“Thanks for coming,” I told her friends. “Glad you guys could make it.”
“Thanks for the tickets, man,” Ryan said. “Seriously, best view I’ve ever had at a game.”
“My pleasure.”
“I’ve got an early morning call, but we wanted to say hello and congratulate you on the win—”
“And make sure you were okay,” Kaylani quickly added.
“Never better,” I assured her. “Nothing an ice bath and some cuddles can’t fix.”
Nessa’s hand clamped down on mine, her fingers digging into my palm. I brushed the curls away from her neck and leaned down, pressing my lips just behind her ear.
“Play nice, angel,” I warned. Goose bumps peppered her skin.
She looked like she wanted to argue with me; a part of me hoped that she would. Nessa challenged me in a way that nobody ever had, and fuck if that didn’t turn me on.
“Perfect!” June exclaimed. “Ness can ride home with you then.”
I didn’t miss the conspiratorial smile she shot my way. Apparently,everybodywas rooting for Nessa and me . . . except for Nessa.
“No,” Nessa answered quickly. Too quickly. “My workbag is in your car.”
“I’ll drop it off tomorrow,” June fired back.
“No, you have that thing tomorrow.”
“What thing?”
“That garden thing.”
My ears perked up. “What garden thing?”
Nessa sighed, her back vibrating against my chest. “We’re partnering with a few local farms and gardens for the festival this year. Some are providing produce, and some are offering flowers for décor. June and I are supposed to tour them tomorrow.”
“That’s cool. You could have a bouquet or flower crown making setup, too,” I suggested.
June’s eyes lit up. “What a fantastic idea, Jared. Maybeyoushould go with Ness.”
“No, he—”
“Would love to,” I finished.
Her head snapped around. “Don’t you have a game?”
“Not until tomorrow night,” a gruff voice said from behind me.
Soren and Clarke sidled up next to us, hand in hand. It was still hard for me to wrap my mind around them as a couple sometimes. Their love story, though, was a tale as old as time—the Southern beauty and her grumpy beast.
“Mind if we tag along?” Soren asked, surprising everyone, even Clarke.
“Youwant to go tour some gardens?”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “No, I want to spend some quality time with the woman I love.”
Save some rizz for the rest of us, old man.
“Babe, can we go, too?” Kaylani pleaded with Ryan.
