“Not without dinner first.”
“Children arestillpresent!” Charlie calls from the dining table.
My eyes sweep to the living room. There’s glitter on my rug, and Dusty’s licking Theo’s toes. Someone’s juice has spilled on the polished floorboards, and there’s likely half a croissant wedged in my couch. But laughter also echoes off the vaulted ceiling, and the house is full of people who matter to me.
It’s too loud, too bright, too much.
And somehow, it’s not enough.
I walk into my laundry to grab a cloth for the floor, and when I return, Chase is talking loud enough for the whole room to hear.
“—saying there’s no way he lasts more than three sessions.”
“What are you on about?” I ask, making my way over to wipe the spillage clean.
“You and your new physio.” Zoe grins. “Viktor said she’s hot, and we’ve got bets going.”
“I will not be part of your weird fantasy dating league.”
Zoe’s grin is wicked. “That’s not the bet.”
“It’s two sessions,” Logan says confidently. “Maybe three if she’s hotandmean.”
Lulu claps her hands once. “Hot and mean is Hutchy’s brand.”
“It is not my—”
“It absolutely is your brand,” Zoe cuts in. “And you rock it.”
Chase gestures to me, nodding in agreement. “You like pain. We’ve all seen you block shots for fun.”
“I don’t do it for fun,” I say. “I do it because it’s my job.”
Lulu’s eyes go to my leg, softening for half a second. “You should invite her to the next brunch. We can all be normal about it.”
“We cannot,” Logan says immediately.
Eli makes a low sound of agreement that could pass as a growl.
“You’re all idiots.” Tamara rolls her eyes. “He needs to take her out to dinner before he invites her to brunch.”
“Oh my god, I’m not inviting the physio for brunch!” I finally blurt. “And besides, she’s not the one who’s hot.”
My outburst stops them in their tracks, and they all turn toward me. I reach for my coffee because I need something to ground me, something familiar, and the mug sits warm in my hand.
“Well, if it’s not the physio,” Zoe says slowly. “Whoishot, Hutchison?”
I inhale deeply and raise my eyes to the rafters for two seconds too long.
Carina Park.
“No one.”
Gremlin hisses so sharply, she startles Dusty into barking.
“See?” I say, using her as a decoy. “Even she knows you’re all full of shit.”
Theo points up at Gremlin and chuckles. “Cat! Ssss!”
