Travis flips me off. I laugh.
Nick just shakes his head and groans. “A cup of black coffee is the only way I’m gonna get rid of this hangover.”
When the coffee finishes brewing, they pour some into a couple of mugs. I grab a green juice from the fridge.
“Thank fuck we don’t have practice today,” Nick says.
“Coach is gonna kick our ass tomorrow on the ice,” Travis says. “He always runs our asses off the first practice of the school year.”
Leo stumbles into the kitchen, his hair standing in every direction and his face puffy.
“Wow. You look like shit,” Nick laughs.
We all watch as Leo pours himself a cup of coffee and downs it, not even bothering to wait for it to cool off.
“Yikes,” I say, waiting for him to wince when the hot coffee burns his tongue, but he doesn’t. “You okay?”
Leo shakes his head. “I feel like I got hit by a train.”
Nick pats his back. “That’s how you know it was a good party, man.”
Leo rolls his eyes.
Nick turns to me. “So how did it go with that pretty brunette who was all over you last night?” he asks.
“She left, and I went to bed.”
He frowns like he’s confused. “Dude. She was climbing you like a tree. You didn’t hit it?”
I grimace at his phrase. “No, I didn’t hit it.”
“Why not?” Leo asks.
I rub the back of my neck, annoyed. “I wasn’t into her.”
“I don’t know what your deal is. She was hot,” Leo says.
“Blakey boy didn’t hit it because he’s into Briar,” Nick says.
I toss my empty plastic green juice bottle at him, but he just laughs.
Leo looks at me. “Still?”
I turn away from them and open up the fridge. “I’m not talking about this.”
“Dude, you said you guys are just friends,” Leo says. “Why are you carrying a torch for her?”
I grit my teeth as I pull out a package of bacon and toss it onto the kitchen counter. “I’m not.”
Nick pats my shoulder. “Sure. Whatever you say, Blakey boy.”
The guys and I give each other shit about all sorts of stuff. It’s just how our friendship is, and it usually doesn’t bother me. But whenever they bring up Briar, it’s a sore spot. I hate that they can tell how much I like her.
I’m done with this conversation. I’m ready to pass the heat onto someone else.
“There are two reasons I didn’t hook up with that girl. One, Briar was sleeping in my bed, and I didn’t want to be an assholeand make her leave so I could have sex,” I lie. “And two is because of Travis.”
He frowns at me. “Huh?”
