“It’s happening,” Parker cries. “Linc, it’s really happening.”
Everett groans as he rests his forehead against mine.
“Everett’s got a girlfriend. A real-life girlfriend.”
61
EVERETT
No sooner have the others arrived to spend a woman-free day hanging out at my place than Linc tells them exactly what kind of position he and Parker found us in.
“I fucking knew it,” Handsy mutters. “Welcome to the club.”
“The club?” I echo.
“Yeah, the smitten kittens club,” Handsy explains as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“The smitten…oh no. That’s not what this is. I’m not…I don’t…” Four sets of amazed eyes stare at me.
I understand why Kodie, Linc, and Handsy look at me the way they do. They get it, and despite my argument, they know it’s bullshit. Some kind of taken man sixth sense or some bullshit.
Killer stares at me with a horrified look in his eyes, and Hayden? Well, he’s smiling at me proudly, which is…weird.
“Come on, guys. This isn’t fucking funny,” Killer complains. “I’ve lost all my wingmen.”
“Hey,” Hayden barks.
“No, of course, I know I’ve got you, Marilyn,” Killer says, reaching over and messing up his hair. “It’s just…well…I haven’t seen you pull anything other than your hamstring yet.”
“Fuck you. My hamstring is perfect, I’ll have you know.”
“My point exactly,” Killer says with a smirk.
“Ugh, I hate you guys,” Monroe mutters under his breath, although he makes no effort to move; instead, he sets up the game.
“No, you don’t; you fucking love us like brothers.” Monroe smirks, but there’s still that darkness in his eyes that doesn’t seem to disappear these days.
“How are things with you, Marilyn?” I ask.
“Uh huh.”
I share a look with each of the other guys while Monroe’s focus is fully on the screen.
Our rookie is anything but good, but other than pinning him down and forcing the words from his lips, I don’t know what to do. I don’t do this talking shit. I just hit a puck, slam my fist into some asshole’s face, and move on. I don’t…I don’t do this. But then, just for a moment, I think about Bea and everything I’ve confessed to her recently. The words have spilled free of their own accord. And when she’s heard them, she hasn’t judged me or been scared off. She’s accepted them, heard them, and embraced them. Then she’s given me some of her own painful truths in return.
So maybe…maybe talking isn’t so hard. You just need the person on the other end of it to fully trust you so you know those painful parts of you will be kept safe.
I study Monroe as he starts the game, and his character goes running across the screen.
He’s not ready. Or at least, he’s not ready to speak to us for whatever reason, and we have to accept that. We also need to make sure we’re here for him when the time does come.
“Rett, are you playing or fantasizing about your girl?”
My argument about her not being my girl, keeping up my bachelor appearance, dances right on the tip of my tongue, butthen my own thoughts come back to me. I trust these guys. They’re my team, my friends, my family.
“Can’t help it. She’s hot as fuck. And we saw our baby today.” My eyes drift to Kodie’s. As the only parent sitting around my living room, I’m sure he’ll understand this more than the rest. “It was fucking crazy. There’s like…an actual little person growing inside her right now. Ten fingers, ten toes.” I shake my head. “Mind-blowing.”
“Crazy, isn’t it?” Kodie murmurs. “Most terrifying and yet incredible thing in the world.”
