“Come on,” she says, heading out of her cubicle. “Let’s get drinks. Then we’ll find you your next victim.”
“Addie specifically said no Langfields,” I remind Josie as I follow her toward a booth in the back.
She peers over her shoulder and rolls her eyes. “Just walking down the street in Boston, you’re bound to run into a Langfield. But yeah, you’re definitely not going to date this one.”
“What about me?” the shaggy-haired baseball player says as he turns, his face lighting up. When he clocks the two of us, the big brown eyes that are always bright and filled with mischief go wide. With a gasp, he practically hops over the back of the booth and slides in front of us.
“Fucking A, Finn. You’re going to get us kicked out.” JJ Hanson glowers at his friend, but then he schools his expression and nods a hello.
Ignoring JJ, Finn pulls us into a big hug, squishing us together. That’s one of the things I love about Addie’s older—and only—brother. He always includes me. He treats me like I grew up alongside him just like the rest of the girls.
It’s also why, despite his position as the catcher for the Boston Revs and one of Boston’s most eligible bachelors, I have zero interest in dating him. For real or for an experiment. “You don’t mind, do ya, Ry?” Finn says to the hostess, who’s watching us from a couple of feet away.
The pretty brunette shakes her head and points at JJ “You promised you’d keep him under control.”
“I’ve got a four-year-old to control,” he mutters. “I can only do so much.”
As Josie pushes me into the booth, I smile at JJ “Where’s Tabitha tonight?”
He presses his tongue to the inside of his cheek. Damn, looks like his wife’s whereabouts is a touchy subject. “No idea.”
“But Grandma Cat is excited about babysitting,” Finn reminds him. “So you promised you’d actually relax.”
He slides into the booth beside me, and now I’m sandwiched between two unavailable men. It’s not exactly how we planned tonight, but I can’t complain. I could use a little relaxation too.
“Where’s Addie?” JJ asks.
“She’s watching the twins for Win,” Finn says with a huff.
Easygoing Finn’s frustration makes me think this isn’t the first oreven second time JJ has asked about our best friend. Interesting. Honestly, if he wasn’t married, I think he’d be perfect for Addie. But she’d kill me if I told her that. And he is married, and that’s another one of our rules. No Langfields and no married men. Tonight I’m surrounded by both.
“Yeah, I think Scar is going over there to relieve her if she gets out of class early enough,” Josie says of her younger sister Scarlett, who’s in college.
Finn shrugs. “I offered to watch my favorite little guys too, but Win says I only get them more riled up.”
I giggle. Finn, get kids more riled up? Can’t say I’m shocked. “How old are they now anyway?”
“Four,” he says, picking up his drink.
Four already. Damn. She’s a badass. Not only is she raising twin boys by herself, but she’s the CEO of the local MLB team, the Boston Revs.
“I have no idea how she does it,” JJ says, voicing my thoughts. “I have enough trouble with one.”
“Yeah, but Ave is the sweetest,” Josie says with a genuine smile.
I’ve only met JJ’s daughter a handful of times, but I’d agree with the sentiment.
“She’s also obsessed with learning how to skate but doesn’t listen to a thing I tell her,” JJ grumbles into his drink.
I giggle. “You should ask Addie to help. She’s a pretty good coach, I’ve heard.”
JJ runs a hand through his thick brown hair and sighs. He’s got these icy blue eyes that always throw me off-kilter. A man shouldn’t be as pretty as he is. Especially a married one. “Maybe,” he huffs.
Not only is he hot and married, he’s grumpy too. But I’d be miserable as well if I was married to a woman who never made time for her family. From what I’ve heard, his wife Tabby seems more interested in partying with puck bunnies than being a mom. My heart hurts for the little girl. I may not have thought much about having kids, but I know that if I did, I wouldn’t want to miss a second with my child. I’d never want a kid to feel the way I did. Unwanted. Unloved.
“You should talk to her,” I press.
Avery deserves to have a person like Addie in her life. No matter how Addie feels about JJ, she’d step up and be the role model his daughter needs if asked.
