“No, he’s not,” she agrees, running her hands up my back and pulling herself closer to me. She looks so deeply into my eyes, I swear she’s peering at my soul. “ButIam. I told him I supported everything you said, and that if he can’t talk positively about you, I want nothing to do with him.”
I blink. I shouldn’t be shocked, because the girl is a little guard dog, but I’m happy she’s with me on this.
“Yeah?”
“Anyone who doesn’t see you for who you are as a person, I have nothing to say to.”
I smile, reaching up to tuck a strand of red hair behind her ear. “You trying to get my pants off me again, Red?”
She smiles a big smile, leaning up on her toes to kiss me. “Is it working?”
Fuck yeah, it is.
CHAPTER SIXTY
carter
I’m aboutto throw a cracker at Boston fordefinitelycheating during this game, but he catches me just as I am about to toss it, and his glare is piercing. I smirk, popping it into my mouth instead.
“I’m watching your hands, Black,” Saltzy murmurs.
“I’m not fucking cheating!” he says, throwing up his arms.
“Definitely cheating,” Penny mutters behind her hand, nudging Caulfield with her leg.
He only smirks, nudging her back with mischief in his eyes. “Stop stirring the pot.”
Hilarious, since it’s usually Caulfield doing the stirring.
“Make a decision, Boss,” Declan says, holding his cards to his chest while he brings his beer to his mouth.
I hear the patio door open and close, signalling that Arden’s finally back from the bathroom, but my eyes stay glued to Boston. He has won all four rounds. There is no way that’s just luck. The odds of that are astronomical.
“You have five cards, how is this so hard?” Saltzy snaps.
Boston glares at him and purposely looks at his hand even more slowly.
“For fuck’s sake,” Declan glowers.
I scoot over so Arden can slide in next to me, and watch as Boston pulls one card out to drop onto the table. My eyes are glued to it, but before he puts it down, he scrunches up his face and shakes his head, returning it to his hand.
“Boston, I am ten seconds away from punching you in the dick,” I snap.
Wyatt snickers with Penny in the corner. I’m glaring at Boss now, meaning my threat with my whole heart. He may be the other half of my on-ice duo, but I’ll risk losing him for a few games to smack some sense into him. He’s pissed we’re accusing him of cheating, so he’s making this unbearable.
He’s winning.
He lifts another card.
“Arden?” Penny says suddenly, and there is something in her tone that makes me go rigid.
I glance beside me and immediately drop my cards on the table. Arden is standing by the door, her face white and ghastly. She has her arms wrapped around herself, her eyes locked on the group of us, her bottom lip wobbling. She’s frozen to the spot, but trembling so badly that she’s swaying on her feet.
I slowly stand just as Penny does. “Red?”
The game stops. Time does, too.
Arden’s eyes snap to mine. No tears. Nothing. Pure shock, it’s clear as fucking day.
