Page 34 of Scored

“I thought you told Mom you were wearing what you have on.”

“I am,” I said, heat rising off my skin. “I need to change my underwear.”

Fin’s satisfied smile was the same as the cocky boy I remembered. “I’m glad I have that effect on you.”

“You do, Mr. Graham. It’s both appealing and annoying.”

His laugh filled the suite as I closed the bathroom door. I reached for my cosmetics bag, because if I was about to meet the ex-Mrs. Graham, I was definitely washing my face and reapplying my makeup.

At 4:40, Fin and I walked hand in hand away from the elevators. The crowd on the first floor had multiplied exponentially.

“I meant to ask you,” Fin said in a low whisper.

“What?”

“You told my mom that your cousins would take care of them in the Hubbard family suite.”

I nodded.

His smile lifted his cheeks. “You didn’t mean Grant.”

“Hell no.”

“Good.”

Theo and Lisa were waiting near the front entry.

“Are your parents always on time?” I asked.

“Habitually.”

“Dad was too.” Except one time.

Fin placed his hand in the small of my back as we met his parents.

“Ashley will be here,” Lisa said. “I adore her, but punctuality isn’t her thing.” She smiled at me. “I don’t think she’ll be late. She wants you to like her.”

“Me?” I asked. “I do. I invited her.”

“She likes you, too. We all do.”

I looked up to Fin. “Should we tell them?”

“Tell us what?” Lisa asked.

Fin took a deep breath. “I didn’t ask Vee which sponsor helped her out with our suite passes until we were up in the room.”

“It was Microsoft,” I said.

Theo nodded. “Well, if they’re handing out Surfaces for promotion, I’ll take one.”

“No, Dad,” Fin said. “The issue is that someone we once knew now works in recruitment for the Packers.”

“Someone we used to know,” Lisa repeated.

“Yeah, Mom. Recruitment works closely with Microsoft. I don’t know for sure, but there’s a chance she might be there tonight.”

“Who?” Theo asked.