Page 39

Brooke

The boys got back just before four, and I haven’t seen Grant yet, as Cami has made me swear to keep our location a secret, as she doesn’t want to see Gunnar yet.

So, here we are, at six, in the basement of a frat house, dancing. It’s pretty cool down here, not the dingy, damp basement I imagined when Cami told me about it; it’s all fresh white walls and a pool table; there’s even a proper dance floor with a DJ deck. I wonder who donates to this frat.

We are a few vodka cranberries deep. When the team arrives, I can almost sense when he walks in, turning towards the door that leads to the stairs and smiling when I spot him and the rest of the team fist-bumping and back-patting their way through the crowd.

“Sorry, Cinderella, midnight’s here,” I yell toward Cami, and she turns, noticing them too.

“You dare stop dancing and ditch me?” she yells back, grabbing my hand as we continue to dance, and I shake my head.

“No way. They can come join us or get lost.” We continue to jump along to the chorus of the song.

I see them moving over slowly since so many people are stopping and offering them drinks, but then Bear spots us and pounces. “My lucky charm,” he shouts, and grabs Cami around the middle. “This girl is the reason we kicked ass.”

Cheers go up around us, and Cami is laughing and hugging Bear.

I glance over and catch Grant’s eye, and he moves up next to me.

Slipping his arm around my middle and tugging me back into his body while everyone else is busy and whispering in my ear.

“Imagine my surprise when I found your apartment empty when I got home.”

“Weird,” I smirk, taking a sip of my drink but continuing to dance with him behind me.

“Someone promised me a celebration” He reaches his other hand round and takes my cup and drinks the rest of my drink; it was full, and I turn and pout at him.

“Oooooh.” I put on my best shocked face and gestured around us. “I thought you wanted to party and celebrate.”

He laughs at me but backs up a little with just a hand on my hip, and we dance along with Adam and Bear, who have Cami sandwiched between them and are pulling some silly dance moves to make her laugh.

Thank God, I love her, but we were joined at the hip since yesterday, and I wanted to dance with Grant.

“I think something is going on with Cami and Gunnar,” he says into my ear, and I stiffen. “I’ll talk to you about it later.”

I nod back at him, hoping he won’t. Whatever it is, I don’t want to hide from Grant that I know something.

I feel like I’m just lying to everyone at the moment, and it would be nice not to have to add another one to the list. “Where is he?” I ask, looking around at the rest of the team surrounding us, hoping he won’t just start telling me now because I noticed Gunnar is the only guy on the hockey team not here.

“Sasha called him as soon as we stepped into the apartment, so he stayed.” He shrugs and reaches toward a freshman, steals his beer, and opens it by wrapping his arms around the front of me. Before he can take a sip, I steal it and start drinking it, and I can feel him laughing behind me.

“That’s a shame. He should have celebrated with you guys.” I frown while handing him the beer back, and he squeezes my hip in thanks.

“The rest of the boys made it out, so that’s all that matters.

” He shrugs as a hand claps him on the back and congratulates him, and I smile as he stops dancing and thanks the guy.

Grant has such an easy-going demeanour; it's as if it’s no big deal that he just led his team to a win.

Once he’s done, he turns back to me, offering me the beer that we are now sharing.

“What’s got you smiling?” he asks, smirking, and I tug his hand toward Cami and the boys.

“Oh, nothing.” I laugh. “Come on, Anders, show me how you celebrate.” I grab Cami’s hand and make a circle where we can dance.

Adam throws an arm over Grant’s shoulders. “Let’s hear it for the captain," he shouts; everyone in the basement goes nuts, and the boys on the team do a wolf’s howl.

“Speech,” Bear shouts, and Grant just shakes his head. “Too far?” he asks, and we all laugh.

“All I’ll say is enjoy it now, boys, because the hard work is coming.” Grant laughs as they all groan, and Cami and I openly boo him while Adam shouts, “Worst speech ever!”

He just laughs,shooting me a wink and his trademark smirk.