Page 54 of Patrick

CHAPTER 14

TRICK

That’s as far as I get before I’m interrupted with a loud-as-fuck voice that makes my frustration boil into anger.

“Jennings! What the fuck?”

I look up and see Vincent Rossi come out of the visitor locker room, stalking towards us with a furrow in his forehead so deep I could bury a hatchet there and no one would ever find it.

“Shit,” Fifi whispers and grips my arm tighter as I try to pull away.

I’m mindful enough to shake her hand off me because the last thing we need is for her brother to suspect there’s anything between us. He’d go right to her father and—a whole lot of bad consequences will happen that I don’t have the bandwidth to think about right now.

“It’s okay, Fifi,” I say under my breath. My need to protect her rises as the misery in her eyes registers.

Gathering my senses, I try to think of what to tell Vincent that’ll get Fifi out of trouble.

“Hey, Trick, I’m glad I found you.”

I turn at the unexpected sound of Pammy Pledge’s voice as she appears from around the corner, showing up for no reason I can think of at the wrong fucking time.

“I’m glad I found you; I wanted to⁠—”

“Pammy.” My first instinct is to ask what the hell she’s doing here. My second instinct is to tell her this isn’t a good time. But then, thinking fast, a third idea comes to mind, a wacked-out idea.

A glance at Vincent tells me Pammy’s presence has slowed his steps, but his scowl is still deep and mean.

Maybe Pammy showed up at the right fucking time after all.

I move to her fast and pull her into a hug, surprising everyone, especially her. “Hey babe, glad you could make it.” My words are loud enough for Vincent to hear, and over Pammy’s head, I beg Fifi with my eyes to go along with the charade.

Whispering to the stunned Pammy, I say, “Can you please play my girlfriend for a few minutes? I’ll explain everything later.”

I loosen my arms and she recovers her substantial brainpower and nods. Thank god she has a quick mind.

“I’m looking forward to the game,” she says, glancing at Fifi and then at Vincent, who reaches us with his hands on his hips and his mouth set in a firm grim line like he’s a cop about to give us a ticket for loitering.

Pammy smiles up at me. “The seats are great.” She turns to Fifi with a warm smile. Extending her hand, she says, “Hi, I’m Pammy, um, Trick’s girlfriend.” I notice her face blush furiously and hope no one reads that the wrong way.

Fifi coughs, and I don’t know how to read her expression. “Nice to meet you.”

Pammy ventures a sideways glance at Vincent, whose scowl looks cemented in permanently, and she doesn’t bother trying to say a word to him. Very wise.

Vincent’s attention turns to me. “What the hell are you up to, Jennings?”

“What does it look like, shit for brains? Not that it’s any of your damn business. I’m meeting my girlfriend before the game for a good luck kiss.” Before I can think better of it, I give Pammy a quick kiss on the mouth out of necessity. I feel her sink like her knees are buckling, but I grip her by the waist and hold her up.

“Oh… Trick.” She’s beet red.

“She doesn’t like PDAs,” I say, keeping my eyes on Vincent, not daring to meet Fifi’s open-mouthed stare—which I can see because I have excellent peripheral vision. I wish I didn’t. Shit.

“I don’t blame her,” Vincent says. “I wouldn’t want to be caught⁠—”

Fifi interrupts. “Let’s be civil, Vincent. I came to wish you good luck and ran into Patrick. He’s in one of my classes.”

Whatever shock she was in at seeing me kiss Pammy on the fucking lips, she’s handled it, and now she sounds more poised than a talk show host.

Turning to Pammy, Fifi treats her to a real smile. “I’m Sofia Rossi. I went to high school with Patrick.”