Troubled eyes met mine. “Um, are you back in the starting lineup?”
“Yeah, I think so.” I slipped my arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “I’ll find out for sure during our scrimmage tomorrow.”
“I’m truly sorry for my part in your demotion.”
Setting my lips next to her ear, I whispered, “Not your fault,” and followed up with another kiss because damn, she smelled so good, like flowers and spice, and she was next to me and everything was right in the world.
“Nice to have you back in the gang,” Bax said to Chess. “We don’t have a clue what to do with a quiet Finn.”
Piper elbowed him in the ribs, and he squawked.
“What was that for? I was only stating facts.”
She gifted him a massive eye roll.
“Agreed.” This from Jamaica, who’d stopped exchanging googly eyes with Callahan long enough to toss in her two cents.
“I’m looking forward to burning you for a teeder, Bax,” Callahan said with a grin.
“Be prepared to get your ass kicked,” Bax said.
“You’re not actually going to play each other like you play real opponents, are you?” Jamaica sounded aghast.
It seemed Callahan still had some football lessons to teach his girl.
“Oh, hell yes, we are,” I said, grinning. “Except for the QB. He’s safe. This guy?” I indicated ’Han. “Not so much.” Bax and I fist-bumped over the top of the table.
“If you hurt Callahan, I’m going to—” Jamaica pursed her lips.
“Short-sheet his bed?” Chessly supplied.
“Yes. And probably worse.” Her emphatic tone cracked me up. “I’ll make sure it’s on a night when you’re on call, Chess.”
“Even when I’m cheering hard for Finn and Bax to stop this guy?” Chess asked, her voice saccharine-sweet.
Jamaica leaned around me to stick her tongue out at my girl. “How are we friends, again?”
Callahan laughed. “That’s it, Island Girl. You’re already in the game, and we haven’t even stepped onto the field yet.” He kissed her temple and tugged her closer to his side.
“The whole lot of you are pathetic. If any more hormones start flying around this table, I may have to relocate.” Saylor shook her head and took a long pull from her beer. “Personally, I’m going to cheer for sunshine and some frat boys to show up in the stands with beverages.” Her eyes danced as she drank deeply again and licked the foam from her lip with a smack.
Pizzas arrived before anyone had a chance to call her out for her BS. The girls had ordered three extra-large pies and a basket of wings, with about half a gallon of ranch dressing for dipping. Saylor passed plates around, and conversation dropped right off as we dug into dinner. In only a few minutes, all that was left of the food was what we were licking from our fingers.
As if by magic two more pitchers of beer appeared, and we lingered over them for a bit before Callahan said, “Since we have to be at the field early in the morning, it’s prolly a good idea we grab some shut-eye.” He slid to the edge of the booth. On some silent signal, his girlfriend followed him.
Bax stretched and dropped his arm back over Piper’s shoulders. “Yeah, we should head out. Rest up for kicking the offense’s asses tomorrow.” The devilish gleam in his eyes dared ’Han.
’Han returned his dare. “I’ll remind you of that when I burn you for a touchdown—or two.”
“Seriously, you guys aren’t going to go after each other for real, are you?” Jamaica’s concern manifested in her wrapping her arms around Callahan.
It was cute how she thought she could protect him.
“The point of the scrimmage, Jamaica, is for the defense to show up the offense,” I said, fist-bumping Bax across the table.
Callahan gazed down at his girlfriend. “Trust me, babe, the point of the scrimmage is for the offense to make fools of the defense.”
Saylor chimed in. “This is going to be so much more fun to watch than usual.”
