“We gonna end up as teammates or something? You got inside info on the draft?” Mark asks with a nervous laugh.
“Oh, no.” Wolfe gives him a roguish smile. “I mean because I’m her first and you’re her last.” He delivers the line so perfectly, it takes Mark a full thirty seconds to process it.
At this point, I just pray for my drink to come faster.
“You…you two…” Mark looks at my sister. “What?”
It’s fucking hard to tell if he’s being genuine or an ass, so he can’t even be called out for it.
“But life really works out for the best. I’m so happy for you two. You really deserve each other.” Wolfe winks and brings our joined hands up to brush his lips over my fingers.
My entire body ignites, and I go pink.
Great. This might as well be my funeral.
Mark sputters, but Wolfe retakes his seat and turns to greet my grandfather, Walt.
I shake Mark’s hand, not saying a word, praying for my drink to come soon.
He’s still processing, so I retake my seat. My sister glares across the table and I pretend to ignore her while listening to Grandfather and Wolfe’s exchange.
“Look at you, handsome as ever, Atticus. Are you really dating my grandson?” Walt says like there could possibly already be gossip.
“I am.” Wolfe beams like an actual proud boyfriend, and I’m starting to think he should go into acting, not hockey, because this is an Oscar-worthy performance. “Not too long since we made it official, but when you know, you know, I guess.”
I’m like an awkward NPC, not sure where to put my hands, or even what to say to my own family.
“Excellent. You two are such a better match.” Walt smirks with his words.
I feel my sister seething, but still refuse to look at her.
Wolfe, while talking to Walt, grabs my chair as if it’s the most natural move in the world and pulls it closer to his, and then slips his arm around me.
A shiver runs down my spine.
I am so done for.
This is a prison, and I made it for myself.
“How long have you two been dating?” my mother asks during a lull in Wolfe’s conversation with Walt. “Wilder didn’t tell us he was seeing anyone until last week.”
“Only a couple of months. But we’re serious.”
“Are you?” Mother shockingly lets a little sarcasm slip into her tone.
Wolfe narrows his eyes but then grins. “I thought I’d keep it in the family since we are all so close.”
My mother nearly spits out her drink and starts coughing, way less politely this time.
I barely recover from my shock at my mother’s break in character to elbow Wolfe. “Please don’t kill anyone.”
He leans over, putting his lips next to my ear. “What?”
“You know what,” I mutter, trying to keep a smile on my face.
“You told me to play the part. Would you like me to stop?” His warm breath fans down my neck, making me half hard.
I gulp. “No.”
