“He is. Mostly,” I add jokingly.
Maverick chuckles. “That’s fair.” He gestures toward the restaurant. “Come on. Let’s eat.”
* * *
Our dinner at a Mexican restaurant is casual and fun. We all order drinks, and Maverick and I decide to share a plate of chicken fajitas. Although he takes my advice and orders a side of guacamole and chips.
“You know you’ll be hungry if you don’t,” I say as I go to close my menu.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Dylan and Colton watching us. Their expressions are a mixture of curiosity and surprise.
“I have to say, I’ve never seen Maverick out with a woman before,” Colton says. “Dating looks good on you, Mav.”
“We aren’t dating,” I say automatically. “We’re…” I feel myself flush with heat, and Colton and Dylan chuckle.
“You don’t have to explain anything to us,” Dylan says warmly. “We just like giving Maverick shit.”
“In all seriousness, you two look good together,” Colton says.
“Great.” Maverick puts his hand on my thigh under the table. It feels like a protective gesture. “Can we fucking talk about something other than Hannah and me?”
“Sure.”
As the server brings our food, we keep chatting. Colton’s quieter than the other two, and I get the sense something’s on his mind. At one point, Maverick asks him if he’s okay.
He insists he is and then asks me if I have any questions about Maverick that I want answered. “We know a lot,” he tells me conspiratorially.
“What was he like in college?” I ask, partly dreading the answer. But I’m too curious not to ask.
Dylan’s dark eyes brighten. “Do you want the PG version?”
I laugh. “I guess so.”
“Christ,” Maverick mutters. “This isn’t fair. I don’t get to interrogate your college roommate.”
“Kia wouldn’t have much to say,” I tell him truthfully. “I didn’t do anything scandalous.”
“Mav’s worst night was probably sophomore year when he got drunk at a party after our biggest game of the season,” Colton says. “He lost his shirt and pants in a bet and had to walk home in just his boxers. The boxers part is debated actually.”
“A few girls at school videotaped it,” Dylan says to me. “It went viral on campus.”
“In fact, you might be able to still find it if you search hard enough,” Colton says.
“You can’t,” Maverick says as he turns to me. “It wasn’t a big deal. I was stupid and drunk is all. And Ididhave my boxers on the whole time.”
I smile at him. “I’m sure you looked good nonetheless.”
“Wasn’t worth the shit I took from these two.” He points at Colton and Dylan across the booth. “They never let me live that night down. I guess I’ll have to get back at you this season.”
“Yeah, the Cougars are coming to Chicago,” Colton says. “It’ll be weird to compete against you, Court.”
Maverick smirks. “We’ll kick your asses.”
Dylan holds up his beer. “Let’s make a bet. Loser buys dinner the next time.”
“So I buy for the two of you if Chicago loses, and if we win, you two buy for just me?” Maverick grins. “Not exactly a fair bet.”
Colton laughs. “Hey, you started it.”
