“Why haven’t you said anything?”
“I have, but as per the deal, I needed time to see if it was something.” Kev was the only person who knew it was April. I needed to ask her where we were at for telling the guys. I had planned to do it after this weekend at her family thing. There was no need to add to her stress. Plus, with the rules of the bet and the clubhouse, we needed to tread carefully.
“Shit, man. You must like her.”
“What makes you say that?”
“’Cause otherwise, you’d be bragging and all up in Carlos’s face. Seems more like you might be trying at this.”
Instead of replying, I just shrugged. He might be somewhat on to me. “We’re going away this weekend.”
“Isn’t Apr—” I shot Kev a glare that warned him to stop talking. He didn’t. The asshole. “Family thing this weekend?”
“Who’s family thing?” Carlos snuck up behind us.
Fuck. “Me and the woman I’m dating.” It came out so naturally, like it was the truth. Sort of.
“Shit, meeting the fam already?” Carlos’s face twisted.
“Told you not to doubt me.” I clapped him on the back.
“Hold on, you went from talking and kinda seeing someone to meeting the family in two weeks?” he asked, looking to Jake and Kev now standing next to me.
There was no way out of this conversation. So, I was going to need more than some random girl. “Sort of.”
Three sets of eyes blinked at me, waiting for more details. And saying her name, again, confirming it’s still her felt raw and exposing and I was nervous about giving to many details.
“Summer. She’s from my past and I don’t think I gave her the chance I should have.” The raw admission surprised even me.
Jake smirked, but he played along and was the first to smack me on the back. “Damn.”
“So, it’s like, legit?” Carlos’s questioned.
“Why is everyone asking me that?”
“It’s you.” Carlos scoffed.
“Look man, you bet me and after all the shitty dates, it had me thinking about it all. Then somehow, Summer was just there, a new possibility that I wasn’t sure it was before, but maybe it is now.”
Just then, April came out of the equipment room carrying a bag of stuff. My eyes drifted toward her tight-fitting Twisters shirt. I paused, realizing I’d let slip a name. Not herreal name but her nickname, I hoped no one would connect the dots.
“Need help?” I called out to her.
She turned and saw all of us standing there. A flash of confusion crossed her face as she stared at all of us. Ignoring the glances from the guys, I jogged over and took the bag from her. “Shit, this is heavy. Why didn’t you ask for help?”
“Moose was busy.”
“Ask next time. Can’t have you pulling your neck again.” I shook my head at her.
“What’s with them?” she whispered out of the side of her mouth.
When I looked back, the guys were all staring after us. There was a smirk on Kev’s face.
“They’re trying to get out of me who I am dating.”
Her face formed an O. “And…did they?” She pointed to the spot where she wanted me to drop the bag. We had discussed a slow entry, something that wouldn’t set off alarm bells.
Winking, I grinned. “Not yet. But we can discuss that after this weekend.”
