Page 28 of Risky Play

A scowl formed across Noah’s face. “She’s not supposed to keep things from me. She knows I can keep a secret.”

Panic flared up in my chest because Dinah was keeping something else from Noah. I’d be so fucked if he ever found out I hooked up with his sister. In my defense, I thought she was Dinah’s sister, not his. How was I supposed to know that? It’s not my fault Noah never introduced us.

Benny clapped Riley on the back. “Congrats, man.”

We all gave our captain congratulations and worked out who all wanted to grab a drink at the bar tonight. Naturally, we went to Eileen’s Tavern. Even though Blaise moaned about it because it was his dad’s bar, and he got razzed by his little brother who worked there.

I could use a drink. Maybe it would soften my grumpy mood. It was one in a million to play in this league, and not everyone came out as a superstar, but I wanted to prove myself. I couldn’t do that if I wasn’t even riding pine, but sitting out completely.

I drove over to the bar with Noah since he was my ride anyway.

“You’re agitated tonight,” he said.

I rubbed the back of my neck. “I got benched.”

“I don’t think it was because of anything you did. Coach is shifting the lines up.”

“I don’t want to get put on waivers.”

“You won’t.”

“Okay,” I muttered, not quite believing him.

Noah was number two in his draft year, and he hit the ice with fire under his skates, making the team at eighteen. At twenty-six, he was killing it, and his opinion meant everything to me. His mentorship and guidance were why hanging with his sister was a bad idea. It had been torture sitting next to her on the couch earlier today while we scrolled through photos. God, she had been so cute how she got excited about helping me. But Maddie Kennedy needed to be safely in the friendzone. My career and my nuts counted on it.

“Mads did alright today?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“With the ad you needed help with. She said you ran into each other last night.”

I inclined my head in recognition. “Right. My buddy goes to Franklin, and he just got dumped. Ran into her at the bar.”

He frowned. “I don’t like her going out by herself.”

“She wasn’t by herself, but…I made sure she got to her dorm safely.”

Noah sighed in relief. “Thanks, bro. Appreciate you looking out for her.”

“Of course.”

Not gonna mention her friend ditched her, and that’s why I walked her to her dorm. Or that she wanted me to help her find a guy to deflower her. Still needed to iron out those details, but I was hoping she’d forget about it. Why she wanted me to help and not one of her girl friends was a mystery to me.

“She doesn’t make the best choices,” he admitted, the frown still etched across his face.

I couldn’t ask him to elaborate because he parked his car and cut the engine.

And after that sobering thought, I needed several drinks.

When we entered the bar, Noah’s face lit up at seeing Dinah at the bar talking to a tall brunette. It took me a second of staring at the stranger’s ass to figure out it was Maddie.

Dinah practically jumped into Noah’s arms, and I made a face at spying her tongue down his throat. I’d give them a pass since they were newlyweds. D might say I wasn’t cramping their style, but there was definitely a reason I preferred living in their basement.

I went to the bar and ordered a beer. I shot a smile at Maddie. “I thought you weren’t coming to the game?”

“I didn’t,” she shot back. “Came here after my night class. I didn’t even watch the game and barely caught the post-game presser.”

I grabbed my drink from the bartender and threw a tip on the bar. “Hey, it impressed my agent with the work today.”