Getting Maggie riled up is almost as fun as getting her worked up. “I was talking about lessons in lowering your voice, but sure,” I say, as I check my phone. “I’ve got time for you and your vibe. Let’s go.”
“JT, I can’t?—"
“Get off with it. I know, I heard,” I say as I start walking to catch up with her. For a short girl, she can hustle.
It takes me about three seconds to close the distance between us, so I’m just in time for more sass. “I was not that loud! And there’s no one here,” she says, gesturing to the courtyard that surrounds us.
Shaking my head, I gesture right back. “Uh, there are at least three other people on this lawn.”
Maggie rolls her eyes. “Yes. Thislawn. It’s huge.”
“Are we still talking about the lawn? Or is this an issue with the vibe?” I ask as we pass the library. We’re heading in the exact direction I just came from, but I don’t care. MakingMaggie’s cheeks turn pink is almost as much fun as blocking shots.
We stop in front of the stone steps outside Friedman Library. She’s got one hand on her hip, no doubt to project the fact that she means business. But all that hand really does is emphasize the swell of her hips. And that just reminds me?—
“Can you please stop saying the wordvibe?”
I shrug unapologetically. “You brought it up.”
“You are infuriating,” she counters.
She’s right. I’m pressing all her buttons today because it’s fun, and because the more I tease her, the longer we talk. We’re not a huge part of each other’s lives or anything, but I’ve been out of touch this week and I’ve missed trading barbs with Maggie. And flirting. I’ve really missed that. “Noted,” I concede, not bothering to defend myself. “I’ll add ‘infuriating’ to my resume under Special Skills.”
She takes a deep breath, and I can almost see her mentally counting to ten and summoning the patience to deal with my smart ass. “Does your major involve making other people angry?” she asks.
I think for a minute, and smile. “Kinda.”
She furrows her brow and bites her lip in concentration, and I can tell she’s trying to remember exactly what my major is.
“I might grow up to be a physical therapist. And everybody knows they piss people off on the daily.”
I catch her smile before she hides it.
“I’ve got a test to study for,” she says, pointing up at the library.
“And a vibrator to fix,” I remind her.
Her jaw drops and her face flushes, like this hasn’t been the central topic of conversation for the last five minutes. “Shhh!” she chastises me. “Someone could hear you!”
I laugh, until I realize she’s serious. Clearing my throat, I mentally dial my volume down before I ask the questionthat’s been on my mind for days. “Do you and your friend have any plans for the weekend? Any parties you might hit up?”
Maggie goes completely still for a moment, and immediately I know I’ve miscalculated. But all I can do is follow through and hope for a save. Before I can string coherent words together, though, she’s talking and my mind races to catch up with her words.
“No parties for me. I have exams to pass if I want to get a job after graduation.”
“Getting a job is probably pretty important,” I acknowledge. “But everybody needs a break at some point. I’ll be honest. I was bummed I couldn’t hang out with you when you texted last weekend.”
Maggie bites her bottom lip. “Me, too, but it was probably for the best. My semester is busy now, and it’s only going to get crazier. For the next few months, I’m either studying for exams or taking them, so I think my party days are over.”
She’s got a point, not that I know anything at all about actuary exams. But I do know hockey, and the season just started. For the next several months, my schedule is packed with travel and practice and team meetings. Even trying to start a relationship, or whatever the hell this thing between Maggie and me is called, is dumb as shit.
She’s right. I know she’s right.
So why do I feel like I’m losing out on something that could be really great?
Maggie smiles and that’s my answer. I swear the upward curve of her lips does something to me. It cracks the ice around my heart and makes me wonder if I couldn’t find just a little more time in my schedule. A couple guys on the team have girlfriends and that hasn’t slowed them down. Kersey’s even talking about proposing to his girlfriend. They’ve been together since high school, and they hang out plenty during the season. It’s never affected his play.
Well, at least, I don’t think it has. He was our starting goalie last year until I won a few games in a row. Coach isn’t one to mess with a streak, so even though I was a freshman, he swapped our positions and I’ve had the top spot ever since. But I don’t think we can blame that on Kersey’s girlfriend.
