“What did he say?”
I smiled. “He wanted to talk about my game and said that he is gonna come to see me play.”
“No shit?” he asks, shock visible on his face. “Did he seek you out?
“I don’t think so. He said Sinclair sent him over to me,” I say, still unable to comprehend it.
“Oh,” he says with a nod. “Still that’s great, Bay.”
“I know, I could get picked up by the Assassins, stay close.”
“That would be best,” he agrees, his finger pressed to his chin. “I might go talk to him.”
“Don’t mess it up!” I say quickly, and he laughs.
“No, I played for him once in the AHL. He knows me.”
“Oh, okay, cool.” Then I waggle my brows at him. “Maybe talk about how great I am?”
He laughs, rubbing my back. “That’s all I ever talk about.”
I grin back at him and he asks, “I wonder why Sinclair would send him your way? I wouldn’t have done that.”
My heart starts to pound in my chest as his gaze holds mine. Shit. Does he suspect something? Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I say, “I have no clue.”
“Hmm,” he comments, looking out at the party. “That’s weird.”
“Yeah, but good for me,” I say back, and he nods.
“I guess,” he says with a shrug, but I can see the gears turning in his head. I think he does suspect something is going on between us. Oh shit! What do I do? Before I can say anything though, he looks over at me and grins. “Meant to tell you earlier, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I say shyly. “My feet hurt.”
Scoffing, he nods. “That’s why I’m glad I’m not a girl,” he says with a wink.
Laughing, I smack him playfully in the arm as he starts to walk away. “Be good,” he calls at me.
“Of course.”
He gives me a look that says he thinks otherwise before disappearing into the crowd of people on the dance floor. When he’s gone, I start to look for Jayden, but I can’t find him. I do find Jace, though. Standing by himself, nursing a beer, and as I reach him, I set him with a look.
“We aren’t supposed to be drinking,” I remind him before taking it to take my own pull. I’m still shaking from the conversation with Mr. Fisher. Maybe a few swigs will calm me down. But when I look back at Jace, he looks stricken. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he answers, taking his beer back and downing it in one gulp.
“Um. Try again.”
He shakes his head. “My dad just reamed me for Jayden going off on him and shit.”
“What? Your dad’s here?” I ask, my heart picking up in speed. I immediately want to run and find Jayden, make sure he is okay. He hates his dad—the dude isn’t good to him. But when I look at Jace, I know it’s the same for him. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine, just pissed is all.”
“Okay, where is Jayden?” I ask then, and he looks over at me, a knowing grin pulling at his mouth.
I fully expect him to give me shit, but instead he says, “I don’t know, he went out that door right there.”
He points to the door by the dessert table and I turn on my heel, but then I pause. “Thank you,” I say back to him and then I smile. “If you need me, I’m here.”