“Mara said the sequel has twin dragons in it,” Beth went on. “Is that because of your baby twins? That’s so sweet.”
Patrick couldn’t help it. He laughed. Derek shot him a filthy look and clicked the brake off his stroller. “I’m going.”
“Bye!” Beth called after him as he pushed the twins away as fast as he could.
She rounded on Willow who was wearing a choirboy expression. “Sloan Williams, I heard you fell through a window at Temperance Bar last week. How pissed were you, anyway?”
Willow dropped the schoolboy act in a hot second. “Not that pissed!”
“Eden said a guy got glass in his foot and wanted to sue you and you had to give him two hundred dollars to go away.”
Patrick started coughing, he was laughing so hard. Willow rubbed the back of his neck, opened his mouth, closed it, then turned on his heel and ran after Derek.
“Well,” Beth said lightly. “That was easy.”
Patrick didn’t know much about Beth, except that she was married to Derek’s mate, Byron, and had a podcast, but he appreciated the assist. “You’ve gotta teach me how to do that sometime.”
“It’s an innate talent, I’m afraid,” Beth said, still stroking her belly. “Besides, now that I’m pregnant, taunting football players is my last guilty pleasure.”
“Does that mean it’s my turn?”
Beth laughed. “No, I just saw Dumb and Dumber dishing out what they can’t eat and thought I’d come fuck it up for them.”
“Well, thanks.” He glanced over his shoulder. Cheryl was still deep in conversation with the old guy. “I might head to the bar. Do you want a drin—”
“Actually, that’s not true. I thought it was about time someone took control of this shit show between you and Cheryl.”
Patrick almost knocked his glass off the yacht railing. “Sorry?”
“Cheryl.” Beth’s expression became steely again. “Derek and Willow have no idea what they’re talking about. She is into you. You need to make your move.”
“I don’t… are you serious?”
“One hundred percent. Let’s talk strategy.”
Patrick felt like he’d missed a step going downstairs. “Look, I don’t know what you think is happening, but me and Cheryl are just friends.”
“No, you’re not.”
Something about her set, freckled face made it impossible to lie. “Okay, we’re not. But it doesn’t matter. She doesn’t see me that way and Derek and Willow are knobs, but they’re right. Cheryl likes dads. Old men. She’s gonna go home with that sunglasses prick.”
“How do you know?”
He let out a sigh he felt like he’d been holding for over four years. “Let’s just say this isn’t the first time I’ve watched it happen.”
Beth gave a sympathetic little hum.
“Yeah, poor me,” he said and, hearing the bitterness in his voice, added, “She won’t keep him around though. The whole time I’ve known her, there’s been three guys who lasted longer than a weekend: Stupid Tom, Shithead Steve, and Dickhead Daniel.”
Beth made a face. “That’s a lot of alliteration.”
“I’m not a podcast host, Beth. I’m doing my best.”
She grinned. “Fair. So, Cheryl’s got no idea you’re into her?”
“I dunno. Sometimes it feels like there are signs… but nah, I don’t think so. Pretty sure it’s all in my head. Sometimes I think I’ll get over it, but it’s been…”
“Years,” Beth said promptly. “Well, have you tried dating? Getting some air?”
