“Shit, if you’re tellingmeI’m pathetic, then I must be pretty bad off,” Dawson said, scrubbing a hand over the scruff covering his jaw. Maybe he should’ve shaved. Cam had, and he looked fresh, clean, jawline so sharp it could cut glass.
“You’re not,” Cam retorted loyally. “Not even close. You’re Dawson Hall. Like a fucking legend.”
Aidan tilted his head, staring right at Dawson.
He didn’t need to hear Aidan say it to know what Aidan was thinking.
Watch it with the rookie.
But Aidan’s warnings were unnecessary. Dawson had invented them first.
“Dude, you came.” Dawson thought he recognized the voice, and his first guess was confirmed when Dawson saw that Duke was behind Aidan, white teeth flashing bright against his light brown skin, as he greeted Cam.
Like he’d beenhopingCam would show up.
Damn, what had happened to Cam beinghisrookie?
Cam hugged him too, Duke balancing his drink in one big hand, pulling Cam into the group he’d been with—Nate and another defense player, whose name Dawson couldn’t remember.
“Oh yeah, apparently you’re not the only one crashing,” Aidan pointed out under his breath, but he looked pleased. Like this was actually what he’d been gunning for this whole damn time.
So much for keeping Aidan on his toes.
“Come on, you totally planned this,” Dawson said, eyeing the long table with its number of place settings. “It’s not a surprise that we’re all here.”
“Not all me,” Aidan said smugly. Levi appeared then, like magic, wrapping an arm around Aidan’s waist and tugging him in proprietarily.
Aidan glanced up into his boyfriend’s face, way too pleased with himself.
Dawson had forgotten about this—or purposefully pretended that he wouldn’t have to witness it.
At practice and in the team facility, they were fairly chill about the PDA. Pretty much the whole team and the entirety of the coaching staff had either been told or figured out that the QB1 of the Toronto Thunder and his left tackle were dating, but they weren’t as obvious about it when they were at work.
But even though this was technically a team event, it wasn’t open to everyone, and Levi’s fingers were stroking Aidan’s waistand Aidan was gazing at him like he owned the best dick on the eastern seaboard.
“I’m gonna go uh . . .see Duke and Nate,” Dawson offered.
Aidan raised an eyebrow. “You actually know who Duke is?”
If he hadn’t been watching Aidan robot his way through life, thinking that all he’d ever need was a football and a playbook, Dawson might have thrown back that he was surprised thatAidanknew who Duke was, considering how wrapped up he seemed to be in Levi these days.
But the truth was, Aidan, as insufferable as his happiness was, deserved this, and Dawson was genuinely thrilled for his friend.
“He’s a cool guy,” Dawson said, tilting his chin up, like it hadn’t beenCameronwho’d introduced them.
Aidan smiled knowingly. He’d probably guessed, but Dawson wasn’t going to call him onthat, either.
“Sounds good,” Aidan said.
Aidan had been the poorest little rich kid forever. It was wonderful seeing him find someone who cared about whohewas, not just about the trappings he’d always carried around, heavy but inevitable.
If Levi lifted those burdens, for an hour or an evening or even a fucking moment, Dawson would tolerate Aidan’s obvious coupling up.
There was nothing to dobuthead over to where Cam had ended up, like Dawson was following him around like a puppy.
It didn’t help that Cam’s grin widened when he saw Dawson coming in his direction.
“Hey,” Nate said, nodding. “Good to see you at one of these, Hall.”
