Operation Prom Date (Tactics in Flirting, #1)(18)

“Oh yeah,” Kevin Miller said. “We had Spanish class together last semester, right?”

Wrong. But saying so seemed rude—not to mention on the uptight side of the scale—so I gave a noncommittal shrug.

Gradually we made our way through the party, room by room. There were lots of familiar faces, but honestly, I didn’t remember how I knew them or all of their names, so I told myself it was fine they didn’t know who I was.

“I’m guessing this is my replacement?” a guy from our left asked, his brown eyes on me. He had tawny skin, dark hair that looked like it might be curly if he’d let it grow out, and an open and warm grin. I noticed the splinted wrist and put two and two together—because math was my thing.

“Jaden, this is Kate, your temporary replacement,” Cooper said. “Kate, Jaden Kelekolio, the guy who gets drunk and falls out of trees like a dumbass.”

“Hey, it was a graceful fall, thank-you-very-much. At least a nine, nine point two.” Jaden extended his left hand and I fumbled to shake it, the opposite hand thing throwing me off for a second.

“Keleko-what?” I worried I’d butcher it if I didn’t put it in my memory for good—and still might no matter how hard I tried—and suddenly I understood why he was one of the few dudes Cooper referred to by first name.

“Kelekolio. It’s Polynesian, and I’ve found very few people can pronounce it, so don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz later. Jaden works, or some of my teammates call me JK, so I respond to that as well.” A group of people pushed past, and Jaden curled his injured arm tighter to his body as he scooted closer to me. “So, Kate, I just have to ask…does Callihan get all scary intense with you on the water, too?”

I mirrored his conspiratorial posture. “Only every second we’re out there. I thought it was because I was a beginner, and that I must just be royally screwing up on everything.”

“Nah, he’s always like that when it comes to rowing. You should’ve seen him in our eight-man team.”

Cooper frowned. “Hey. I’m not that bad. I tell you guys good job, too.”

“Must’ve been when I was too delirious and exhausted to hear it,” I said, and Jaden snorted a laugh.

Cooper’s frown deepened, and I nudged him with my elbow. “It’s okay. I think I speak for Jaden when I say we’re just honored to be in the presence of such rowing greatness.” I put my hand on my heart, over-the-top dramatic, and sighed.

“Watch it,” Cooper said, and he poked me in the side, making me jerk as a squeal escaped my lips. He turned to Jaden. “Maybe you can come out with us sometime? Give newbie here a few tips as we drag your dead weight around? Even if some of them include how to deal with me.”

“Sure thing, man.”

A gorgeous girl with big brown eyes, long wavy black hair, and an hourglass figure I couldn’t help envy a little bit, walked up to Jaden. Their features were similar enough that I guessed they were related, but didn’t say so in case they were dating—making things awkward was a specialty of mine, but I was trying to give it up.

“Can we go already?” she asked.

“Kate, meet Alana, my twin sister who’s so serious that I worried she’d forgotten how to have fun, so I had to talk her into coming, mostly because driving one handed is trickier than it sounds. Clearly, though, I was right about her penchant for misery—she’s even farther gone than I thought.” He put his hand on her forehead, and she slapped it away as he laughed.

She turned to me and gave me a warm smile. “Hello, Kate. Usually I’m nicer—” Jaden snorted and she glared daggers at him. “But this isn’t my scene, and I’m over it.”

“I get that,” I said. “It’s not usually my scene, either. I’m trying something new.”

Jaden eyed her, his expression saying See? Try it out.

She stumbled forward as someone bumped into her from behind. She spun around and glared at the bad boy of the football team, Vance Mitchell, a junior with long hair and a longer rap sheet from what I heard. “Excuse you.”

“Sorry,” he slurred. “These guys…” He got distracted with blatantly checking Alana out, and dawning crossed his features. “Hey, you’re my new neighbor. Why don’t I get you a drink and welcome you properly?”

“I have a boyfriend.”

“I have a goldfish,” he said, and all of us looked at him like he might be crazy—clearly he and alcohol didn’t mix so well. But then a huge grin spread across his face. “Oh. I thought we were talking about stuff that didn’t really matter.”

She shook her head and turned back to Jaden. “I’m going home.” She clamped on to his uninjured arm. “And since you’re all incapacitated, you’re coming with me.”

With a sigh, Jaden started after her. “Catch you later, Coop. Kate.”

Cooper nodded and nudged me toward the kitchen. “Okay, time to get this mission back on track.” When we reached the keg, he poured me a cup. Then he leaned close, his hand going to my lower back. “You don’t have to drink it, but at least hold it and take an occasional sip.”

I peered up at him. Of course I knew he was tall, but with his body almost pressed against me, I had to crane my neck even more. “And if I do want to drink?”