“Really,” Linc teases. “Because we haven’t seen you catch anything yet.”
“Well, maybe tonight is the night,” Hayden says confidently.
“Oh yeah?” Rett pipes up. “Stick with me, Monroe. We’ll find you a worthy woman.”
At Rett’s words, I swear Hayden pales a little.
“Uh…yeah. Sweet. Let’s do it.”
Cole leans closer, his warm breath tickling down my exposed neck. I shudder, my braless nipples pebbling behind the sequins. “Is it just me, or did we just watch Monroe piss his pants?”
I just about smother the laugh that wants to erupt.
“Be nice,” I warn.
“I’m just saying. Dude looks terrified.”
“He just needs a nice girl, not a bunny,” I explain.
“He may need to stop hanging around with Rett and Killer then.”
“He’ll figure it out. From what I’ve read, your rookie year is hard. The last thing he needs is woman drama as well.”
“From what you’ve read?” he repeats. “Whirlwind, have you been doing hockey research?”
My cheeks heat. “Maybe.”
“Fuck, that is so hot.”
Curling his fingers around the bottom of my chair, he drags me closer before wrapping his arm around me and planting a kiss on my cheek.
Linc cheers, and it’s only when the sound hits my ears that I discover everyone is watching us.
“Do we have an announcement to make?” Linc asks, his brows wiggling.
“Leave them alone,” Parker chastises.
“What? They’re the ones getting hot and heavy at the dinner table,” he argues.
“No announcement,” Cole says, his deep, commanding voice filling the air. “We’re just…enjoying spending time together.”
Heat creeps up my cheeks, and I can’t fight the smile that threatens to spread. I feel lighter than I have in a very long time, even with the eyes of everyone at the table on me.
“I’m so happy for you,” Casey says, reaching out to squeeze my hand.
“Thanks. I’m happy for me too,” I whisper.
“It’s good to have you back, Freya. I know you’ve been home for a while, but you haven’t been yourself. Now, though, I see that glint in your eye that was missing before.”
Her words light me up, but I can’t deny there’s a little bit of pain lingering as well. I knew I wasn’t myself, but I wasn’t aware that others could see it quite so clearly.
“I feel good. He makes me feel good,” I admit.
“Girl, you have lucked out with that one. Enjoy him.”
“That’s my plan.” Casey laughs before Linc drags us both into a conversation about their new advertising campaign, which predictably has spread like wildfire across all social media platforms. I mean, it was always going to. These boys are hot.
It’s not long before our food arrives, and the girls and I have the pleasure—if you can call it that—of watching a table full of hockey players demolish more food than the three of us would eat in a week.
