“Nope.”
“You filthy liar!” She lunges for me and the phone, and we wrestle until Sloane plucks it out of my hand with a smug grin.
“I’ve known him for a long time. The Murphys grew up next to my dad’s place,” she says. “Jack has a reputation, and I’m not saying it’s not earned, but he’s a good guy.” She hands me back my phone.
“Oooh, the bad boy with a secret heart of gold. You love that, Izzy,” Zoe squeals.
I roll my eyes, still catching my breath—from Zoe’s tackle, not from that dumb flutter that happened when his name popped up on my phone. “I have enough going on right now.”
“You wononedate.” Zoe brushes back her curls, then reaches over me for the pie in Sloane’s lap and stabs another forkful. “Might as well let the guy spoil you for a night.”
“What makes you think he’ll spoil me?”
She shrugs as Sloane laughs. “Well, if you don’t want crazinessin your life, stay away from the Murphys.” As if on cue, her phone dings. “Girls, Ethan’s ready for pick-up and drop-off duties. How are we feeling?”
The girls all groan, but it’s late, and as much as I want to stay up and hang with my friends, I know we all need to be responsible adults and go to work in the morning.
“You didn’t stay away,” I tease her.
A dreamy smile floats onto her face, and she tucks a piece of her long brunette hair behind her ear. I swear, if you look up “magnetic” in the dictionary, there would be a picture of Sloane Arden. “Never could.”
“Well, the extra attention has been great for the store,” Zoe adds. “And now that you’re thinking of expanding, you should let him take you out for the date.”
I grab the pie, cutting a small piece to leave more for the others. “It was bad enough seeing my horrified face when I won all over TikTok.”
“Most of New England was horrified you turned him down,” Maisie teases.
I shrug. I don’t care about hockey. Or those damn dimples of his. Or the fact that he has a fuckboy reputation, which I’m not the least bit interested in. Not. At. All.
“He wouldn’t be a bad way to hop back into… dating,” Sarah points out, a wide grin on her face. “Guy’s got a reputation for a big?—”
“No,” Sloane says, jumping up to her feet. “He’s my boyfriend’s brother and a good friend. I don’t want to talk about his?—”
“Giant cock,” Sarah finishes.
We lose it. All of us, even Sloane.
Once the giggles die down, I haul myself up off the floor and help Sloane clean up—grabbing plates, tossing trash, and wiping down the kitchen counter. Anything to keep myself busy anddistracted. I’m one hundred percent not thinking about Jack Murphy or his alleged big cock.
Though he certainly walks around like he’s more than confident in that department.
“Actually… I was invited to the home opener for the Breakers on Saturday night. Why don’t you come with me?” Sloane spins with a big grin. “Wear some red lipstick and fuck up his night.”
“As if he’d even notice me.” I throw the sponge by the sink, thankful the doorbell rings.
Sloane squeals, racing for the door. She throws it open, then launches herself at Ethan. He catches her, burying his face against her shoulder to hide a sappy smile.
Shit, the Murphy boys are inconveniently hot.
Ethan’s tall, tanned, and broad-shouldered from years of working on the family’s lobster boat. He also only has a smile for the woman who refuses to be set down right now. I give everyone a hug before they race out the door and somehow manage to pile into Ethan’s truck.
The silence settles back around me once they drive off. I finish tidying up, load the dishwasher, and try not to think too hard about everything that happened today.
It’s not until later, when I’m tucked in bed, staring at the same page I’ve read three times, that my phone pings.
Sloane: Say you’ll come with me on Saturday. Pleeease!
My fingers are quick to type “Can’t” before I delete it. Then I text “Nope” and toss down my phone on my duvet, not sending anything.
