Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“I found Danny’s jacket in the car,” he said, holding it out. “I gave him a ride in tonight. Anyway, figured you might need it.”
“Thank you—you’re a lifesaver.” Shrugging into the fleece-lined corduroy jacket that Danny somehow pulled off, she was immediately overwhelmed by the warm, masculine scent of Daniel Esera. It was… comforting. Scowling at her own thoughts, she said, “I can hold the fort here. You okay to head back to the club, run interference so no one starts to wonder where Danny disappeared to?”
Lines forming above the dark brown of his eyes, Viliame folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t want you here alone.”
“I’m surrounded by doctors and nurses,” she reminded him. “And you know people will’ve noticed us cutting out. Better to head off the gossip or they’ll have us in a threesome and the Vilimaidens will murder me with a hatchet.” To say Viliame’s fan club was devoted was a vast understatement; his future girlfriend or wife would be in for a hard time.
“Seriously, Vili,” she added. “You know there are people out there just waiting for Danny to slip up, make an ass of himself.” Those hyenas, waiting for him to fall. “It doesn’t need to be true to stick—the worst would be if the person who dosed him takes advantage of his sudden exit to start a rumor about him doing drugs. Making him seem drugged out might’ve been the whole point of this.”
Catie’s anger was a hot blade, her need for revenge a cold determination. The latter had to be a genetic trait she’d inherited from Jacqueline; her mother was definitely one for revenge being a dish best served cold.
Viliame shoved a hand over his tight black curls. “Shit. Yeah, I see where you’re going.” Lips pursed and eyes narrowed, he said, “I have an idea that’ll blow all other rumors out of the water—I could make it sound like we were going to hit another club but then you two ditched me and went off together.”
The usually reserved player waggled his eyebrows.
2
VILIAME THE GOSSIP COLUMNIST
Catie rolled her eyes. “Like anyone is going to believe that.” The fact that she and Danny were not friends was well known. Possibly because they kept snarking on each other’s social media posts.
Take Danny’s last comment: Oh, going for the princess look today, I see. In my considered opinion, you need more gold eye shadow, and wow, go you for not hesitating to glue spider legs to your eyelids. That’s true commitment to fashion.
Danny thought he was a genius.
Not that she was any better.
Bit light on the weights today, Daniel. Tut-tut. Got a little lazy on holiday, huh? It’s all right. That’s why I got you the flamingo-pink kiddie weights for Christmas. Always thinking of what’s best for you. xoxo
It was a good thing Danny’s mum, Alison, wasn’t on the social media platform the two of them preferred for their mutual mockery. She’d twist both their ears for behaving like children rather than the full-grown adults they were supposed to be. As it was, Danny’s brothers found it hilarious and Catie’s sister just shook her head at each new dig they made.
“Um.” Viliame unfolded his arms and winced. “I mean, everyone thinks you two are flirting with the insults, so yeah, it’ll fly.”
Catie shuddered even as she pulled Danny’s jacket closed around her upper body. “I will never flirt with Daniel Tana Esera.” The idea was so ridiculous that she couldn’t even be insulted. “But go for it. Whatever works. Tomorrow I’ll post that he made a move, I kicked his ass, and we’ll be back to all systems normal.”
“I will never understand you and Dan,” Viliame muttered, then held out a fisted hand. “Look after my brother from another mother?”
She bumped her fist with his. “He’s annoying, but I love his family.”
Viliame just shook his head, then said, “Talk to you soon, brother” to Danny before leaving.
Only then did Catie give in to her worry and stroke Danny’s hair back once again. “Hey, hotshot. Sorry to break it to you, but the nurses didn’t swoon over you.” Her stomach was all twisted up. She hated seeing him this way, so still and pale. Danny was energy and life. He was the guy who’d hauled her onto his back during the beach races at last year’s family camping trip and run so fast that they’d smoked the other teams.
As the others were coupled up, the two of them usually ended up paired together unless her brother Harlow could make it or they had another friend join them. And because she and Danny were as competitive as all hell, they won more times than not.
Danny was also one of the few people whose back she had no problem jumping onto and riding. Growing up, she’d gone out with a few boys who’d thought it the height of romance to sweep her off her feet and carry her around, forget about the fact that (one): Catie hated being startled and off-balance, and (two): she’d spent literal years learning to walk on her own two prosthetic feet.