By six-thirty I'm ready. Why the hell am I nervous? This isn't a fucking first date. Beer is in the fridge. Whiskey on the counter. The apartment doesn't look like a complete disaster. Everything looks good. Then why the hell are my palms sweaty? I don't host.I hate hosting. And fucking Sully knows that. But the guys were right, it's the nice thing to do for a fellow teammate.
They start arriving at six-forty-five, Sully first.
"Place looks good. Nice spread there, Cap," he teases.
"Fuck you." I punch him in the stomach as he passes by. "This is all your fault."
"My fault?"
"You know I hate this shit."
"What? Being around people?" he asks.
"Yes."
"Chill. It's just the guys. You know them."
"What about Pierre and Felix?"
"Aw, are you trying to impress them?" Sully teases.
"Fuck you."
"It will be fine." He grins, heads over to the fridge, and helps himself to a beer.
Next to arrive is Fish. Then right after him, the other three. Bouch, Nelly, and Evan.
The buzzer goes at seven sharp, it’s the doorman letting me know Pierre and Felix are here.
"These fuckers better be in the mood to party," Fish states.
"The man got publicly cheated on. Well, they both did. I don't think Pierre is ready to party," Bouch states.
"I'd want to tear the place up if a chick did that to me," Fish adds.
I pinch the bridge of my nose. These fuckers are going to be the death of me.
Moments later, there's a knock on the door.
I open it and see Pierre and Felix standing in the hallway, both looking exhausted. Pierre looks stressed, there are dark circles under his eyes. Which is totally understandable.
"Come in," I say.
They do. The team is scattered around my living room. Beers in hand. They all give a nod as they enter.
"Beer?" I offer.
"Please," Pierre says.
I grab two from the fridge and hand them over. Pierre takes a long drink, practically draining half the bottle.
"Rough day?" Sully jokes as he clamps a hand on his shoulder.
"You could say that." Pierre smirks.
"That's why you're here. This bunch may look like a group of dickheads, and you would be right. But you're not going to find a more loyal bunch of fuckers anywhere," Sully explains to the brothers. "Whatever you need, we've got you." I couldn't have said it better myself.
Pierre and Felix look taken aback for a moment as they glance around the room at my friends and now their teammates.
