Page 38 of Buckle Up, Buttercup

She shrugs. “And I said it would be faster. This is faster. Shit has already happened, obviously.”

I look between them in disbelief. “You two have been discussing this?”

Lemon beams at me, looking every inch the vampiric predator she is. “Yeah, girl. I knew when you two took me to that skyball game, and you made me leave room for him. The way you chanted his name? The way he tugged on your space buns? And then when we were at the rooster races, and he handed you your rooster, his fingers touched yours. I knew for sure then.”

“Well, I didn’t know!” I shout. My voice echoes off the stones above us. “Am I oblivious?”

“Tell us absolutely everything,” Oz demands, still stroking the pit hell’s head lovingly. “We’ll set you straight, since you can’t be trusted with your own love life, apparently.”

The whole story comes out then. The banter and back and forth over the last few weeks. How Hadrian’s my neighbor now. What happened last night and his commentary before Coach Shorthorn called.

My friends listen in silence, but once I’m done, Lemon leans forward and places a hand on my knee. “What does your heart say, Bluebell? Do you want something with him?”

“Yes,” I admit, “But⁠—”

“There you go,” she says with a grin. “That’s actually all you need to know.”

I shake my head, rowing to expel the nervous energy. My heart’s still running a damn sprint in my chest. “We’ve been friends for decades, not to mention how much Jasper’s going to freak out.”

“Why would he, though?” Oz asks. “For real. Why would he care? And why do you care if he cares?”

I’m not even sure I can fully answer that question other than knowing that, over the years, he’s mentioned Hadrian steering clear of me dozens of times.

“It’s just what big brothers do?” I finish lamely, not entirely sure other than knowing that, in my heart, I’m certain Jasper won’t take it well.

“I think you should let it happen,” Oz says. “I, for one, would love to know more about how Hadrian Alkazar is in bed.”

“Eww.” I scrunch my nose. “None of your business, Oz.”

He waves at me and Lemon. “This is all our business, now that you’ve involved us, bitch.”

“I don’t want to ruin my friendship with him, or Jasper’s,” I tack on. “What if it doesn’t work out?”

“Tap that ass,” Oz says again. “Nobody has to know. Keep it a secret for a minute or two, but what if he’s your mate?”

What if he’s your mate…

Lemon smirks at me. “Has he brought you snacks yet? It’s a whole gargoyle thing, I’m told.”

I shake my head. “I mean, yes, but not like a formal presentation or whatever?”

She offers me a reassuring smile. “Honey, if you belong together there’s nothing you can do to stave this off, especially now that he appears to be pursuing you. Might as well just give in to him, ya know?”

Oz nods and strokes the top of Ginger’s head. “And then of course tell us every bitty detail because I am literally salivating over this love story.”

It takes them the better part of ten more minutes to convince me to let Hadrian kiss me next time the opportunity arises. And just like that, it’s decided.

I’m going to kiss my best friend.

Hadrian

Not finishing my conversation with Bluebell rankled. Being forced to an emergency team practice session for the upcoming away game rankled more because it meant I didn’t get a chance to share any of what I planned to. I called her after practice, and she answered, but she was working a dinner shift at Whiskey Business and then closing at Lizard Lick again.

She got home late, very late, trudging to her door.

My sweet Bluebell…

I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my nest and hold her ‘til she fell asleep on my chest. But that conversation crouched like a tiger between us? We absolutely have to finish it.