Page 28 of Pucking Forbidden

He chuckles. “So is Sutton, but it doesn’t mean I don’t obsess over her well-being every hour of every day.”

I furrow my brow and shake my head. “Yeah, but she’s your wife. Hadley’s my friend, but that’s it.”

“Huh.” The corners of his mouth twitch. “That so?”

“Yeah,” I insist. “That’s so.”

He doesn’t push me any further on the matter, but now I’m on edge and painfully aware of how each of the guys are keeping an eye on their girls…including me. Jensen glances Grace’s way almost every five minutes. More than once, Carson sneaks up on Skyler and wraps her in a hug from behind, planting a kiss on the top of her head just because. Zander checks in on Rylee without hovering, communicating with her with silent looks and eye contact. Owen moves between us and Stacey, leaning down to whisper in her ear now and then.

Jayce walks up behind Sutton and brushes a hand along her shoulder, a subtle reminder that he’s still nearby.

I try not to notice the pattern, but it’s impossible now that it’s in my head. I’ve never noticed these little things before. I knew my friends were in love, but this attentiveness…these small acts to show they care…it didn’t seem significant until I found myself doing the same thing.

I drag my eyes back to the dartboard and line up my shot, letting it fly a second later. Bullseye, but I threw the dart a bit harder than totally necessary.

“Jesus,” Jensen mutters from somewhere to my left. “You’re in a mood.”

“I’m always in a mood,” I grumble.

“Yeah,” Carson says, knocking his shoulder into mine as he grabs another dart. “But tonight you look like you wanna fight someone.”

I huff a quiet laugh. “Relax. I don’t.”

Before I can stop myself, I look back at her again.

As I watch, Grace leans closer, saying something that makes Hadley blink in surprise, and then burst out into a laugh.

“She’s loosening up,” Jayce murmurs beside me.

I grunt in response, tossing another dart without really aiming this time.

Miss.

“Yeah,” he adds under his breath. “Definitely just your friend.”

“Shut up.”

He chuckles, stepping away before I can say anything else. I don’t look at her again for two whole minutes. When I do, I freeze. Grace has a beer in her hand, holding it out toward Hadley, who’s eyeing it cautiously.

“I’ve never even been to a party,” I hear her say, her voice carrying just enough over the noise. “Not properly, and definitely not a bar.”

Skyler’s eyes go wide. “Wait, seriously?”

Hadley shrugs sheepishly. “Just never really been my thing, I guess.”

Grace laughs. “Okay, that’s criminal. We have to fix that.”

“I don’t know if ‘fix’ is the right word…” Hadley murmurs.

“It is,” Skyler cuts in, already grinning. “It absolutely is.”

Hadley hesitates, glancing down at the ginger ale in her hand, then back up at them.

“You’re not giving me anything insane, right?”

Grace snorts. “Relax. It’s just an IPA. You do not have to drink it if you don’t want to, but if you want to try it, it’s okay.”

Hadley eyes it. I can practically see the gears whirling in her head. Part of me hopes she’ll try it. A small act of rebellion in a lifetime of obedience. Still, I don’t want her to feel pressured, even though I know the girls wouldn’t force her to do anything she didn’t want to do.