The Recruiting Trip (The University of Gatica #1) (6 page)

Tyler blinked and blinked again. “Does it have a backing?”

She shook her head as she clipped the earring back in place. “It’s pierced with one of those bars that click into the other part. See?” She turned her head to show him the earrings.

Silent, he reached out and touched her, letting his finger trail down her neck before dropping his hand suddenly and stood up. “If you’re, uh, finished, we should get going to Wavertree then.” He walked toward the junction of the room where the Olympic weights were. When he turned around his face was unreadable.

A whirlwind of emotions ran through Aileen. She couldn’t believe how bad she wanted to kiss him. Thank goodness she hadn’t!

She stood and grabbed her stuff. Suddenly the weight room seemed too hot, stuffy and small. She needed to get outside for some fresh air.

She nearly stumbled as she realized she would be climbing into his car and sitting right beside him as they headed over to Wavertree. Her stomach felt like it was going to burst from the sudden storm of butterflies beating around inside of it.

Neither of them spoke as they stepped outside. The parking lot had a number of cars in it, though Aileen had only seen Tyler and James inside. Obviously there was more to the building than she had seen. She tried guessing which car might be Tyler’s.

Tyler cut across the lot, heading towards a red sports car that stood out bright against the snow. She moved to go around to the passenger side and was surprised when he kept walking. She followed on the other side of the car, too embarrassed to say anything.

Behind the red car was a black car which blended in with the recently plowed parking lot.

The hood had a raised center. The car was old. Not the vintage collector’s old, but the seventies or eighties kind of old. She knew nothing about cars.

Tyler jogged around and unlocked her door. “Pretty cool, ‘eh?”

She slipped into the passenger seat as he came around the car to his. “It’s, uh, interesting.”

He turned the engine a few times before it finally kicked in and roared to life. “Interesting?” He ran his hand over the dashboard. “She’s a beauty.”

Noticing the Ford emblem on the steering wheel she shrugged. “I’m sorry. What is it?”

“It?” Tyler tutted and shook his head. “It’s a she. She’s a nineteen-eighty Ford Mustang Cobra.”

“It’s a Mustang?” She hadn’t noticed the horse on the front of the hood, just the raised center part.

He nodded.

At least the seats were cloth instead of pleather. Otherwise, she would be freezing her butt off even more than the shivering she was doing at that moment. With all the goose bumps the cold air was giving her, she’d have to shave again soon.

Tyler put the car into drive and spun the tires as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Aileen grabbed the dashboard, positive the car was going to slide into a ditch or tip over.

“It’s got winter tires, and just because it’s from the eighties doesn’t mean it’s going to fall apart.” He laughed. “I bought it with next to no miles on it. I’ve had it since I started my first year of university. I’d saved up for school and when I got a scholarship, I treated myself.” He slowed down and turned the heater on high. “I bought it in Texas and drove it up here. It was a friend of my mom’s. She had gone through this nasty divorce way back. Her husband had cheated on her and all that crap. She ended up with the house and his car. She kept it in the garage for almost twenty years. When she heard I was car shopping, she told my mom she had something I might like. So I got a steal of a deal, worked on it all summer, then drove it up here.”

“Is it a chick magnet, like you hoped?” She giggled and leaned away from him as she teased him.

“Pardon?” He kept his eyes on the road, but glanced at her through his peripheral vision.

“Wasn’t that your hope? That the car would attract chicks like a magnet?” She had no idea what she thought it was so funny. Maybe the pent up frustration from inside the weight room had messed with her head. “It seems more like a grandpa car to me.”

“What?” You’re kiddin’, right?” He tenderly touched the dashboard again. “Don’t listen to her, baby. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about!”

Aileen burst out laughing again. “You talk to her?” She brought her hand across the dashboard from the window toward the radio. “I hope he treats you well, grandma.” Her hand accidently brushed against his. A shock sparked when they connected and ran up her arm. She jerked her hand away in surprise and then tried to cover it up by slipping both her hands under her legs and sitting on them. She pretended to shiver, but it had nothing to do with the cold.

