Down By Contact - Jessica Ruddick Page 0,3

to chat with Rachel, Jake Truitt’s girlfriend. Her eyes searched the room, no doubt looking for me. I put my fingers in my mouth to whistle for her attention but thought better of it. I circled the perimeter of the room, somehow managing to wind up behind her, still undetected. Even though I was in stealth mode, I was surprised I’d been successful. As a six-three, two-hundred-thirty-five-pound linebacker, I didn’t exactly blend into a crowd. Then again, if there was any crowd I could have disappeared into, it would have been that one.

Crooking my fingers, I poked her in the sides, caused her to yelp loudly. She spun, eyes wide and fist raised. When she saw it was me, her mouth twisted, and she landed a punch on my biceps. I barely felt it. Layla might have been cool as shit, but she couldn’t throw a punch to save her life.

“Damn it, Justin!” She shook her hand. She’d probably hurt herself more than she’d hurt me.

I grinned. “Hey, gorgeous. Glad you finally made it.”

She smiled, revealing a slight dimple in her right cheek. “Better late than never, right?”

I shrugged. “Or you could just be on time.” I stepped back before she could slug me again, which I would have deserved for being a smartass. “Where’s Kaycee?”

“Stuck at work. That’s why I was late—I was waiting for her, but she texted and told me to go ahead without her. Besides, I doubt the birthday boy even noticed I wasn’t here.”

That was probably true, but it wasn’t a slight to Layla. Connor was drunk and surrounded by so many of our friends that he probably wouldn’t have noticed if the tooth fairy was in attendance.

“Come on.” I grabbed her hand. “Let’s get you a drink.”

At the bar, I ordered for both of us because I knew what she’d want—a mojito. They didn’t use to keep mint leaves on hand, but once Bleakers became the team’s designated downtown spot, they kept them in supply just for Layla. A lot of the other guys’ girlfriends liked them too. Layla wasn’t my girlfriend, but she was usually my plus-one.

The bartender quickly made our drinks, and I handed hers over.

“Thanks.” She quickly took a long pull from the straw.

I raised my eyebrows. “Should I have made it a double?”

She sighed. “I talked to my step-monster today.”

Upon hearing that, I flagged down the bartender and ordered a second preemptive mojito. Layla was pretty close-mouthed about her dad’s side of the family, but I knew her stepmother was a nightmare. I was no stranger to messed-up family shit, so I sympathized.

By the time the second mojito was ready, Layla had finished the first. Damn. My girl might not have wanted to admit it, but she was stressed the fuck out. Just as I was about to try to pry her open, Kaycee waltzed in and helped herself to a sip of Layla’s mojito.

Layla clutched it protectively, moving it out of reach. “Mine.”

“I should have texted you to order for me,” she said. “Work was the worst.”

“I got you, Kaycee.” I stepped back toward the bar to order another round of drinks. While I waited, I half-listened to her tell Layla about all the families of high school seniors who had come in after their campus tours. That’s right. It was almost time for college-bound kids to make their decisions. It hadn’t been difficult for me. VVU was the only school I’d wanted to play for. Another wave of sadness and nostalgia washed over me. Being a football player had been a core part of my identity since I was six years old. I hadn’t even graduated yet, but the adjustment was already punching me in the gut.

Kaycee took a sip of her drink. “So where’s the birthday boy?”

“Last time I saw him, he was—” Before I could finish my statement, Connor crashed into our trio, almost literally.

“Helllooo!” With a goofy grin, he draped his arm over Kaycee’s shoulders. “Do you know what day it is?” he asked in a loud whisper.

“Nope.” Kaycee maintained a straight face and took a long sip of her drink. “Should I?”

Connor’s face fell, and I wanted to laugh, but he looked so damn sad. He wouldn’t admit that he was sweet on Kaycee. I wished he would just bite the bullet and make a play for her, though it would be awkward as hell if she shut him down.

“I’m just kidding, you fool!” Grasping his chin, she pulled his face down to her