“Is there a reason your wife is attacking me with family-sized snack-bags today?”He turned to Hunter who looked incredibly relaxed, his hulking frame reclining in the leather armchair opposite him.
He’d signed up for pizza and a movie, not to be an angry females target practice.
“Think carefully...do youreallywant to know?Or do you want to have a nice, quiet, drama-free night?”
What the fuck?
“Yes, dude.Ireallywant to know why your wife is trying really damn hard to give me a concussion.”
Hunter grimaced, looking personally offended by the prospect of having an actual conversation.Not that Benny could blame him, they’d been on shift together all week, and to say it had been busy would be putting it mildly.Spring had officially sprung with record breaking temperatures, and with the heat brought an onslaught of brush fires.It was brutal.They all deserved a night in.To kick back, watch a movie and drink a beer or two.And not have to worry about weaponized junk food.
He watched as his friend scrubbed a big hand down his face.“Rachel ran into Bethany at the Tipsy Cow the other night.”
“And?”Benny huffed.Impatience already starting to gnaw.
He ignored the tick in his jaw at the mention of Bethany.Resisted the urge to pull out his phone and check to see if she’d replied to his latest unanswered message.And refused to acknowledge the way his fingers itched to text her again.
Do it and she’s gonna get a restraining order on your ass.
Letting out a sigh, his patience continued to be tested as Cat and Cody entered the room hand in hand.Benny’s eyes went to them as they lowered themselves onto the overstuffed brown leather couch, Cat’s fingers quickly going to a belly that had practically appeared overnight.
“Pizza should be here in thirty,” Cody announced, his gaze flicking between the two men.“You guys good?”
Trust Cody to realize immediately that he walked into something.It was probably a cop thing.
Neither of the men spoke, unless you count Hunter grunting.Benny simply rolled his eyes and averted his gaze.Their conversation would just have to wait.Cody didn’t bother calling them out, his attention was back to Cat, his own hand joining hers on the bump as he gave her a serene smile.
I’m gonna hurl.
Sure, he was happy for his friends.But for the first time ever, he felt like the odd one out.The single one.Maybe it was all the confusing shit that was happening with Bethany.Or maybe it was the fact that everyone was moving on with their lives and he was just standing still.All he knew was things that never bothered him before were starting to sting.Like the constant public displays of affection.
You probably should have thought of that before you agreed to spend the evening with three couples.
Yeah.He should have.
Talking of which, Rachel joined them next.Going straight to Hunter’s lap and curling herself into him.Libby and Zach followed, taking a seat on the couch beside him.
“So, what are we watching?”Benny asked as all the couples seemed to snuggle into one another.
“Why, you worried you can’t commit the time to it already?”Cat snarked.
What the fuck?
“Excuse me?”Benny’s head snapped in her direction.
Narrowed blue eyes closed in on him.“I was simply asking...given your history, if you were concerned that you may not be able to commit to a whole two-hour movie.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Careful,” Cody warned.Not enjoying the irritation in Benny’s tone.
“It means, you’re a coward Benjamin Tucker.I know all about the hit and run you pulled on Bethany.”
He was quickly putting two and two together.RachelandCat ran into Bethany at the Tipsy Cow and apparently had a good old chat about their breakup.
“Jesus Christ, not you as well!Aren’t y’all supposed to bemyfriends?Where’s the goddamn loyalty?”
Cat’s finger came up.“Don’t mess with me, Tucker, I’m pregnant, therefore I can legally murder you.”
