“Nah,” Theo counters, doing a shit job at covering his amusement. “You seemed like you wanted extra company. The more the merrier.”
“I’m going to kill him,” I mutter.
“It’s fine.” Lainey squeezes my hand. “I still get to see you.”
She told me about the emotional and cathartic conversation she had with her dad the night before the dance after she left the party. I encouraged her to talk to her brother, too. They had a family dinner last night at their dad’s place so she could work through her feelings with them. I wanted to go with her if sheneeded me, but she insisted it was long overdue and something she should do on her own.
Things are back to being good between them today. Better than it was before. They seem closer after talking it out.
“Do you think they still have donuts today?” Easton wonders aloud while rubbing his stomach. “I could crush some donuts.”
“If you eat that you’ll have to put in double the work in the gym,” Higgins reasons in his gruff, quiet way. “A donut sounds really good, though.”
Lainey laughs. “I want a fresh, warm muffin.”
My teammates groan. Most of us keep to a strict diet during the season. She catches on, ticking treats off on her fingers.
“And maybe a chocolate filled croissant. Banana bread. Those macadamia nut cookies they always have are magic. Oh, and the danishes.”
The guys make noises of despair. Each option she suggests makes my mouth water. It’s nothing compared to how much I crave her.
“Okay, now you’re just torturing us, babe.” I pull her into me and lock my arm around her waist. “You’re a little menace.”
She beams and I have to kiss her.
“Enough of that.” Theo bumps into us without much force to break us apart. We reach the coffee shop and he holds the door open. “Come on, get inside. It’s cold.”
The place isn’t as packed as usual. Cameron and Easton find an open spot for all of us to sit.
“What do you want?” I ask Lainey. “My treat.”
She clutches her wallet. “I was going to treat you.”
I chuckle and grasp her waist, stepping into her. “Nah. I beat you to it.”
“Is this really how it’s gonna be all the time?” Theo eyes both of us. “Because I’m going to need to invest in, like, ear plugs or something.”
Lainey grins. “You’ll just have to get over it.”
Once we have our order, we sink into the comfortable seats near the stone fireplace crackling with a warm fire. Lainey sets her muffin down on the low table and Easton stares at it with so much longing she laughs.
“Do you want some?” She holds the plate out to him.
He shakes his head. “I really shouldn’t. I already cheated by eating so many pizza rolls Friday night.”
Cameron pats his shoulder in solidarity. “Think of what coach would say.”
“Here. This really isn’t going to kill you. At most, you’re looking at an extra jog around the block to burn it off.” She breaks off a tiny piece. “I’ll be sworn to secrecy.”
Easton makes a whole show of savoring his little piece. Theo rolls his eyes and Cameron snorts at his exaggerated moans every time he eats a crumb.
Shaking my head at his ridiculousness, I shoot a smirk at Lainey. She leans against my side, right where she belongs.
Cameron and Easton wrestle with each other on the way out of the coffee shop once we’re finished. Higgins follows behind with his hands in his pockets. They stop messing with each other when two girls wave at them from across the square, diverting to meet them while Higgins continues toward the house.
Theo hangs back. “Where are you going now?”
“I want to go to the bookstore,” Lainey says. “You boys can come if you want.”
