“Everyone’s showing up tomorrow,” she says glumly.
“I know.”
We’ve sort of been avoiding this subject. The reality that all the families will be here tomorrow and we won’t be able to keep doingwhat we’re doing. No more daily sex marathons. No more cuddling on the couch. My chest clenches. The idea of not touching her for a whole month is worse than this hangover.
“We’re going to have to find ways to sneak around while they’re here,” I tell her.
“Ooh, scandalous. I thought you said we should cool it when the families come.”
I stroke her knuckles with my thumb. “Changed my mind. Unless you don’t want to?”
“Oh, I want to.”
“Good.”
“Honestly, I doubt most of them will even notice if we sneak off here and there. The dads are clueless, and the Golden Boys are too obsessed with themselves.” Blake purses her lips. “What we’ll need to watch out for is the women. My mom. Gigi.”
“Alex,” I supply, because Alexandra Tucker can detect a romance like a bomb-sniffing dog.
“Jamie will figure it out instantly,” Blake says. “But she’ll keep her mouth shut.”
I agree. Tucker’s eldest daughter knows how to mind her own business. She also happens to be one of my favorite people. Jamie can cut a man down with one word, just like her mother.
“Have you and Alex ever hooked up?”
Blake’s question comes out of left field. “What?”
“You’re badminton partners,” she points out. “And you visit her in New York all the time.”
I could lie, but we don’t do that with each other. So I shrug and say, “We’ve made out.”
“That’s it?” She sounds surprised.
“That’s it. And it’s always so goddamn awkward. Zero sparks.”
“Wait, you’ve hooked up more than once?” Blake starts laughing. “Even though you’re not into each other?”
“Yeah,” I admit sheepishly.
“How many times?”
“Maybe, like, three?” I say, thinking about it. “Alcohol has a way of making you doubt yourself. Like, we’d get drunk and look at each other and say, we’re both so hot, maybe weareattracted to each other. But nope. Always ends the same way. With laughter and regret.”
“Laughter and regret? Jeez. You’re lucky Alex is drowning in self-esteem.”
“That and she’s hung up on this hockey player guy.”
Curiosity fills Blake’s eyes. “Ooh,who?”
“Luke’s brother. I mean, Ryder,” I correct. I always forget my brother-in-law doesn’t like anyone calling him Luke. He only lets Gigi and my mother get away with it.
“Are you talking about Owen McKay? Alex told me it was a one-time thing.”
“Nah, definitely more than once. Last time I went out drinking with her, she bitched about him the entire time. I think he spurned her. But she might’ve spurned him first? I’m not sure. I don’t get involved. Anyway, Alex is the one we’ll have to watch out for.”
“And Stella,” Blake reminds me. “Maybe Ivy.”
“Stella is a menace, so yes. But Ivy is too sweet to pry into other people’s sex lives.”
