Gimme Everything You Got - Iva-Marie Palmer Page 0,65

“You know we won’t be stupid.” There was no way everyone would follow the lead of No-Booze Susan. The better plan was to play along and then, at the party, make sure things didn’t get out of hand.

“You know those football assholes would totally be throwing a party if they were here and not us,” Dawn said. She gave me a meaningful look, like we were continuing our conversation from the bridal shop. “And it’s not like a few drinks will hurt us.”

“You have a point,” I agreed. A few drinks, then I’d urge everyone to sleep.

Dawn grinned. “By the way, thanks for sticking it to Teddy for me.”

“It hurt him more than it hurt me,” I said.

While Dawn and I waited, Marie smiled at the cashier and said, “Nice day, isn’t it?” She gave him a sexy grin and slid the money across the counter at him. He ogled her as she grabbed the bag.

Bobby was on his way inside as we left. “You made it, ladies, your first real game,” he said, smiling at us as we passed each other.

“Yep, and we couldn’t be in a better state,” Marie said, holding up her paper bag. “Wisconsin milk!”

Eighteen

We’d only missed the motel by two exits, and since Bobby didn’t request any more of my help, I took a seat near Tina and Wendy the rest of the way to Wisconsin.

“So, does his neck smell good?” Tina asked.

“Stop, I was only trying to help,” I said, but I couldn’t hide my smile. “And his neck smells great. He has good taste in aftershave.”

“I really thought your crush would have faded by now,” she said. She glanced up front at Bobby’s neck, and after a few seconds of studying it, added, “But I can see how giving him up would be hard.”

“Yeah, and why would I? It’s not like I have a great crush alternative,” I said.

“I take it that Joe guy still hasn’t made a move,” Tina said. I knew she’d have a field day if I mentioned the near kiss, but fortunately, Wendy saved me from answering.

“Joe who?” she said, turning around in her seat.

“The skinny dude at the car wash who came for Susan,” Tina told her.

“Didn’t he have a girlfriend?” Wendy said.

“He has a bunch, I think,” I said. “I’m not looking to be one of many.”

“He likes Susan best, though,” Tina said.

“You should give him a chance.” Wendy nodded.

“Trust me, it wouldn’t work out,” I said.

“Suit yourself,” Tina said. “But I know he likes you, and he’s cute. He might be worth a shot.”

“I’m not taking a shot on a high school guy. I’m waiting for something better,” I said. Someone like Bobby, I didn’t say. Someone who wasn’t hopping from soccer to punk bands and from girl to girl. Bobby knew what he wanted, in a way Joe and other high school boys didn’t.

Tina rolled her eyes; she probably thought that I was dismissing Todd again, which was totally not my intention, and I was about to say so when the bus stopped.

“Well, who needs any of them? We’re here,” Wendy said, pointing at the sign for the Luna Creek Motor Lodge.

Bobby registered us as we surveyed the layout. I silently hoped Bobby’s room would be so close to ours that Marie and Dawn would be too nervous to break out the booze. Soon, Bobby reboarded the bus, dangling three keys. “You’ve got three doubles, so split up among yourselves,” he said. “Sorry you’ll be sharing beds, but it’s better than leaving Powell Park at five a.m., right?”

Everyone murmured agreement and filed down the steps. Once we had our bags unloaded, Bobby blew his whistle. I panicked for a second. He’d seen the schnapps. We were dead.

“Quick announcement, team,” he said. I cast a glance at Marie, who was trying to look nonchalant with the bag of booze clutched in her fist. “Meet out here in a half hour so we can get dinner.”

“Dinner?” Wendy said.

“You didn’t think I’d have you play your first game on empty stomachs, did you?” Bobby grinned. “There’s an Italian place not too far from here, and we have money to spare from the car wash and some extra funds the school ponied up.” My guilt compounded—I had a feeling this meant he was going to pay with his own money again.

“We’re, like, movie stars,” Joanie said. “They get everything paid for.”

“We had to take some guy’s dirty underwear out of his back seat for that money,” Dawn reminded her.