Tyler turned the heater up higher. “She’s not a grandma,” he insisted.

Aileen tried not to smile, but the more she tried the more she couldn’t stop laughter from escaping. “Sorry. Do… you… call her N-Nanny, then?”

They came to a red light. Tyler stopped the car and shifted so he was completely facing her.

She noticed he was trying to keep a straight face but the corners of his mouth kept turning up.

“This baby is not a grandma, or a nanny or gran or anything related to that. She’s a sleek, revved up, hot—” He paused when the car suddenly stalled.

Aileen fell back against her seat, a fit a giggles were now making her ab muscles sore. “You were saying?”

He turned the key in the ignition and luckily it kicked back to life instantly. “Can’t even back me, baby?” he mumbled to the car.

It only made her laugh harder. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. She wiped at her eyes paranoid black smudges from her mascara would give her a raccoon look. “Maybe she wants a name? Gertrude?”

Tyler’s eyebrow cocked up. “What kind of name is Gertrude?”

“Not the right one for your baby? How about Elizabeth?”

He pointed a finger at her. “Too long.”

“Beth? Liz? Lizzy?” She tried shortening. “I can’t believe you’ve had this car for three years and never named her.” It took everything not to laugh. Hopefully he would think she was coming around to his way of thinking.

“I like Lizzy.” He patted the dashboard. “What you think, baby? Shall we christen you Lizzy?”

Aileen nodded. “It totally suits her.” She had no intention of telling Tyler that her grandmother’s name was Lizzy.

“Just for the record,” he said as he pulled into an open parking spot by Wavertree. “She never stalls.” He cut the engine and leaned close to Aileen before whispering, “I don’t think she likes you very much.”

Aileen leaned toward him, unclicking her seatbelt and pressing one hand on the car’s door handle. She brought her head close to his. She whispered back, “You can tell her the feeling’s mutual.” Then she jumped out the car before Tyler could grab her.

He was out of his seat and around the car before she had a chance to realize. “Did you forget something?” He held her backpack up high, just out of her reach.

She jumped up and swiped at it just as he twisted his upper body so she wouldn’t get it. Her hand landed against his chest instead. She could feel the firm muscles clearly under his coat. “You’re such a tease.” She tried reaching to get it again – unsuccessfully.

“I am? What were you doing inside the car?”

Her hands went to her hips. “Trying to be polite to my chauffeur so he wouldn’t make me walk in the cold back here.”

He pointed a finger at her. “You are so bad!” He grinned and handed the backpack over to her. “For a blond girl, you’ve got a lot of common sense.”

She punched him in the gut, his rock hard abs flexing instantly to protect him. “Hey! Watch it!”

Both of Tyler’s hands went up in mock surrender. “I was just kidding.”

She cocked her head to one side. “So who’s the tease now?”

“Okay, okay. Can we call it even?” He held his hand out to her. “Truce?”

“For now.” She slipped her hand in his, enjoying the tremor of something sensational cruise up her arm and settle deep inside her. She wondered momentarily if he had the same feeling. His hand felt wonderfully warm against hers. She shivered, not realizing she wasn’t dressed for the weather and had grown cold.

Her hand still in his, Tyler pulled her to him. “Let’s get you inside before you freeze to death.” He stayed close to her and dropped her hand. “That’ll make it near to impossible to get you to sign with us if that happens. Coach won’t be too impressed with me if I let you die of cold right outside the field house.”

Aileen lost the ability to speak. A wave of mysteriously exotic cologne filled her nostrils when Tyler pressed her close. She didn’t want to move away and lose the stimulating scent. No guy should ever smell this good.

They walked to the same side entrance she had arrived at yesterday.

“Is Jani taking you out tonight?” Tyler asked once they were inside and heading down the hallway to the indoor track. As they got closer, the sound of track life grew louder and louder. Cheering, the start gun, all of it sounded like music to Aileen.

“Yeah.” She wondered if and how she should mention she knew about his party. “What year is Jani?”

