Wasted Words (18 page)

Tracey sighed. “If the zombie apocalypse happens, I’m screwed.”

Casey leaned around her sister. “Is that your boyfriend?”

Cam leaned on her arm rest toward the girls and smiled conspiratorially. “This is our first date, but I think he’s a keeper.”

Casey giggled. “Uh, totally. He’s dreamy.”

I waved a hand, smirking.
 

“So, how do you two know Kyle?” Cam asked.

“Well,” Casey started, “we were at Noir the other night—”

“You know, the one with the aerial dancers?” Tracey added.

“Oh, of course,” Cam lied.

“So we met Kyle and some of his friends there at the bar. They brought us into VIP, and we ended up hanging out all night. So fun.” Casey said.

“So fun,” Tracey echoed.

The beer vendor came past our aisle.

Casey wrinkled her nose. “So many carbs. Guess they’re not serving gin and tonics here, huh?”

“Maybe up at the bar,” I answered, trying to be helpful.

Tracey waved a hand. “No way am I walking up and down those stairs a billion times. Beer it is.” She stood and ordered a couple of drafts from the guy, who smiled and cooed at the twins before making his way on, calling for his wares.

Cam had settled back into her seat, and her hand found its way into my lap, her small fingers twisting through mine as the announcer came on to introduce the players. Oddly, it was always the hardest part of the game, hearing the names of players I knew, the cheers of the fans, feeling the adrenaline hanging in the air. It was easier when the game was going to forget they were anything but pieces in a game, but in the beginning, it was always hardest not to imagine myself on that field.

Kyle ran onto the field through the arches, past the cheerleaders, hands in the air. We all cheered for him, Tracey and Casey bouncing and laughing, and he pointed over at us as he ran past, eliciting squeals from the girls, even Cam.
 

We sat back down when the excitement had passed, and before long, it was kickoff.
 

Cam and I talked strategy most of the game, with interludes for joking and laughing and drinking. I took every opportunity to kiss her that I could, my hands always finding her, touching her whenever and however I could — fingertips, arms, legs, anything. I didn’t want to be separated from her. Like during halftime when she leaned on my bicep and I couldn’t do anything until I’d placed a soft kiss on her lips, or when the Giants scored and we all hopped out of our seats and I scooped her into my arms. Or once, just in a quiet moment when she peered at me with her lips in a sweet smile — a smile that told me more than words could — and I took her tiny chin in my hand and kissed her.

I felt like a teenager again, pumped full of infatuation and bliss and longing for her. In part, I think it was the understanding that we wouldn’t have sex, not yet. The kiss was a connection to her that anticipated the rest, promised her more. As much as I wanted to sleep with her, I was enjoying the wait.

By the third quarter, the twins were tanked: they went from adorable to slurring so quickly, I almost got whiplash. Cam tried a few times to intervene, first by buying them each a gigantic water that probably cost twenty bucks, then by trying to distract them when the beer guy came back around — and he kept coming back around, either because they were pretty or because they were throwing money at him or both.

Casey was the first one out. She sat down, and the next time I looked over, she was slumped over in her chair with her hat pulled down low, chest rising and falling slowly. Tracey didn’t seem to notice or care, just stood next to Cam, hanging on to her, slurring and talking and telling Cam how cute she was. She even kissed Cam on the lips once, and took about a hundred selfies with her. And Cam endured it all like a champ, entertaining the drunk girl through the end of the game.

The Giants won, and it was a good game, though I tried not to be salty about the fact that I hadn’t been able to talk to Cam as much as I would have liked, since she had her hands full with the twins.

The stadium emptied out, but we stayed put. We settled in, killing time before we’d meet Kyle — showers and talking to the press were top of the list for him. Tracey was still talking Cam’s ear off, until she announced, loudly, “I have to pee. Come with me to pee, Cam.”

“All right,” she said as she stood, but when Tracey stood, she teetered and almost fell over. She grabbed Cam around the shoulders.

“Whoa,” she said.

Cam shot me an alarmed look as she buckled under the taller girl’s weight.
 

“Hold up, there,” I said, moving to Tracey’s other side. She grabbed my arm gratefully.

“Thanks,” Tracy said, grinning. “You’re sweet. He’s sweet, Cam.”

