Stubborn as Mules (Romantic #SPG)

2: She Looked Good Enough to EAT

It was a typical spring morning in Montreal; freezing cold, and snowy. At the edge of every sidewalk were knee-deep puddles of sludge that even the most expensive boots couldn't save you from. No matter which sidewalk you stood on, no matter how well you hid, a busy motorist would find you and skim the curb, splashing the wet, icy mess across your legs.

Only in Montreal, Keller thought grimly, were there three seasons, autumn, winter, and construction. He was tired, but alert, and as usual, he was the first to arrive. Next to show up at the bus station was a wreck in a ski jacket, a bulky hoodie, and torn jeans. The equipment she carried, along with the severe pony tail and ugly glasses identified her instantly.

"Rough night?"

He figured being sociable was the first step to making peace, and making peace would make this trip all the smoother.

"Screw you, Keller!"

Well, he thought, so much for that. Dumping her bags on the floor, Katrina reached into the pouch of her hoodie and pulled out a candy bar.

"Those things will make you fat, y'know."

"What part of 'screw you' did you not understand?" she asked, focusing her serial killer eyes on him with more than a little irritation. Black eyes stared into blue for several seconds before she turned back to her chocolate bar.

"I was trying to make peace with you. You know; try and get to know you better, figure out why the hell we fight all the time?"

She glared at him again. "Do you want to know why we fight all the time? You're an anal retentive pain in the ass with no sense of humor. You want to get through this trip in one piece? Avoid me like the plague, I'll avoid you, and nary will the two meet!"

"Sounds fantastic," he said succinctly. She didn't want to be friends? No problem. He had better things to do than trying to warm up to an ugly, cold-hearted bitch.

The bus ride went smoothly. He sat at the front of the bus. She sat at the back. Troy read a book and Katrina joked with the lower ranks. They arrived in New York at five p.m., exactly on schedule. They ended up with decent roommates; Katrina with Aries, and Troy with Ralph.

Things were going to be just fine... if some idiot hadn't booked them across from each other.

"There's a hallway and two doors between you, what the hell's the problem?" Aries demanded.

"The problem, Aries, is that I don't want to have to explain myself to that Klingon across the hall if I decide to go out for a drink or something before the tournament. Do you really want to have to sit through two hours of holier than thou bullshit?"

"You're being paranoid," Aries said dismissively.

"Maybe."

"So we avoid him."

"If he were down the hall, maybe, but the man's a nitpicker, a fault finder. I wouldn't be surprised if he were keeping his eye on us right now, just so he could report that we dared to go out the night before a tournament!"

It was ridiculous, but for Katrina's peace of mind, Aries peeked out the door.

"The coast is clear. Wanna go down to the bar for a drink?"

"Are you of legal drinking age?"

"Do you care?"

Katrina's lips curved. She and Alice were going to get along just fine.

"Let me take a cat nap and freshen up. Drinks are on me."

***

The hotel bar was like any other; populated by a combination of hard drinkers, Casanova wannabes, and middle-aged people dancing the cha cha. Troy had been nursing his whiskey for the past hour. He'd gone through the motions of unpacking, meditating, and then going for a walk. He tried reading, and then sleeping, and failed. So there he was, in the bar, betraying his own principles about no booze, no bullshit before the tournament, and all because he couldn't sleep.