“She’s a sophomore. Did you know she’s one of the best jumpers in Canada?”

“Wow. Impressive. She seems really nice.”

“She is.” He pulled his phone out of his coat pocket and checked the screen. “Did she tell you there is a track party tonight?”

“At your place?”

He grinned. “She told you.” His phone vibrated against his hand. “I’m leaving early with a couple of the guys to set everything up. Once we’re inside here, I don’t know what Coach Maves or Anderson has all planned for you so if I don’t see you before I go…” He hesitated. His eyebrows pressed together as he looked at her uncertainly. “You are coming to it, right?”

“Whatever Jani wants to do, I’ll tag along.” He wanted her to come. Why she had the sudden urge to stamp her feet really fast and scream with excitement, she had no idea. It was a totally new feeling to her.

“Jani’s coming. She wouldn’t miss it.”

Neither would I.
“Then it looks like I’ll be there—.”

“Tyler!!” A large voice boomed. “Get in here!” A solid, had to be shot-putter or hammer thrower stood at the entrance to the indoor track. “Bring your tiny, cute friend along too.”

Tyler rolled his eyes. “Jason, this is Aileen. She’s here on a recruiting trip.”

“Sweet.” Jason clapped his hands and chalking white powder floated into the air. “You coming tonight?” He gave her a bone crushing hug.

Definitely a shot putter.
Aileen couldn’t talk, let alone breathe. He finally put her down after he’d carried her inside the field house. The indoor track was full of life. She forgot about answering Jason as she got lost in the moment. The sixty-meter sprints were in progress. Running through what she remembered of the schedule, she realized that the hurdle races would be next.

“Let’s get a good seat to watch the finish,” Tyler touched her elbow and steered her in front of several rows of bleachers. “By the way, I’ll make sure Jani keeps you away from Jason. The big guy is awesome, but he has this thing about lifting people.”

Aileen laughed. “I thought he was going to smother me.”

Their progress to Tyler’s chosen spot slowed. People on the bleachers called out Tyler’s name and Aileen swore every other person wanted to talk to him.

At the third set of stands, Coach Maves appeared. “Perfect timing. Let me take you infield so you can watch the races close up.”

“Okay” The worst thing in the world for Aileen was being at a track meet watching her event and being unable to compete. She itched to be at that starting line, getting ready in the blocks when the hurdle race started. She turned to say good-bye to Tyler but three girls from another school were now standing between them. It was more than a roadblock. It was a wake-up call. She was wasting her time. If she thought he was cute, so did probably ninety-nine per cent of the population. What was she thinking? She didn’t stand a chance. No chance at all.

The meet continued on through the day. Coach Anderson spoke to her towards the end of the meet and told her he would pick her up for breakfast the next morning at nine. Her flight was scheduled for the late afternoon. He wanted to talk about what the school and track program had to offer her before she left.

Jani won the high jump. The loud speakers told Aileen that Jani had qualified for nationals with a six foot jump. She had no experience with high jump, but it seemed pretty high to her.

On a high from the competition, Jani came bouncing over to where Aileen sat. “You ready to get out of here?”

Aileen nodded and grabbed her backpack.

“My car’s parked by the student union. The party starts in like two hours. Do you want to go shower, get ready and then go eat? Or do you want to eat, then go get ready?”

Her stomach rumbled.

Jani laughed. “I guess that means you want to eat first?”

“I had lunch forever ago. I’m more of a grazer, I like to eat constantly.”

Jani put her arm around Aileen’s shoulders. “You’re a girl after my own heart. Pizza sound good? There’s an awesome place in Campus Corner that makes awesome brick oven pizza. It’s so good.” Jani’s midsection growled.

Aileen burst out laughing. “My grandmother used to say that a tummy never lies.”

“It doesn’t. You’re gran’s a smart cookie.” She pulled out her keys and a pair of lights flashed by them. “You worked out this morning in the weight room, I heard. Who dropped you off here?”

