Josh smiles proudly. “She is. Her mom’s done a fantastic job.”
“I am really sorry I was a dick to her,” Alex says.
Josh extends his hand. “Just don’t let it happen again.”
Alex takes his hand and pumps it once. “Promise.”
I know Alex won’t directly be an asshole to Ruth. This town would literally run him out of the city if he did that. But if Ruth thinks that we’re dating, when we break up, Ruth is going to be disappointed.
All the more reason to make sure everyone knows this iscasualand we’re mostly just friends.
It’s also important formeto remember all of those things. Because if I show even a glimmer of heartbreak, Ruth will notice, and it will bother her.
“You staying?” I ask Beckett, taking the stool that Josh just vacated.
Beckett looks from me to Alex, then back to me. “You think you can sell him on this all by yourself?”
I look at Alex. “I’m not sure. I know a lot of the stuff we’re going to try with the hockey team is going to be different for him. I might have to try to sell him on more than just hockey while he’s here.”
There. Just a tiny hint of something else. Beckett Moore will absolutely pick up on that and run with it.
Beckett's huge grin tells me I nailed that. He rotates on his stool and climbs off. “Then I think you definitely have this handled and don’t need me at all,” he says. He glances toward the door, and his eyes light up. “Actually, I see someone I need to speak to very badly.”
I glance over and see Andi and Everly coming through the door.
My friends didn’t mention they were on their way back to the bar.
Probably because they weren’t until someone texted that the team was here, which they knew meant I would be too. With my new “boyfriend” for the first time.
Alex looks over as well. “I kind of met them this morning, too. Is one of them your girlfriend?” he asks Beckett.
“The gorgeous blonde,” Beckett says.
I laugh. Beckett has an enormous, obvious, everyone-knows-it and he knows everyone knows it crush on Andi.
Andi does not feel the same way.
“Really?” Alex asks.
“No,” I say. “But I think Beckett has a rejection kink or something.”
Beckett laughs. “Just an eternal optimist.”
He starts in Andi’s direction. I see Everly grin and Andi roll her eyes when they see him coming.
“Has everyone in this town pretty much lived here all their lives?” Alex asks as he closes the binder.
“You don't want to talk about the hockey team anymore?”
“Is all of the information in the binder?” he asks, his tone resigned. “All the crazy rules, the big ideas? Things like fans getting to vote on fucking everything?”
“Yeah. Pretty much. Keep in mind that the rules will be evolving. There are probably some we haven’t even thought of yet.”
He closes his eyes and groans.
I like that sound too much too.
Do not like that sound. You should not like his sexy groans and growls.
