“Hey, Froggie.” I peer around the tall bundle and smile.
“What are you doing here?” I wipe my hands and step out from behind the bench to see Declan. He’s twisting the Black Diamonds hat around on his head to face the back. In a pair of black joggers and a gray muscle tee, he’s the epitome of casual.
“Can’t I stop by and see you?”
“Declan, I saw you two days ago.”
He shrugs. “I know, but I’m bored.”
I smile. Of course he is. This is something I know about him. The first week or two of the offseason is always hard for him. Declan likes staying busy.
“Declan.” Leon comes out front from the back. “Congrats on the cup thingy.”
“Ugh.” Another new voice enters the fray. “Did he really just call it a ‘cup thingy’?”
Leon bats his eyelashes at his husband. A tall, older white man, his hair is a soft red with a few white strands peeking through.
“He really did.” Declan winces. “I don’t know how you married someone so anti-sports.”
Jacob looks at Leon. “It’s because he’s cute.
“Damn right I am.” Leon laughs. “Now, did you bring your cute husband and Alice lunch?”
Jacob sets a paper bag on the counter.
“Oh that smells delicious.” Plastic containers are pulled out of the bag, filled to the brim. “Thanks for picking this up. I’m starving.”
“If it weren’t for me, I swear you two would forget to eat most days.”
Opening the lid to the one with a big black A on the top, I breathe in the aroma of the broth and noodles. Grabbing the spork from the bag, I stick it into the bowl and take a heaping, hot bite. “Oh my God.”
“So ladylike,” Declan tells me.
“Let me see you do it then.” I hand over my utensil to him, savoring the sweet and salty taste of the noodles on my tongue.
“I actually did drop by for a reason.” Declan takes the proffered sort of spoon from my hand and takes his own bite. Of course he slurps it up in one easy bite. The cocky smile he gives me tells me he knows it too.
“What’s that?” I ask, taking the container back and going back to eating. There’s no way I’m letting him have this.
“The guys invited me to go to Vegas with them.”
“Really? That’s great, Declan.”
He smiles at me. The real one. Not the one that he shows off to the public. The one just for me. “I want you to come with me.”
“What? I can’t do that.”
“Why not? Cash invited you. All of their wives and partners will be going.”
I roll my eyes at him as I set my spork down. “Exactly. Partners. I’m your friend, Dec.”
“Excuse me. Best friend.” His tone is firm—not to be argued with. “And I want you there with me.”
“I have work.”
Declan smirks at me. “I didn’t even tell you when it was.”
“I have a wedding coming up in two weeks that I have to get ready for. Bouquets and centerpieces don’t make themselves.”
