Chapter Text
“I should’ve known not to come here today,” Waverly Earp groans, resting her forehead on the countertop of the bar, wincing as some drunk guy slams into her back before walking away without apologizing.
Chrissy Nedley laughs at her. “Well, maybe you also should know not to put your face on one of these bars. Who knows what people have done to them.”
Waverly jerks her head up quickly, scowling. “This sucks.”
“It’s not my fault that you forgot that the Flames and the Canucks were playing against each other today.”
“I’m blaming you anyway,” Waverly deadpans, sparing a glance at the hockey game blasting from every television in the room.
The bartender circles back in front of her and sets another Sea Breeze on her napkin.
“Oh,” Waverly says hesitantly. “I… didn’t order a refill.”
“You didn’t have to,” he replies, pointing down towards the end of the bar. “She bought you a drink.”
Waverly’s gaze follows his finger, and she sees a redheaded woman leaning against the counter through the crowds, drinking from a bottle of Corona and smirking just enough to make it obvious she sent the delivery.
Chrissy whistles under her breath. “Somebody’s got an admirer.”
“Shut up,” Waverly mutters.
“Why? Go talk to her.”
“What for?”
Chrissy shrugs. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll get another drink.”
Waverly rolls her eyes and picks up her new glass, carefully carrying it through the crowded bar until she can get next to the woman.
“So,” Waverly says. “Do you always buy drinks for women in bars, or do I just look particularly in need of getting drunk?”
The woman grins and takes a sip of her beer. “You look like a beautiful woman who deserves a drink.”
“Well, I can’t exactly turn that offer down.” Waverly sets the drink on the counter. “Can I have a name for my benefactor?”
“Nicole,” the woman holds out her hand for Waverly to shake. “Nicole Haught.”
“I’m Waverly Earp,” she says as she shakes her hand.
“Pretty name for a pretty girl. What brings you out to this chaos tonight?” Nicole points over her shoulder at one of the televisions. “Watching one of the teams?”
Waverly groans and shakes her head. “Hell no. My uncle was a Flames fan, but I’ve never been much of a sports person.”
Nicole grins. “Shame. Maybe I can do something about that.” She leans in, close to Waverly’s ear, and whispers, “But don’t tell anyone I’m rooting for the Canucks.”
She gets a mock gasp in response, and Waverly momentarily covers her mouth with her hand. “You’re an enemy spy?”
“I thought you said you didn’t care?” Nicole asks, the same confident grin permanent on her lips.
Waverly’s gaze drops down to that grin as she picks up her drink and takes a sip from it. “Maybe I’m thinking of changing my mind. Maybe you should convince me not to.”
Nicole, still leaning in close, laughs softly. “Oh, I think I can be plenty convincing, Waverly Earp.”
“I’m sure you can be. And what exactly is it that you’d like, Nicole?”
“I can think of a few things.” Her gaze briefly flickers to Chrissy. “Your friend won’t be offended if I tell you them?”
“Not at all. She’s very cool.” Waverly swallows whatever nerves remain and leans in even more. “We can continue this conversation more privately, if you’d like, but I need to introduce you two.”
Nicole smirks. “If that’s what you’re into.”
Waverly smacks her arm, squeaking in protest. “No! It’s so that if you’re a murderer somebody knows who I took home with me!”
The reaction gets a laugh as Nicole rubs her arm. “I know. Don’t worry, Waverly Earp. You’re in safe hands with me.” She winks, and Waverly groans softly.
“Come on. Now.” Waverly grabs Nicole by the wrist and tugs her in the direction of Chrissy, trying to prevent the giddy laughter bubbling up inside of her.
She fails miserably as Nicole sets a hand on her hip and whispers in her ear, “My team scored, Earp. Does that mean what I hope it means?”
+++++
“So, we haven’t talked in two whole days, Waves,” Chrissy says with a grin as Waverly sits next to her in the stands of the ice rink. “Was the sex that good?”
“Shut up,” Waverly mumbles. Her face flushes red. “I mean, it was, but I…” The red deepens as Chrissy smirks at her. “Shut up.”
“Never.” Chrissy loudly sips soda out of a straw. “Details. Stat.”
“You can’t say ‘stat’ unless you're a doctor,” Waverly retorts.
“Then I'll go get my degree. Now stop stalling and spill.”
Waverly lets a small smile form on her face. “God, Chrissy, she’s so hot. And she was remarkably attentive? Spent so much time focusing on me that I swear I almost forgot my own damn name.”
Chrissy scoffs out a laugh. “You’re gonna make me jealous, Earp.”
“You should be,” Waverly says smugly as she holds up four fingers.
“Four times?”
“Mhm. And I swear the last one had to have taken two hours, minimum.”