Her ankles were like rubber when we tried to walk, and she wobbled, putting all her weight on Cam, who looked worried.

“I don’t think I can get her there alone, Tyler.”

I nodded and took a little more of Tracey’s weight. “No worries. I can take her.”
 

Tracey pouted. “Cam, come have girl time in the bathroom with me. Don’t make me go alone.”

I pictured her passing out on the can and agreed. “You should probably come with us.”

“What about Casey?” Cam asked.

Tracey made a chuffing sound. “She’s
fine.
She always passes out. I swear, I can’t take her anywhere.”

“Think she’s okay by herself here?” Cam asked, seeming unsure.
 

I glanced around the stadium, which had mostly cleared out. A man and his wife sat across the aisle.

“Excuse me,” I said to them, “Do you think you could keep an eye on our friend while we help this one to the restroom?”

They nodded, smiling.
 

“Thanks,” I said, relieved. “All right, let’s go.”

“Thanks, guys,” she cooed. “You’re the best, you know that?”

Cam chuckled. “I mean, we try.”

We climbed the stairs without anyone dying or breaking an ankle, and once we got Tracey to the bathroom, Cam helped her in. I heard their voices echoing in the empty bathroom.

“Don’t leave me, Cam.”

“I’m right here, Tracey.”

“You’re so pretty.”

“So are you. You have the prettiest hair I’ve ever seen,” Cam said, and I could hear her smiling.

“Nuh-uh. Your skin is amazing.”

The toilet flushed.

“Promise you’ll friend me on Facebook, Cam. We need to be friends on Facebook.”

Cam laughed. “We already are. You friended me earlier, remember?”

“Oh, my God. Duh. I’m so glad we’re friends.”

“Me too. Come here, let’s wash your hands. Oh, your lipstick is a little out of whack. Let me fix it up for you.”

“I want to put you in my pocket and carry you around with me. You’re like the best taker-carer of people in the world.”

I laughed to myself, leaning on the wall outside the bathroom. When they reappeared, Tracey grabbed my arm and hung her weight on me.
 

Her eyes were glassy, and she smiled lazily. “You’re so tall. And strong.”

“Thanks,” I said, amused.

We made our way back to our seats, but as we descended the stairs, I scanned the empty rows, looking for Casey or the couple we’d asked to watch her.
 

“Are we on the wrong aisle?”

Cam twisted to look behind us. “No. Our seats are right here.”

“Oh, God.” I looked around for her but found only a few people scattered around.

“Why would those people leave Casey there? They said they’d watch her,” Cam said, frustrated.

“Wait,” Tracey said, her face contorted in confusion, “those nice German people across the aisle?”

“Oh, God,” I groaned again before depositing Tracey in the chair that had just occupied Casey.
 

“Oh, God,” Tracey echoed, the words full of warning as she hung her head between her knees.

I turned to Cam, who had taken the seat next to Tracey and had a hand on her back.
 

“You stay here and keep an eye on Tracey. Let me go look for Casey.”

Cam nodded, and I whipped my phone out of my pocket, texting Kyle as I flew up the stairs two at a time.
Your twins are wasted.

My phone buzzed.
Just the way I like them.

No, as in I’ve lost one and the other is about to puke a pony keg on the fifty.

Shit. Hold the fort, brother.

I cursed him under my breath as I walked around the stadium. It was nearly empty by that point, just vendors left closing up, but no one had seen Casey, and by the time I’d made my way around to our aisle again, I’d all but lost hope. But as I descended the stairs, I saw two blondes in Giants hats — one passed out like she’d been there the whole time, and the other with mascara running down her face. She looked up at me with a red nose.
 

“I threw up.”

I looked at the slop between her feet. “I can see that. Where’s Cam?”

Tracey looked around, confused as she wiped her nose. “She was just right here.”

“Fuck,” I muttered and ran a hand through my hair, pulling out my phone. First, a text to Cam:
Are you okay? I’ve got the twins.
The second to Kyle.
Get your ass here right now, bro. Now.

When I looked up, Cam was jogging down the row toward us, looking relieved.
 

“They keep multiplying and dividing like a science experiment,” she said when she reached us. “Where’d you find her?”

“Right here.”

Her face bent, confused. “How the …”

“No idea.”

