“I know, I know. I’m only yanking your chain, Hails. We’ll be there, won’t we, boys?”
“I need a plus one,” I state confidently. All eyes turn on me, before they drop to Freya at my side. They don’t say a word, but they don’t need to. Their smiles say it all.
“Wait,” Rett says before agreeing to anything. “Will there be women?”
Hailee and Parker groan.
“No, Rett. It’s an opening night for a gay bar.”
“What?” He balks. “Then I’m out. Sorry, Boss.”
Hailee’s nostrils flare with irritation, her face getting a little red. Our little pocket rocket can get almost any man to do her bidding around here, but since Rett arrived, he seems to have bucked the trend. He has no qualms about going against her, much to her frustration.
“What did I say to you only last week, Donnelly?” she warns.
“Ohh, Retty boy got a telling off,” Killer sings.
“Rett,” Parker warns, attempting to get her brother in order.
“Fine. I’ll be there.” He huffs, powerless against his little sister’s glare.
“And…” Hailee prompts.
“I’ll be on my best behavior.”
A round of laughter sounds out. “Do you know what that is?” Killer asks.
“Fuck you.” Rett snorts.
“And no, it isn’t actually a gay bar, but that doesn’t mean you get to ho yourself around every woman in the place and give me a shit ton of work the next day when all the stories get leaked.”
“But that’s what you live for.”
“Trust me, Donnelly. It really isn’t.” She glares pure hate at him, but there isn’t so much as a flicker of concern in his eyes. “I need a pay raise,” she mutters before marching away.
“Hailee, wait,” Monroe calls before rushing after her.
“You’re a fucking nightmare,” Linc mutters, focusing on his best friend. “Just because Coach likes having you here, it doesn’t mean he has to keep you.”
“Coach loves me,” Rett reasons.
“For now,” Casey warns.
42
FREYA
With my eyes locked on Cole’s hand wrapped around the steering wheel, we follow Casey and Kodie out of the parking lot.
My heart is racing, and excitement flutters in my stomach.
Since the moment Cole walked into the friends and family suite, he hasn’t left my side. And more often than not, he’s also been physically touching me. A graze of his hand against mine, his palm resting on the small of my back, or now, his hand resting on my thigh.
He put the car into drive, and then his hand lingered between us, as if he was battling with something. Three seconds later, his hand moved closer to my thigh, like he’d made his decision.
I swear to God, the second his palm touched my thigh, it was like someone electrocuted me. But in the best kind of way.
The desire that has been thrumming through me all evening is suddenly all I can think about.
