Page 25 of Scoring Chances
“In Austin?”
“Also, yes,” Redmond says with a smile.
“So, what brings you all the way to Houston?”
Redmond pulls Rina to him and looks down at her like she’s the sun itself. “This beauty, of course.”
I swallow hard–instantly regretting saying yes to helping Keelan tonight.
I hate that I’m in the middle of what seems to be a very obvious pissing match between two athletes and the woman they both clearly like.
I’d much rather be home with Joshua and the kids. Cuddling up in the movie theater and watching… Initial…Z? Whatever the heck movie he was talking about earlier. At this point, I'd watch anything.
“You from England?” Keelan asks, before downing his drink in one go. I take a note from him and sip my own. Definitely alcohol. And I welcome the warmth as it travels down into my stomach to help calm my nerves.
“Wales,” the man says.
Keelan nods like that makes all the sense in the world.
“We should go greet the other guests,” Rina says, turning to Redmond. He nods and smiles at us. “Nice to meet you two.”
“Enjoy the party,” Rina says, mostly to me. She shoots Keelan a quick, knowing glance before turning away.
When they’re out of earshot, Keelan mutters. “I hate him. And his stupidly hot accent.”
I watch Keelan as he looks at the back of Redmond's head. He guides Rina around the room with his hand on her lower back. It reminds me of the way Joshua had his hand on my back showing me around the house when I arrived. It felt nice. Intimate.
And I have to shake the thought from my mind that he might've done it because he liked me. Obviously, he doesn't like me enough or he would’ve made a bigger fuss of me coming here with his teammate while he stayed home with the kids.
He did admit he was jealous. But then he had insisted I should come out with Keelan tonight. The signals I'm getting from him are too mixed to make any kind of sense. So, I focus my attention back on Keelan.
“I’m guessing you like Rina?” I say quietly.
He looks over at me and shrugs. “She deserves better, that's all.” But he doesn’t confirm or deny it.
A few of the guys make their way over to us. Zane–the guy with the parrot and his young son, Liam, talk to us briefly.
Liam is super cute, and I get the feeling that he and Maddie would hit it off. Zane’s wife, Kesley, walks in a little later, and she’s super nice to me.
Libby, Michael’s girlfriend, even comes and says hi. She’s all spunk and fiery red hair to match her personality.
I can tell everyone is making looks at us as they walk by. Like my standing next to Keelan at a team event is the world’s biggest no-no.
“How do you feel about shower games?” Keelan leans over and asks me.
“Considering I’ve had to sit through several of my moms and now my older siblings. I hate them,” I admit.
He smiles. “Me too. Wanna bounce?”
“Isn’t this your sister’s shower?”
“She’ll understand. Besides, I got her the best present.”
“What’s that?”
“Me, as an uncle to her child. Baby Stella will be extra spoiled for the rest of her life.”
“I think that statement deserves a cringe jar payment.”