“That is gross,” I tell him, bending down to pick it up before launching it back down the beach, then quickly jog off the dock to rinse my hands and feet in the water.
Hunter snickers as he steps up behind me. He wraps his arms around my waist and rests his chin on my shoulder.
“Hi,” I say, leaning into him.
He kisses my neck. “Hi.”
“Do you need me to do anything?”
“No, it’s all good. Everything is ready to go on the grill as soon as everyone’s here.”
Jackson and Zach announced their retirement at the end of our playoff run in June, and we all decided on a pact to spend time at everyone’s houses during the off-season. Yeah, we still see each other as none of us have moved out of Chicago, but it was important for us to spend quality time together away from the city too. So last month, we went to Zach and Carter’s place in Hawaii, and this week, we have everyone coming to stay with us.
“What do you think Walt’s doing?” I ask, smiling to myself as Moose ends up tripping Boomer.
“He’s either sleeping in that ugly-ass armchair, or he’s pestering Matilda to make him stew,” he chuckles.
“The armchair isn’t that bad,” I say with a small laugh.
Walt moved in to our Wicker Park house with us. We converted the dining room into a large bedroom, but with a couch and TV. And much to Hunter’s displeasure, Walt brought his favorite armchair with him.
Boomer comes crashing into us again. This time, Moose has the ball, but instead of dropping it, he puts it to the end of his mouth, and it pops out like a slingshot, hitting me square in the chest.
I let out a surprised noise, and Hunter cracks up laughing at the sight of the wet circle it’s left on my T-shirt.
“Why are my dogs gross?” I groan, immediately taking my T-shirt off before my brain can freak out about it.
“Hey, don’t lump my sweet girl in with them, hooligans,” Hunter defends, stepping back to stroke Waffles as she pushes her way between us, vying for his attention.
“Okay, so Waffles isn’t gross, but those two are.” I point at Boomer and Moose. They’re now rolling in the sand, playing happily. “We’re gonna have to hose them down before the others get here.” I spin around to face him. “Maybe you should do it. You’re good with a hose.”
His lips tip up in a smirk, and then he crouches down and flings me over his shoulder.
“Ahhh!” I yelp, trying to dodge Waffles as she tries to lick my face. “Put me down!”
Hunter takes off running down the beach, our laughter filling the air. The dogs chase us, jumping up and trying to get me.
He carries me up the stone path to the patio, where we have a hot tub and pool, and puts me down near the area where we hose down the dogs.
I blink, trying to clear my brain after being upside down, and I don’t have time to dodge Hunter as he picks up the hose and sprays me with water.
“Ah! Fuck! It’s cold!” I whine, scrunching up my face as I try to grab hold of him.
Grinning, he manages to soak me from head to toe before I wrap my arms around him and pry the hose out of his hands.
“You’re gonna pay for that, Lieutenant,” I warn, then let out a bark of laughter as I soak him too.
Thirty minutes later, the dogs are clean, and we’ve finished having a quick shower and getting changed when the doorbell rings. Blaine, Alex, and Ernie are the first to arrive, along with Zach and Carter. Having been here before, Ernie immediately runs through the house to the patio, where he joins the others.
Blaine looks around, like he’s looking for something.
“What?” I ask.
“Just checking you haven’t ended up with another dog,” he says with a playful grin.
“I know you’re jealous of my ever-growing furry family, but you know you’re welcome to take care of them anytime.”
He snorts. “Please don’t word it like that. Someone might take it the wrong way.”
