“What has you smiling? Which is a damn scary sight, by the way,” Cal muttered as I undressed.
“Fuck off.”
Anticipation stirring, I grabbed a towel and headed for the showers.
CHARLI
“Girl, you’re glowing!” I hugged Ila, my bestie since we first met at the arts university as freshmen many years ago.
Tanned and radiant, wedded bliss suited her, and it made me happy. She finally managed to move on with a great guy who saw only her, and who healed her broken heart after her two-timing rat-ass of a dick ex had hurt her so badly.
“Honeymoon baby on the way?” I grinned.
She laughed, amber eyes bright with happiness. “No. When the time’s right, then who knows?”
“Hey, you.” I hugged Ray, Ila’s younger sister. We’d become good friends, too, since we all usually ended up hanging together.
“So, what’s up?” I slipped off my mini leather backpack and sat next to Ray. “Why are we meeting here at the Cheetah’s training facilities?”
Ila shrugged. “Don’t ask me. Max and I only got back last night from our honeymoon. It’s all on her.” Ila nodded at her smirking sister. “You know Ray, she’ll tell us when she’s ready.”
Ray snorted, the secret still buttoned behind her dimpled smile. “Jack wanted to see War about something, and I decided here was a good place to talk. Besides, I couldn’t wait any longer.” Her hazel eyes shone like the stars had settled in there.
“Man, you’re both blooming like an ad for a health spa,” I grumbled. “Was something added to the water while I was gone, and I missed out?”
Ila grinned, and Ray burst out laughing, a flush deepening her striking features. “Well, not in the water, maybe in the air…so, Jack and me? We got married!” She flashed out her hand.
What?
“What?” Ila grabbed her sister’s hand. “Do Mom and Dad know?”
Damn, I laughed. Only Ray could pull the rug out from under us and toss us on our asses. Heck, the rock she sported could be seen from space—
Oh, shit!
My smile slid off my face. I sat there, frozen to the seat.
“Yeah, the parental unit knows.” Ray grinned at her sister. “And Jack’s family, too. We didn’t want to tell anyone else until you got back, but you just had to take a few extra days to do so.”
She calmly laid the fault at Ila’s feet, while all I could think of was,I am sooo freakin’ fuuuuucked.
“It’s why I asked you both to meet me here today.” Ray continued. “We’re going to Mulligan’s later to celebrate. After all, the bar was where Jack and I started.”
Ila glanced back to Max who sat behind us with Jack, the latter thoroughly amused. Max’s bisected left eyebrow lifted, green eyes questioning.
“Did you know about this?” she demanded.
“No.” He shook his head. His overgrown hair, streaked a lighter blond from the summer sun, gleamed under the indoor lights. “After you and Ray came up here to wait for Charli, Jack told War and me. Anyway,Raywanted to reveal her news to you both.”
Ila glared at her sister, then she hugged her again. “Oh, I’m so happy, I could cry! I called it!”
“Yes.” Ray beamed, dimples popping free again. “But Jack’s grandfather didwaaaybefore Jack and I even knew. He simply moved us game players on his chessboard and watched us fumble into love.” Her belly-rolling laughter spilled free.
Maybe I was still doing my statue impersonation, or maybe I was groaning, I didn’t know, because Ray reached out and rubbed my arm. “Hey, I know you’re not upset about Jack and me, so what gives, Char?”
I cast a furtive sideways glance to the rink. Thank God, War had left. He’d made a dramatic exit, too, after ramming a teammate’s head into the glass. I don’t know what had gotten into him for this violent behavior. Luckily for his sexy ass, it wasn’t a match but practice, or he would be in serious shit, according to Max and Jack.
“Nothing,” I evaded. “I’m so happy for you!” I embraced Ray again. Heck, she was like my little sister. But tell them what I’d done in a moment of sheer recklessness, during Ila and Max’s rehearsal dinner? That I’d made a bet with the last, notorious player left from the trio?
