Maddy lets out a sigh. “Come on, guys. We don’t actually think hockey is the superior sport. Plus, this series issogood.” He looks at me and Jed, then glances pointedly at the book. “You two would really like this one in particular. Teammates to lovers.” He bounces his eyebrows.
I cross my arms and harrumph. “Soundsboring.”
Jed turns the book over in his hands. I don’t like the look on his face. It’s too…contemplative. He glances at me and lifts his eyebrows. “I mean, maybe…”
My mouth drops open. “JJ!No! Don’t go to the dark side.”
This is getting out of hand. I hand the book over to Maddy and Shelby. “Here. Here’s yourdirtybook. And it’s not dirty because it's a sexy romance. It’s because it’shockey. You betraying betrayers thatbetray.”
Jed’s lips twitch.
“What’s going on here?” Frankie’s voice pulls my attention to the kitchen. He had disappeared into his room to study. He has to take these really difficult exams for his job, so oftentimes he’ll post up in his room and just study. For hours. Now, that is something that qualifies as boring.Notbaseball.
“These guys,” Shelby points to all of us. “Found out what Madz and I were reading, and they’re very upset over it.”
“Oh, what book?”
“ThePuckboysseries by Saxon James and Eden Finley,” Maddy says.
“Oh, Ilovethat series! Have you guys read their entire universe?”
“Obviously,” Maddy and Shelby say in unison.
I throw my hands up. Because, really? “Clearly, you two need to get new partners,” I say to Easton and Paulie.
“Hey. Stone was ready to dive right in,” Paulie points out.
“Yeah, and I’m having second thoughts about my choice in boyfriend too,” I grumble.
The room goes silent.
“Boyfriend?” Jed asks.
My eyes shoot wide. Oh, no. Oh, no, no,no. My mouth did the thing again. Where it made words that were supposed to be inside words outside words.
“I mean, yeah,” I say with a laugh. “Boy. Friend. Like two separate words. It’s an adjective, you know? Because you’re my friend who’s a boy. Just like East and Paulie are my boy friends too.”
Jed covers his smirk with his hand, his brown eyes dancing at me. He clears his throat. “Ah, I see. Just you hanging out with all your boy friends.”
“Yes.” I glare at him. “And one girl friend. Because Shelby.”
“Of course.” He nods seriously.
He’s poking fun at me so hard right now. It’s not very nice. I’m tripping out right now.
Jed looks around the room. “This wasn’t a conversation I thought we’d have in front of the entire house, but with how tight this group is…why the fuck not?” He turns to me. “Sunshine?”
“Yeah…?” My eyes are wide.
He grins at me. “Wanna make this official?”
“Fuck yeah!” I jump up from the couch and punch the air. I do some celebratory hip thrusts, and my friends’ laughter fills the living room.
Jed grabs me by the waist and pulls me back into his lap. “Easy,boyfriend. Don’t hurt yourself.”
I fall back on him with a sigh. Oh, that’sreeealnice.
“Shane and Jed, sitting in a treeee,” Paulie sings.