Aileen tried to appear nonchalant as she got in Jani’s car. She shrugged. “Tyler. He was working out and then drove me over.”

“Tyler? Interesting…”

“Why?”

“Tyler’s football. Yeah he runs track, but he’s football through and through.”

“What do you mean?” He hadn’t seemed all football to her.

“He doesn’t partake in the recruiting trips.”

“He doesn’t?” Aileen tilted her head. “He came out for dinner last night with Coach Anderson and me.”

Jani slammed on the breaks. “What? Coach Anderson
really
wants you here. He’s pulling out the big guns.” She began moving forward again. “Did Tyler have his car or coaches?”

“His. It’s a Mustang snake or something.”

Jani giggled. “You mean Mustang cobra?”

“Yeah.” She waved her hand. “If Tyler’s all football, then why is he throwing a track party?”

“He loves track and doesn’t act like he’s above anyone. That’s one of the reasons why everyone loves him.” Jani elbowed her when she rolled her eyes. “It has nothing to do with his beautiful body and handsome face. But Tyler’s successful, he’s good for the school, good for the sport, he’s the face of U of G at the moment. Coach Anderson doesn’t ask Tyler to do recruiting stuff.” Aileen frowned, trying to make it all make sense in her head. Jani, patted her hand. “It’s not a big deal.” She found a parking spot outside of a restaurant with large glass windows showing brick ovens on the far wall. “Let’s go eat before we starve!”

Inside they ordered and settled onto bar stools that lined the entire place. They chatted track while they ate. Aileen really liked Jani and pulled her phone out to add her email and social networks. She hoped to stay in touch after she left.

Back in the car, Jani headed toward Aileen’s hotel. “What do you want to do now? Get ready at the hotel and I pick you up on the way to the party? Or do you want to grab your stuff and get ready at my place? We can hang out and have a laugh. My roommate, Linda, is a long jump / triple jumper. She’s coming too. It’s my turn to drive. I won’t be drinking. Well, maybe one drink or two, tops.”

Aileen had been hanging with Becky at bars where the band played for the past two years. She wasn’t much of a drinker, but she had been around it enough that it didn’t bother her. The party sounded like it was pretty much going to be the same thing; stuck in a room full of people who she didn’t really know. Hopefully the music would be as good as Becky’s band.

She realized Jani was waiting for an answer. She felt more comfortable getting ready at the hotel on her own, but she didn’t want to disappoint Jani. “Do you want to grab Linda and get ready at my hotel?”

Jani flipped on her blinker and made a sharp turn. “Awesome idea!”

Aileen held onto the door handle, paranoid the little car was going to flip over. What was with the driving here in Gatica?

Jani zigzagged through streets and pulled into a drive with a yellow house. She pointed up the road, the opposite way they had come. “School’s right over there. I lived at the dorms my first year and that was enough. This little place is great. Two girls on the volleyball team, myself and Linda are here.” She threw the front door opened and hollered out, “Linda, grab your stuff!” She tossed her keys on the table just inside the door. “One of the girl’s graduates this year so we are going to have to find a new roommate. There are 4 rooms. Two upstairs, two down.” She pounded on the door connected to their living room. “Linda!”

A girl about the same height as Aileen walked out of the kitchen, toothbrush in her mouth. “Whath’up?” She barely gave Aileen a glance.

Aileen remembered seeing her at the track meet earlier. She closed the outside door and leaned against it.

Jani headed across the living room. “Aileen’s offered to let us get ready at the hotel. It’ll be fun. Grab your stuff and let’s go.” She disappeared in the kitchen. “Aileen, my room’s at the back. Just let me grab my stuff. Have a seat. TV remote’s around there somewhere.”

Aileen sat on the arm of the coach, unsure what to do. She watched Linda roll her eyes and shake her head. She went chasing after Jani. Aileen tried not to listen but with the thin walls, it was hard not to.

“I’m not going! That girl’s in high school! She’s like what? Sixteen?”

“Eighteen, almost nineteen. She’s cool.”

