Macy giggles, looking up at me from where she’s now sitting on the floor. “No.You’reflirting with this girl and pretending to be Jack.”
Ellie shakes her head, taking a long breath and answers, “What’s up, pup?”Pup? Is she crazy?
I don’t hear whatever his response is, but I can see her brain trying to work. “No, we’re fine. Sara isn’t here,” she says, rolling her eyes. curling up into the corner of the couch. “Shhh, don’t tell Coop. We’re literally fine, it’s girls’ night.”
Her eyes widen as she turns toward me, motioning frantically at the television. What is that supposed to mean? “I don’t like you,” Ellie says, her voice somehow lacking the panic written all over her face.
She hangs up and groans before standing up. “They’re on their way here. Turn the TV off, quick!”
Oh shit, their townhouse is just down the block.
“They?Which ones?”
“Jack said Coop and Nate are out tonight, but he and Dylan are bored so they want to come check on us.”
Ellie makes a move for the remote in front of Macy and almost takes a nosedive into the coffee table, easily losing her balance.
“They’re coming like here? Right now?” I ask, and she nods, pressing a hand to her stomach.
“Literally any second. I think they might already have been on their way because of whatever you said to Jack. What did you say to him?”
“I asked him what he was doing tomorrow?” I say, and she turns off the television to hide the evidence. There’s a knock on our front door, and I get up, only a little steadier on my feet than Ellie is at the moment, but at least I don’t face plant on my way to the door, opening it to find Jack and Dylan staring at me.
Jack raises an eyebrow as he looks at me, and I can’t help but laugh knowing what we’ve done all night. I turn to smile at Ellie, who grins almost like she can read my mind, but when I look at Macy, I notice that somehow, amid the chaos of the last few minutes, she’s managed to fall asleep and is out cold on the arm of the couch.
“Y’all okay?” Jack asks, making the first move to enter.
“Why wouldn’t we be?” I ask, giving him a smile, setting a goal for myself to walk back to the couch without tripping.
Ellie levels the guys with a look I didn’t think she had in her. I feel like it’s rare to even see Ellie without a smile on her face, let alone one of annoyance. “See? We’re fine. You didn’t need to come check on us.”
Jack crosses his arms, and it’s really not my fault my eyes go straight to his biceps.Wow.Gina, Veronica, or Ava are really going to reap the benefits of his hard work and dedication to hockey.
“What were you guys doing?” he asks, and I smile cheekily at him.
“It’s girls’ night.”
“Damn, I thought girls’ night meant pillow fights in your underwear?” Dylan says, looking around the room.
“Sorry to disappoint, but it’s only wine and movies,” Ellie says, and he chuckles.
“How can you watch movies if the TV isn’t on?” Jack asks, taking a seat on one of our barstools. I think he’s suspicious, but why? We look perfectly innocent, and besides, he gave me permission—kinda.
“It finished right before you got here,” I say, yawning and Ellie nods in agreement.
“Yep, so feel free to leave now.”
“Why don’t you want us here?” Dylan asks, kicking off his shoes, making it apparent he’s not planning on leaving.
“Cause we’re tired and about to go to bed,” I say, and Jack starts to smile when I point my finger at him. “That was not an invite, Jack.”
He puts his hands up in defense. “Darlin’, I didn’t even say anything,” he says, chuckling, not realizing that both Dylan’s and Ellie’s heads snap in his direction.
“Darlin’?You call Coach B’s daughterdarlin’?” Dylan asks, his voice raising comically in pitch.
“Are you serious?” Ellie asks, her jaw dropping.
“I’ve told him not to call me that.” I cross my arms over my chest, feeling smug.
