The Guy on the Right (The Underdogs 1)

didn’t let me finish. I’ll buy your next beer if you’ll two-step with me.”

“No.”

She raises a brow in challenge. “Don’t know how?”

“I do.”

“Then come on, Grand Band Man, live a little.”

“He just got here,” the friend says breathlessly, scanning me before jabbing Laney in the ribs with her elbow. “Let him have one beer first.”

“Shut up,” Laney instructs before our introduction. “Theo, this is my best friend, Devin. Devin, this is Theo.”

Devin is the opposite of Laney, a platinum blonde with pale skin to Laney’s dark complexion.

“Nice to meet you.” She yells something else I can’t decipher, and we clink glasses and drink. The Rangers lost tonight, but there are no mourners in this crowd. And the place is crawling with TGU-covered alumni.

Devin’s eyes dart back and forth between us as I sip more beer.

“So, you two met at a party?”

“Yeah,” I offer, setting my beer on the high-top table.

“And then ran into each other at the grocery store?”

“Uh huh,” Laney says just as clueless as to where Devin’s going with her line of questioning.

“I’d say that’s kismet in a school your size.”

“That’s coincidence,” Laney reasons to keep us both comfortable.

“Well, my money is on kismet,” she subtly bumps shoulders with her best friend.

Laney not-so-subtly pinches Devin, who jumps.

“How long have you two known each other?” I ask to break them up.

“Since she stole my boyfriend in first grade,” Devin supplies in jest.

“Dirty Dustin,” Laney says, rolling her eyes. “I did you a favor. He stunk.”

Devin tosses back a shot and doesn’t flinch. “Puh-lease, don’t act like you haven’t been boy crazy even before you got your first starter bra. And I saw Dustin at the store the other day, he gave me the eye.” She tilts her head and gives Laney wide eyes, and it looks so ridiculous we both crack up.

“Well, not like that exactly, but he did,” she insists, wobbling out of her seat. “I’m going to the restroom.” She looks between us conspiratorially, and Laney shakes her head in warning before Devin saunters off singing Jingle Bells at the top of her lungs.

“How much has she had?” I ask, nodding toward the way she went.

“Not enough to knock her out, unfortunately,” she mutters annoyed while trailing Devin’s retreat over her shoulder before looking back at me. “She’s curious because I spoke so highly of you. I apologize.”

“Don’t worry about it. I like her. She’s your other half, right?”

Laney bobs her head. “Oh, most definitely.”

I can tell she’s mildly buzzed.

“I had a friend like that back home.”

“Yeah? Where is home?”