great,” I said. “Let go in.”
He inhaled and visibly forced himself to relax before stepping into the bar. Three short steps led us down into thespacious open place with candles, lamps, and comfortable chairs surrounding smooth wooden tables. In the far corner, sitting at a booth, my friends and their boyfriends were chatting.
Naturally, Easton was in the middle, the center of gravity of our little group, flanked by his brooding better half. Jace, a tattooed guy with a sharp and calculating gaze, did something that might be called lighting up if he didn’t wear such a menacing aura when he spotted me. On the other side, Elio rested his arm along the back of the booth, and Jaxon was leaning into its fold. I walked up to the booth and thrust Shane to Jace’s side, then sat next to him. “And the boys’ night begins,” I announced.
“Here, here,” Easton said.
Shane introduced himself to the boyfriends, and a waiter picked up our orders and returned with drinks. Jace ran his fingers along his sharp jawline and pointed at us conversationally. “How’d you two meet?”
I almost choked on my red ale and shook my head quickly. The way Jace had shot us that inquisitive look and question wasn’t even suggestive but all-out presuming.
“We’re not, um, together,” Shane said.
Jace nodded understandingly. “First date, then?”
I kept shaking my head, leaving it to Shane to explain how he was shadowing me for a project. I was pretty certain Jace knew this already, but he chose violence tonight.
It was Shane who blushed the fiercest, but my fingers trembled regardless. A sort of discomfort filled my chest, like tickles rising from within, and I squirmed a little, especially when Jace flashed one of his wolfish grins and said, “You make a nice…pair.”
Easton stabbed his elbow in Jace’s rib cage, which directed the conversation elsewhere. Elio talked about the season and the first win of the predicted streak. I offered some input on how toget there while drilling the younger pups and not letting them cost us victories.
Easton scratched his head. “I don’t think they were the ones costing us victories.”
I held my breath for a short while and then exhaled. “That’s probably right.”
“How so?” Shane asked.
I could see him writing it down behind those cute glasses and analytical eyes.
“Infighting,” Elio said with a shrug, then leaned his shoulder against Easton’s arm. They were their old selves, and my heart did a little dance.
“Ancient history,” Easton assured him.
“Do you think it’s going to be a winning streak?” Shane asked.
“You saw us play,” I said. “Don’t you think we’re good?”
Shane’s lips trembled into a brief smile before he nodded. “I wasn’t supposed to be watching the game. I was supposed to be watching you.”
His words, although nothing out of the ordinary due to our agreement, dialed up the heat in my stomach.
