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Cruz gave him a faint smile. “You want me then?”
Zeke started laughing, folding his head down and his shoulders were shaking. Cruz asked in a very casual way, but he waited until Zeke swallowed the last of his pizza before shaking his head. “Dude.” He was laughing and had to sit down.
He nearly sat on AJ’s lap, who shoved him off until he landed in one of the other loungers. He fell in backwards, his legs rising up from the motion. The chair began to tip to the side from the momentum. Zeke was a big guy. He took in some air before he was able to talk. “You–”
Cruz took his arm away from behind me and leaned forward, his arms going to rest on his legs. He pulled his feet down from the coffee table. “Guys openly stare at someone it’s either because they want to fuck ’em or they want to fight ’em. I went with the fucking first because I’m not getting the feeling that you want to fight. Am I wrong?”
Zeke was still half laughing as he shook his head. “No. Sorry, man. Nope. Just drunk here.”
Cruz settled back, easing down on the couch again and he pulled his blanket back over him. “Then what’s with the weird looking shit?”
“It’s seeing Daniels all cozied up.” Zeke stopped laughing enough to give me a more serious look. “It’s nice to see. That’s all.”
I shifted on the couch, starting to get uncomfortable.
Cruz glanced back, studying me.
I had no doubt he saw how that comment made me feel, but he turned back to Zeke. “How long you guys in town?”
“Till Sunday.” His eyes slid my way. “Hoping to hang out?”
I gave a nod. “For sure.”
Gavin came back from the hallway, stopped short at seeing the empty pizza box. “No more pizza?”
AJ started laughing, finishing his slice.
Labrowski yelled from the kitchen, “I got more coming!”
“Dudes!” came from top of the stairs. “Some of us are sleeping. We do have to travel for a fucking game tomorrow.”
Cruz tipped his head back. He was about to yell when Labrowski came marching in from the kitchen, a towel in hand and another thrown over his shoulder. He went to the bottom of the stairs, took hold of the railing, and let out a holler. “WE’RE MAKING FOOD! IF YOU WANT A SLICE EITHER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW, SHUT THE FUCK UP! You have fans and earplugs for a reason.”
He didn’t wait for a response. He marched back to the kitchen, and we heard pans being moved around.
Cruz said, “He’s making two pizzas now.”
Zeke started laughing.
Gavin turned for the kitchen. “Oh, sweet. I’m starving.” He went into the kitchen.
Zeke laid his head back against his lounger and rested a hand over his stomach. He heaved a sigh, but gave me a contented smile. “We stopped at Taco Bell on the way home too.”
The door burst open again. This time, a guy walked in with a girl attached to him. Her legs were around his waist, her arms around his neck and their mouths were attached. They were trying to eat each other.
Zeke snorted.
Cruz grinned.
The guy turned around. It was Barclay. The girl was… I shot upright, jolted. It was Kit.
“Excuse us, folks.” Barclay said around her mouth, holding up two fingers in a salute. “Just gonna take this upstairs.”
Kit was laughing as she pulled him back for a kiss, but she skimmed the couch and gasped. Her head went back, stiffening in Barclay’s hold. Her gaze collided with mine. “Mara–”
I jumped to my feet.
I didn’t want her to say anything about my mom. It wasn’t that I was worried about people knowing what she tried to do, it was about her getting to where I went to college. She already got to my high school friends, but here–I was still trying to keep her contained.
Kit frowned. “Mara?” Her voice grew soft, and Barclay let her ease down from his arms. He stood behind her, his gaze taking me in.
“Wha–” Kit shook her head, seeing Zeke and jerking backwards. “Zeke?”
He grinned, slowly and a little mean. “Saw you all up in his space so I figured I’d catch a ride here with the rest of the hockey team. Get a front row seat to this show.” His eyes jerked my way. “Sorry. I should’ve warned you.”
Kit had a boyfriend. I was guessing Barclay had no clue.
Kit flushed, straightening her shirt and pants. She glared at Zeke. “I know all about the shit you and your boy have pulled. Don’t start turning r–” She clamped her mouth shut, seeing Zeke’s face flood with anger.
He leaned forward. “Might want to rethink your position before slinging insults.”
“What is going on?” Barclay asked.
“They all went to the same high school.”
Barclay nodded to Cruz.
Atwater snorted. “Oh, damn. High school gossip is the best kind. Out with it! What’s all the shit?”
