Page 35 of Slapshot Obsession
Nash lowers his head, and I know he’s about to kiss me. I want him to, but only if he thinks we have a chance to be something more than friends or occasional hookups.
I’m about to tell him how I feel and consequences be damned, but the noise of someone clearing their throat stops me in my tracks.
“Excuse me. Can you two take whatever you’re doing away from the washer machine I was using?”
Nash turns around to look at Gen. “Hey, Gen. Yes, sorry, we’ll be out of your way. I’m surprised to see you here, though. I would have bet my NHL contract that you’d be at the party. I didn’t peg you as the sort of girl who would do her laundry when she could be out having fun.”
“That’s because I’m not.” Gen doesn’t skip a beat. “I was at the party, but someone puked all over my dress. My couture dress. So I had to wash it before the acid in it ruined the fabric. Thank fuck it wasn’t dry cleaning only, or Jodie would have had to pay me back.”
“Jodie? Did she vomit on you? Is she ok?”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. She’s fine. Talia and I took her upstairs and tucked her into bed about twenty minutes ago. Your girl can’t hold her tequila, Taryn.” Her nose scrunches at her last statement.
“She might be getting sick.” I’m immediately worried. “Because this is unusual for Jo-Jo. Usually, she can hold her drink just fine.”
“Yeah, maybe when she has a couple.”Genevieve cackles. “Not when she grabs one of Vaughn’s top shelf bottles and downs three quarters of it on an empty stomach.”
That surprises me and worries me at the same time. “She did? That’s so unlike Jo-Jo. She likes a few drinks, but I’ve never seen her binge like that. Not even when her boyfriend dumped her a few months ago.”
Gen crosses her arms over her chest. “Yeah, well. I guess all the rejection must have finally gotten to her.”
“What do you mean? Did her ex call her or something?”
“Not that I know of,” Gen bites out with an exasperated huff. “But the little bitch was dead set on getting with Mack tonight. She practically tried to dry hump him in front of everyone. It was like her ass was glued to his crotch. Mack kept trying to get away from her, but she didn’t get the hint. When he finally told her that he wasn’t into it, she disappeared with the rest of the bottle of tequila after throwing up all over me. I had to go change and then, rather than partying with the others, Talia and I have been out looking for her drunk ass for the best part of an hour.”
For the first time, my eyes track Gen’s dark sweatpants and hoodie. It’s identical to the one Nash has on. It might be one Gen has gotten from her ex-boyfriend. It’s a little baggy on her, but Gen is very close to Mack’s six two.
The thought hits me hard. Gen is dressed the same way my stalker was.
“Have you been with Jodie and Talia this entire time?” I ask.
She looks at me as if I were stupid. “No? Talia and I had to split up to find your best friend. And while I was looking for her, I came here to toss my dress into the washing machine. Why does it matter?”
Because she could be the person who’s messing with me. I stare into her eyes, looking for a sign that she’s lying.
But I know it’s useless. Genevieve is one of the slyest people I’ve ever met. She’s a pro at looking like the picture of innocence after stabbing someone in the back.
Every time she did something underhanded to me, from kicking me during practice to forwarding the photo of me and Tucker to Carole to messing with my top before my solo, she looked genuinely innocent.
“It doesn’t matter.” I sigh. “I should go and check on Jo-Jo.”
Gen rolls her eyes again. “Fucking finally. Stop being a ho and go look after your best friend. Friends should come before hook-ups.” She says, looking at me and Nash with a catty smile on her face.
I can’t believe the nerve of some people. “Really? Are you seriously judging me?”
“Am I slut shaming you? Of course I am. So what’s your body count, Taryn? You hooked up with Tucker, Nash, and Mack. You should go for Colsen too, so you can claim you’re fucking all four roommates.”
“I’m not fucking Mack.” I snap.
“Yeah, whatever.” Gen snorts.
I can’t believe this woman. “I swear I’m not. If this is why you hate me, you’re wasting your time and energy for nothing. Mack and I are just friends. I seriously expected better from you, Gen.”
“I don’t give two fucks about what you think about me.” She grinds out. “But you’ve made up your mind about me, right? You decided I’m a bitch, no matter what I do.”
“If the shoe fits. While you’re judging me based on jealousy, I’m judging you based on your actions, Gen.”
For the first time since I met her, Gen looks genuinely hurt. “Is that so? Or maybe you and I aren’t that different after all. You’re so busy making me the bad guy that youdon’t see that I gave up on a fun party to help your best friend after she tried to get with my boyfriend. But you’ve decided I’m a bitch, so what I do from now on doesn’t matter.”