“Jesus Christ.” Chrissy whistles under her breath and offers Waverly one of the pretzel bites from the tray in her hand. “So you’ve been quiet this weekend because you were asleep?”
Waverly laughs and accepts the pretzel, eating it before saying, “Partially, yes. I also had an open house yesterday.”
“Right, work. That’s not as exciting though.”
“Not at all. Honestly, Chrissy, she was… here.”
“Huh?”
Waverly points out onto the ice, her jaw falling open. “She’s one of the fucking players.”
“No fucking way,” Chrissy says, a little too eagerly, as she turns back to look onto the rink.
The opposing team, the Timberwolves, were on the ice, skating around doing practice shots and stretches. Circling the perimeter without her helmet on, a ‘6’ emblazoned on the back of her hockey sweater and an ‘A’ above and to the right of the wolf logo on the front, was Nicole Haught.
“She’s an alternate captain,” Chrissy comments quietly.
“Son of a bitch,” Waverly mumbles. “That bastard.”
“What?” Chrissy raises an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you’re mad at her now just because she plays hockey? Ten seconds ago you sounded like you’d sell your leg just to get back into bed with her.”
“I was not.”
“Uh-huh.” Chrissy stands and cups her hands in front of her mouth. “HEY, HAUGHT!”
“What are you doing?!” Waverly demands, panicked as she tries to tug Chrissy back down into her seat by her jacket.
Chrissy ignores her, grinning as Nicole glances up at them and pauses, a curious look on her face. She skates over to them and leans against the boards, shooting Waverly a cocky grin.
“What, Earp, are you stalking me?”
Waverly snorts, her cheeks turning pink. “You wish.”
“Maybe I do.” Nicole winks, and Waverly’s cheeks darken to red. “What are you two doing here? I got the impression that you weren’t sports people.”
“A friend of ours from high school is on the Cowboys. He wanted us to come, so we figured one game wouldn’t hurt.”
“Cowboys, huh?” Nicole shrugs. “Well, as long as it isn’t Chump Hardy, that’s fine.”
Chrissy and Waverly exchange a glance. “Uh… Would that be a… problem?” Waverly asks slowly.
Nicole groans loudly and covers her face with a gloved hand. “You’ve gotta be kidding me, Earp.”
“I didn’t even know you played, Haught, so you don’t get to judge my choice in friends,” Waverly retorts.
“When it’s Chump, I kinda do,” Nicole replies. She starts slowly skating backwards, still grinning. “I have to say, though, I feel bad for him.”
“Why’s that?” Chrissy asks.
“I’m gonna make him look like an even bigger fool today, knowing you’re here watching.” Nicole gives Waverly another smirk and a wink before skating off to rejoin her team.
“She wasn’t that much of a prick the other night,” Waverly comments, her hands clenching into fists as she watches Nicole pick up her helmet.
“Uh-huh. Are you sure?”
“No.” Waverly burrows down as far as she can get into her seat. “But goddammit if it isn’t hot.”
+++++
“I’m going to go meet Champ by the car. You coming?”
Waverly nods. “Just give me a minute, okay?”
Chrissy’s eyes flicker over to Nicole, leaning against the wall next to the exit door, playing with her phone. “Yeah. Sure.”
Waverly shoves her hands in her pockets and approaches, eyes narrowing when Nicole, not even looking up from her phone, says, “Hey, Earp.”
“How did you know it was me?”
“You have a distinctly pretty sound to your walk,” Nicole says with a smile, pocketing her phone and meeting Waverly’s gaze. “Also, I saw you walking over before I went to answer my texts.”
Waverly pauses for a moment. “You’re a bit arrogant, aren’t you?”
“Only about hockey.” Nicole leans forward just slightly, close enough for Waverly to feel every word ghosting across her cheek. “And a few other things, too.”
“You didn’t have to do that to Champ,” Waverly says quietly. “You were all over him. You never even gave him a chance.”
“He’s a dick. He doesn’t deserve one.”
“Maybe. But you weren’t so much playing as you were showing off.” Waverly shrugs. “I guess I just thought that, if you’re so good at the game, you wouldn’t feel the need to do that.”
“I am good,” Nicole retorts. “Good enough that I don’t need to justify playing a few games with some asshole who thinks he’s better than everybody else.”
Waverly smiles slightly and reaches up, playing with the collar of Nicole’s navy blue peacoat. “You know, Nicole, you’re extremely attractive.”
“I’m aware,” she replies, leaning in, clearly aiming for Waverly’s mouth.
Waverly jams her hand between them, pushing Nicole back against the wall. “Being a jackass isn’t.”
“You don’t even know me,” Nicole says as Waverly turns and begins to walk away.
“Yeah, well. Maybe you should work on that,” Waverly calls behind her as she heads for the car, leaving Nicole by the door alone.