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“I truly have never met someone who pisses me off the way she does.” I took a sip of my drink.
“I think the two of you want each other bad, but you’re too damn stubborn to admit it.”
“Would I have sex with her? Sure. But I can’t talk to her for more than thirty seconds before I want to kill myself, so I’m going to say no, we do not want each other at all beyond maybe a quick roll in the hay. Assuming she actually even likes sex.”
“Look, she and Lauren are going to be here any minute. Could you please just try to be nice?”
“I’m not the one who’s not nice,” I shot back. “And it kind of pisses me off that you’re always defending her.”
Ben sighed. “You think I don’t defend you when the tables are turned?”
“I don’t know. Do you?” I met his gaze with irritation. Things hadn’t been the same since we’d left college. We were still tight, of course, but with me playing in New York and him in St. Louis, it was hard to stay in touch, keep up with the day-to-day details we’d shared since we were fourteen. Not to mention, he now had a wife and a baby on the way. Meanwhile, I was still footloose and fancy-free, sleeping my way through Manhattan while playing hockey for one of the best teams in the league.
“Come on, you know better than that. I’m just giving you shit, and while I really do wish you and Hadley would get along, nothing comes between us. You’re my brother—biology notwithstanding.”
“I know.” I looked away.
“What’s really bothering you? Everything okay?”
“It’s been weird playing without you. I love what I’m doing, and the hockey here is fucking amazing, but I don’t love living here, and my teammates have been a little standoffish. I think I’m gonna get traded.”
Ben’s eyebrows rose a little. “For real? You have any feelers out?”
“My agent’s been on top of it, but I’m not sure where we’re at.”
Ben looked thoughtful. “Any interest in coming to St. Louis?”
I was surprised. “You think that’s possible?”
“I don’t know for sure, but we could use a winger like you to round out the second line. Let your agent know you’re interested.”
“I will. Definitely.” I was about to thank him when I spotted Lauren and Hadley coming through the restaurant toward us. Lauren looked more beautiful than ever, her tiny baby bump on display with a tight sweater and leggings. Hadley looked like a freakin’ supermodel, with a full face of makeup, wearing all black and the highest heels I’d ever seen.
“Hey, babe.” Ben got up to kiss his wife and pull out her chair and I reluctantly got up to do the same for Hadley.
“Hey, ladies.” I leaned over to kiss Lauren on the cheek and Hadley used the momentary distraction to slide into her chair before I could pull it out.
“Hey, good-lookin’!” Lauren hugged me before sitting down.
“Hey, Ben.” Hadley briefly smiled at him before pulling out her phone and typing something in.
God, she drove me crazy, but we were about to become godparents to Ben and Lauren’s baby, so I had to suck it up and be on my best behavior. Thank God I only saw her once or twice a year.
“So did Ben tell you the news?” Lauren asked, grinning.
“Yup.” I grinned back at her because I truly loved my best friend’s wife almost as much as he did. “And I can’t fucking wait. I don’t know what a godfather is supposed to do, but I’m in, whatever it takes.”
“We know that,” Ben said. “That’s why we chose you.”
Hadley put away her phone and though she was cool as fuck to me, the four of us carried on pleasant conversation all through dinner. Lauren wasn’t drinking, of course, but Ben and I were three or four bourbons in by the time dinner was over, and I’d lost count of how many martinis Hadley had ordered.
She was kind of cute when she was drunk, though, giggling a lot—even at my jokes—and constantly telling Lauren she loved her. It was obvious how close they were, despite the distance between them since Lauren was in St. Louis with Ben and Hadley worked here in Manhattan. Ironically, I had zero desire to hang out with her even though we only lived about ten subway stops from each other.
“I’m going to the ladies’ room.” Hadley got to her feet and stumbled a little.
“You want me to come with?” Lauren asked her.
“I’m good!” Hadley waved a hand, tottering on those stupidly high heels as she weaved in and out toward the back.
I watched her go because she had a great ass and long legs, but I wasn’t the only one who noticed. At least half a dozen heads in the restaurant turned, especially one guy sitting at the other end of the bar. Once we’d finished dinner and dessert, we’d moved to the bar so our waiter could seat another party at the table, and there had been quite a few guys eyeing Hadley since it was pretty obvious we weren’t together. She was oblivious, though, and I wasn’t sure whether it was because she was drunk, she wasn’t interested, or she genuinely had no idea how gorgeous she was.
