Page 37 of The Chemistry Coach
It went that way for the next ten minutes.A person from Shane’s group walked over, Daisy introduced them, and they handed over their phone number, no questions asked.She found herself leaning more and more into Connor.At some point his arm had slipped around her, and their sides sat flush together.She should pull away, but it was too hard.
When there were five minutes remaining until karaoke started, the noise died down, and the last person from Daisy’s group of acquaintances approached the table.A pretty young girl named Mandy.She brought her phone number already written on a napkin and gave it to Daisy.But Daisy saw the second napkin she had stuffed in her fist.Instead of a quick greeting and introduction, Daisy invited the girl to sit with them.
Valentine may be a great wingman, but so was Daisy.Mandy sat awkwardly beside Valentine, her face already pink as she maintained eye contact with Daisy.Mandy was the shyest girl Daisy had ever met.It was a huge deal that she’d brought over a second copy of her phone number.
“So,” Daisy started, addressing Mandy.“The Connors play hockey for a living.”
“Oh, fun!”Mandy squeaked out.Valentine was turning red and avoiding the eyes of the girl next to him.
Daisy considered the two, confused by Valentine’s behavior.He’d flirted with girls all night, no problem, and here was a gorgeous girl, clearly interested, and he lost the ability to speak.
“My brother played hockey in high school,” Mandy offered.
“So did mine!”Daisy shouted, desperate to keep the awkward conversation going.“His teammates called him Gracie because his name is Grayson.He hated it, but hockey nicknames are wildly unimaginative.”
Mandy laughed in agreement.“My brother’s nickname was Mikey.Because his name is Michael.He doesn’t play anymore, though.What about you guys?If you’re all Connor, how do the fans keep you straight?”
Mirth danced in Connor’s eyes as he answered the girl’s question.“My nickname is Beanie.”
“I like it!”she exclaimed, then grilled Valentine.“What about you?What’s your nickname?”
Valentine appeared as if he wanted the universe to swallow him up so he didn’t have to answer.“You can call me Valentine,” he said.“That’s what Daisy calls me.”
But Daisy’s objections to using his nickname didn’t apply to Mandy, and he couldn’t get off the hook that easily.If he wanted to use the stupid nickname, he had to own it.Even when pretty girls were involved.“Nope!”Daisy shook her head.
Connor agreed with her.“Yeah, not a chance, bro.That’s not what she asked.”
Valentine’s started to slide down in his seat, but had nowhere to hide.Mandy raised an eyebrow.“What am I missing?”
Daisy and Connor dissolved into giggles.She’d witnessed Hazy and Valentine giggle, but this was new.She could live in this moment forever, glued to this beautiful man’s side, scheming to encourage young love, and laughing.So much laughing.
“Now this is fun,” Connor said.
Mandy turned her full attention to Valentine, one hand gripping his arm.“Okay, now I have to know.What’s so funny about your nickname?I promise I won’t use it unless you want me to.”
The comment set Daisy and Connor off again, and Connor managed to get out, “Oh, he wants you to.”
Valentine glared at them but answered Mandy’s question with a mumble.“They call me Lover.”
Mandy’s eyes widened, the hand she had on Valentine’s arm moving to cover her mouth, but within a few seconds she joined the table in laughter.Valentine relaxed, since she hadn’t made it weird, and his face returned to a normal color.He chuckled at the absurdity of it all.
“Yeah, I’m not calling you that.”Mandy announced.
A tap on the microphone quieted the room, and a bartender announced karaoke sign-ups were starting.Hazy joined them, and Mandy stood, giving him his seat back.She tried to leave, but Daisy called her back and held her hand out in the universal signal for ‘gimme.’Mandy looked confused for a second, but then her face lit up, and she handed over the crumpled phone number without a word.
When she left, Daisy told Valentine to hold out his hand, and she slapped the phone number into his palm.“That was the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life.She was a sure thing.”
Valentine slipped the number into his pocket.
Hazy dropped a pile of napkins on the table with a smug expression.“I got four more phone numbers.And I needed two.That brings my total to nine.”
“Amateur,” Daisy said and laid out her stack of napkins.She counted them out loud, one by one.“Eleven, twelve, aaand thirteen.You lose.”
Hazy snatched the napkins, thumbing through them in outrage.“What the fuck?You said you weren’t going to keep playing.”
Daisy stole back the numbers with a grin.“Nope.I said I wouldn’t leave the booth.Big difference.I stayed right where I am.Looks like you’re singing karaoke.”
“Fuck.Making a fool of myself twice in one night.Lovely.”He accepted defeat and slouched into his seat.
