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“Mitch.”
“Entrepreneur or interloper?”
He laughed. This chick was cool. “Official plus-one. My girlfriend’s mom is the mayor.”
Lauree’s brows shot up. “Okay, mister big-shot, nicely done. I’m a plus-one as well. Not as interesting though. My husband, Max, owns Wanderers. I’m not even sure how we scored an invite.”
“The coffee place on Fifty-Seventh? I love that place. And my girlfriend refuses to drink anything else.”
“Thanks. I’ll let Max know he has a fan.” Her gaze shot over his shoulder. “Speak of the devil. Come on.” And suddenly, he found himself in front of the man himself, along with Mr. Good Suit, Gigantor, and their partners.
Now would be a great time to become the smooth operator Mitch always claimed to be.
Beausomethingwas shaking his head. “No way. That call was completely out of line. The Rebels should have gotten a free throw.”
“Thank you, Beau,” came the exaggerated response from a petite blonde covered in tattoos as they high-fived.
Her boyfriend zeroed in on Mitch. “Please tell me you have good taste. Max and I need a little help against these two.”
“Then you found your third musketeer.”
“Good man.”
Mitch wavered a little as the other guy slapped a hand on his shoulder before introducing himself as Ethan. Then came the round of introductions, until Mitch was caught up.
The man with the suit was Beau Forrester, who was there with his fiancée, April. Ethan (a schoolteacher,nota basketballer) was there with his partner Indy, who was sporting a matching silver band on her ring finger, and lastly, coffee man Max and Lauree, who gestured toward Mitch. “Our new friend here was just saying how much he and Sophie love your coffee, babe.”
Max beamed. “Thanks. It’s not every day the mayor’s daughter gives you a glowing recommendation. You’ll have to bring her by, try some of Lauree’s famous brownies.”
“It’s a date,” Mitch said, enjoying the private joke. Sophie would have laughed.
“Is this invitation open to everyone? Because I know a beautiful redhead with a sweet tooth,” Beau asked, resting a hand protectively over the bump of April’s belly.
“Double that for Indy here,” Ethan added.
Indy looked miniature as she slipped her arms around his waist. “If you think this is going to make up for your gloating over tonight’s game, you’re only half correct.”
“Oh? What will courtside seats get me?”
Indy stretched up onto her tiptoes to kiss him. “Whatever you want.”
Mitch’s neck heated.Get a load of these two. Damn.
“You’re welcome for those seats, by the way,” Beau joked.
“And as the previously mentioned redhead,” April said, arching a brow at her fiancé, “I’d like to set the record straight. You’ve been talking for weeks about getting that recipe, so don’t play coy.”
And wow, Beau had a pretty great laugh. Not that Mitch wasinterested. He was merely observing. He cleared his throat when Lauree winked at him. Hopefully, his blush wasn’t too obvious.
* * *
SOPHIE
Sophie settled against the wall, cursing Carl again. “Thousands of dollars in the budget, and the dude couldn’t splurge on a few chairs?” She used to complain to Levi in moments like this. Talking to herself didn’t hold the same fun.
Instead, she pulled her phone out and messaged Annette.
Shoe verdict: great for the stems, hell on the toes
