“You gonna call me pathetic, too?” Dawson wondered.
“Nah,” Nate said, punching him lightly on the arm. “You’re solid, man.”
“Hey, if we’re calling anyone pathetic . . .” Duke trailed off and shot Nate a sharp look. “It’s Nate Dogg here.”
“What?” Cam asked, a frown creasing his forehead.
“Who’s that hockey player friend of Wes’?” Duke asked.
“He’s nobody,” Nate muttered.
“Now, that’s not true. I looked him up. He set all kinds of records in college. Was supposed to be like the next coming of Sidney Crosby or something.”
Nate made a disgruntled noise. “Dude, the guy isn’t even aforward, he’s a defenseman.” He looked put out—because he was having to explain this, or because he was having to talk about the guy at all? It was unclear. “Crosby’s a forward. You know, the guys that score points? You ever even watched a hockey game?”
“More than you,” Duke teased. “At least before you met a hockey player and realized how hot they are.”
“Oh, that hot friend of Wes’?” Cam asked.
The hockey playerwashot. There was no question of it. Hotter than Aidan, even if Dawson removed the vomiting-into-a-bush handicap. ButGod, it was like Cameron thought every guy on the planet was attractive, except for him.
That should be good. It should not rankle Dawson. Shouldn’t get his back up.
But he didn’t like it.
Duke nodded enthusiastically. “The last time we went to Vault, guy tried to talk to Nate, and he just iced him out.”
“He’s such a dick,” Nate muttered under his breath. “Swans around like he’s real hot shit.”
It was at least nice to see someone else suffering, so Dawson said, “He kindaisreal hot shit.”
Nate rolled his eyes, looking unimpressed. Like Ramsey was actually right here and he was hoping to take him down a peg or two. Or ten.
“We’re gonna have to agree to disagree on that,” Nate said. “He’s fucking annoying is what he is. I wish Wes would stop bringing him around.”
“Maybe they’re together,” Cam said, and the hopefulness in his voice, the sheer fucking optimism made Dawson feel so old. God, other than Aidan and Levi, it was like he’d become permanently allergic to happily-ever-afters.
When he saw one, all he could think of was all the ways it could catastrophically implode.That’s fucked up, a whole host of voices in his head chimed in.
Dawson didn’t know whether it was better or worse that one of them even belonged to his ex-wife.
“No way,” Nate said, tone edgy. “Wes’s still in love with his ex.”
“Well, the hot hockey player turned Lane down flat,” Duke said. “He told me. Was all pissed off about it.”
“Maybe he just didn’t want to fuck Lane.” Nate’s voice had gotten steelier.
“More like he didn’t want Lane to fuckhim,” Duke muttered.
Nate smacked him on the arm. “We don’t do that kind of sexist, homophobic bullshit here, Adams.”
“What?” Duke whined.
“Getting fucked isn’t just for the smaller guy,” Cam said knowingly.
Dawson really hoped that nobody was looking at how he went hot all over, his face no doubt flushing red.
“Not that you’d knowanythingabout it,” Nate added.
