Page 124 of Scoring Lessons

My body went still, and I shot Parker an alarmed look. Shit.

“No. I said Hayes brought a gift,” Parker replied without missing a single beat. “As in, the potato salad. Keep up, Anderson.”

I shot Parker a look that said, I’m going to kill you.

He blinked once and smiled back like, You’re welcome, motherfucker.

Anderson frowned, clearly lost, then shrugged it off. “Rest of the guys are out back. Morgan is mixing some drinks.” He nodded toward the patio door.

Parker grabbed him by the shoulders and steered him forward. “Perfect, because I’m dying of thirst.”

“I’ll be there in a sec,” I said then drifted toward the kitchen before I could stop myself, trying to work out why I’d been here for all of five minutes and I was already looking for Olivia like a lost puppy.

“Come on, you’re totally lying to us!” Valentina’s voice carried from around the corner. When I stepped into the kitchen, she turned around slowly, like she’d been waiting for me. “But maybe Hayes can tell us.” She smirked, her oval-shaped yellow nails tapping against the granite kitchen island. “Hi, there.”

I stopped and scanned the room for an exit. The look on Valentina’s face was pure chaos, which meant running away was the safest decision I could have made. “Hi…” I said, my voice filled with skepticism.

“Doesn’t Olivia look a little different to you?” she asked, her tone carrying an innocence that didn’t translate to her face.

“No…?” I replied more as a question.

“You didn’t even look at her,” Kennedy piped in, her tone carrying the same levity.

What the hell were these women up to?

My gaze settled on Olivia, and my heart stuttered like it wanted to jump out of my chest and serve itself on a silver platter for her. Her cheeks were flushed, though her usual frown remained in placed. Her hair framed her face perfectly, and the sweater she wore made her eyes bluer than normal.

“She looks beautiful,” I said, not taking my eyes off her. My throat turned tight the more I drank her in. “She always does.”

Olivia’s eyes turned as big as saucers. I knew what I said had been risky, but damn it all, I meant it—and I wasn’t about to take it back.

“Mm-hmm,” Valentina hummed, pleased with herself. “That’s what I thought.”

Kennedy and Aurora let out small chuckles.

I laughed nervously. “Can I go now?”

“Sure,” Valentina said. “See you later, lover boy,” she added through a knowing grin.

“Valentina!” Olivia hissed, smacking her on the arm.

“You can take lover girl with you while you’re at it.” Kennedy’s smile went smug. “We all know that’s why you’re here.”

I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.

Olivia was in front of me before I could recover, one hand flat on my chest, marching me backward down the hallway. “Move,” she muttered. “Before they smell blood.”

I hit the screen door with my back and pushed it open. “What did I even do?”

She ignored that, clearing her throat once, then twice, and dropping her voice low. “She looks beautiful.” She cleared her throat again. “She always does.”

I pressed my lips together hard. “Is that supposed to be me?”

“What do you think?!”

“I didn’t know my voice was that deep.”

“That’s all you take from this situation?” She settled me with a deadly glare. “They probably know we’re having sex now.”