“I made us
drinks!
We can’t feed her vodka and Kool-Aid! She’s going to be a stick in the mud. Seriously, why did you tell coach you would take her tonight, of all nights?!”

“I wanted to and coach asked me. She’s a really, really good hurdler. Tyler Jensen wants her at the school as well. He did dinner with coach and her last night. Then Aileen said he was working out in the weight room this morning and took her back to Wavertree.”

“So?”

“Linda, you’re impossible! Stay here and get ready then. I’m going with Aileen. It’ll be fun to get ready at a hotel.”

“How am I going to get the party then?”

Jani laughed. “That’s your problem. I’m leaving and you are welcome to come with us. Take your drink as a traveller.”

An exasperated sigh muffled through the walls. Aileen assumed it came from Linda. She wished she had just had Jani drop her off instead of going through this. She didn’t like annoying anyone.

The two girls appeared, Jani with a backpack and Linda with a sour look on her face. She stomped by Aileen and slammed the door to her room.

Aileen glanced, wide eyed at Jani. “You can bring me back if it’s easier.”

“No!” Jani shook her head and dropped into the seat close by Aileen. “Linda’s just being a bitch.”

“I heard that!” Linda yelled from her room.

“Well stop acting like one so I don’t have to tell people!” Jani shouted back.

Aileen cringed. These girls were crazy.

Jani leaned her head against Aileen’s side. “She’ll be totally fine when we get to your hotel. Just wait. She’s all nails and hissy-fits and then calm as a kitten.”

True to Jani’s words, when they finally got back to the hotel and started getting ready, Linda relaxed. She warmed up to Aileen and began joking and laughing as they did their hair.

Aileen wasn’t sure if it was because of the Kool-Aid vodka Linda was drinking, or something else. She seemed completely different than Jani, who was genuinely friendly and nice. Linda had an edge about her that struck Aileen as hard. She had a feeling that if you crossed Linda, she would never let it go. Maybe it made her a better competitor.

Aileen showered and changed in the bathroom. She blow dried her hair quickly, wearing it wavy instead of straight. It would take too long to straighten and she didn’t want to hog the bathroom. She slipped into her black dress and assessed her figure in the mirror. The dress had three quarter sleeves and an open neck. It ended just by her knees and hugged her body in all the right places. She liked the black against her blond hair. She had a pair of fitted high black boots that went perfect with them.

All she needed was her silver necklace that Becky had bought her at Christmas. It was half a heart that fit perfectly into one Beck wore around her neck.

She stepped out of the bathroom to grab it.

Jani whistled at her. “Whoa, girl. You. Are. Smokin’!”

She glanced down, it wasn’t sexy or even remotely slutty. Linda on the other hand had a black skirt on that barely cover her assets. Her matching turquoise blue tank top was covered in glitter.

Jani had a red dress on that clung tightly to her. She was so tall, the dress probably would have reached anyone else’s knees. On her, it came mid-way down her thighs. She spread her hands over her chest. “I have no boobs. I’m so jealous you have perfect perky ones, Aileen. You know people pay big money to get theirs to look like that.”

Linda sputtered grape liquid down her chin as she tried not to laugh. She ran to the bathroom, her hand covering her mouth.

“Th-thanks, I think.” Aileen didn’t know what to say.

“You look really… classy.” Jani smiled and tried to pull her dress down a bit. “You’re very pretty. I can see why Tyler’s interested.”

Tyler interested? In her? Aileen blinked, trying to process Jani’s words.

“Stop hitting on the recruit!” Linda moaned as she came out of the bathroom. “Don’t scare the poor thing.” She came wobbling out of the bathroom in a pair of six-inch heels. How Aileen had missed them before, she had no clue.  Linda lifted Aileen’s hair and patted it back down into place. “Jani likes boys. You don’t have to worry.”

“Okay.” Aileen stepped just out of reach of Linda’s wandering hand. She was drunk already. The girl wasn’t going to last until midnight at this rate.

“Let’s get this party started!” Linda grabbed her large traveller mug with its twirly straw and waited by the door.