She sighed and looked out onto the field. “I thought I saw her across the way, so I went over to check.”

Tracey glanced up at Cam with a hangdog look on her face. “I threw up.”

Cam’s face softened. “You sure did. Where’s your water?”

She looked around. “I dunno.”

Cam bent down and found it under the seat. “Here you go. Rinse your mouth out.”

Tracey tried to smile. “Thank you.”

Cam turned to me. “We’ve got to get them out of here.”

My phone buzzed with a text from Kyle.
I’m waiting out front.

On our way,
I answered.
You owe me.

I slipped my phone back in my pocket and hung my hands on my hips, assessing the twins. “All right. Do you think you can get Tracey?”

“We’ll manage. What about Casey?”

“I’ll have to carry her.”

Cam sighed. “At least you’re big and strong.”

“He’s so strong,” Tracey added helpfully.

I pulled off Casey’s hat and handed it to Cam. Underneath, the girl looked a mess, lipstick smeared, face slack. I picked her up and slung her over my shoulder. She was heavy and awkward to carry, complete dead weight.

Cam eyed me warily as she helped Tracey up. “You sure you’ve got her?”

I shifted Casey and tried to smile. “My buddy Jimmy would say she’s gone full Gumby. But yeah, I’ve got her. Probably easier this way than if she was moving around.”

She braced herself under Tracey. “If you say so, hero.”

I chuckled. “All right. Let’s do this.”

We climbed the stairs in mostly silence, all of us concentrating on our tasks, aside from Casey, who snored softly on my shoulder. The looks we got on the way out were full of laughter and pity, and a couple of cops asked if we were okay. I wasn’t even mad, just ready to get out of there, get the girls home, and have it all behind us.
 

I hopped Casey a little on my shoulder to adjust her as we walked down the ramp, and within a second, something warm trickled down my forearm and the front of my shirt.

It took me a second to realize that Casey was peeing.

“Son of a bitch.” I hissed, but I didn’t stop walking, just charged on. The damage was done, and I had nowhere to put poor Casey.

“What’s wrong?” Cam asked, alarmed.

“I’ve got piss on me.”

“Are you serious?” she asked, her voice flat.

Tracey laughed, then hiccuped, skidding to a halt as she burped up a mouthful. It hit Cam’s shoes with a splat. Tracey’s eyes were huge and horrified. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry.”

Just when I expected Cam to lose her shit, a laugh burst out of her. It was a deep belly laugh, and her face scrunched up as she paused and bent over, hinging Tracey with her.
 

I’d stopped and walked back to meet her, unsure what I was dealing with. “Are you okay?”

She put up her hand and swiped it back and forth, head hanging as she laughed and laughed. “I just … I can’t. It’s too much."
 

I found myself smiling, fighting back laughter. “I’m not counting this as a date.”
 

Cam stood back up, face red as she blew out a breath and shifted to get a good hold of Tracey. “Oh, I am. I so am. Come on, Tracey. Let’s get some food in you.”

“Pizza sounds good,” she swooned.

“Pizza
does
sound good,” Cam answered with a laugh.

When we found Kyle’s Escalade, he got out, looking at the four of us like we were crazy. “What the hell happened to you?”

“I threw up,” Tracey said.

He assessed us all. “What’s all over you, Knight? Is that … is that piss?” His face wrenched, disgusted.

I opened his door and laid Casey into the back seat. “Sure is.”

“Whoa, whoa, man. This is brand new.”
 

I spun around, fuming. “What the fuck do you suggest? That we just leave them here? Put them in a cab and hope they make it home okay? These girls are here because of
you,
and we’ve been taking care of them all day. I don’t give a fuck about your leather seats or if you get puke on your floorboards. We’re taking these girls home and making sure they get there safe.”

Kyle held up his hands. “You’re right, man. It’s cool, God. Just let me get some towels.”

My jaw flexed, my eyes following him as he scrambled to the back, returning with towels. I held out a hand for one, but he walked right past me and to the car, wiping off the seat before laying a fresh towel under her. He tossed another one to Cam. “Will you clean her up, please?”

Cam didn’t answer, but she did as he asked, for Tracey, not for Kyle. I knew by the hairy eyeball she shot at him that she was having none of his bullshit.