“Don’t worry,” he says. “Reinforcements coming.”
I raise an eyebrow. “What?”
“I texted my wife.” He brandishes his phone. “The WAGs will come to the rescue.”
I’ve met Tristan’s wife, and Knight’s… assistant, I guess? But I don’t know anything about the wives of the married players on the team. Perhaps it’s uncharitable to imagine them as a cluster of vapid Barbie-girl types, but when I remember the kinds of girls who hung around the jocks in college, there was an, ahem,aesthetic theme. Also, not entirely inaccurate. Or so I tell myself.
A cheer precedes the arrival of the ladies before they come into view.
“Yo, Sofia!” Viktor bellows, loud enough to make my eardrums throb. “Tell Knight you want to name your baby after one of thegoodPokémon. Lenyx and Adler called dibs on Pikachu, but that leaves SquirtleandCharizard. If you go with Charizard, Rizz is the obvious nickname, which is pretty cool.”
A lean, muscular woman with a dark bob comes up behind Viktor and rests her hands on his shoulders. Comfortable. Possessive without being territorial. Like she knows exactly where she stands. “Darling, did you suggest that my best friend name her baby after a character from an inferior trading card game?”
Viktor rolls his head back so that the top of his head rests against the woman’s breasts. He pouts up at her. “Did you just call Pokémon inferior?”
“Yes, obviously. When Magic the Gathering exists?”
“Oooh.” Viktor’s eyes widen. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
The two of them start talking about some game I’ve never heard of. I sip the last of my drink and watch them talk, trying to place why the woman looks familiar. I don’t think we’ve met.
I tap Owen’s arm. “Is Viktor’s wife an actress?” I whisper.
“Who? Knova?” Owen shakes his head. “She’s a pilot.”
“Why does she look so familiar, then?”
Owen chuckles. “She’s Knight’s sister.”
“Knight? As in…” I find their teammate on the other side of the room, where he’s kissing a curvy, smiling woman. I assumethat’s Sofia, and from what Viktor said, she must be pregnant, although she isn’t showing yet.
Owen bobs his head. “Yup. They’re twins.”
This isn’t just a team. It’s a network. A history I’m not part of.
“And Sofia is…”
“Knight’s wife. They were childhood sweethearts.”
“Aw.” I press one hand to my cheek. My skin is warm. With my pale complexion, the heat of the alcohol always goes right to my cheeks. “That’s so sweet.”
“Eh, it’s not a big deal.” Owen nods to another one of his teammates, who has also gotten up to greet his wife. “Cam married his childhood sweetheart, too.”
“Oh. That’s… nice.” The fourth woman in their group is familiar. I’ve seen her around the arena. She’s the team’s PT. I’m taken aback when she kisses Bowen in greeting.
“Violet’s married to Bowen,” Owen explains.
“Weretheychildhood sweethearts?” I ask. That limoncello was stronger than I thought. I’m already feeling a little lightheaded.
“No.” Owen tilts his head closer to mine. “But Violet is Lenyx’s sister.”
“What? No way. Are you fucking with me?” I turn, realizing too late that Owen’s face isright there.His mouth is inches from mine. Too close. Close enough that I don’t have time to pretend it doesn’t matter.
“No,” he says. Low. Controlled. And entirely too distracting. “You’d know if I was fucking with you.”
“What?” The word comes out as a hiss of air. I’m still watching his mouth. His thigh is still pressed against mine. “What do you mean?”
“I’m a bad liar, Remy.” Owen’s shoulder brushes mine.
