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The bell over the door dings. As usual, no one misses when Declan enters a room. He’s boisterous with a confidence not too many have. Meanwhile, his sidekick, whose confidence should be overflowing, walks silently next to him, his head tilted down as though he doesn’t want to be recognized.
“I see they’re here,” Aubrey says from the other side of the booth based on my reaction alone.
“Why do you say that?” I narrow my eyes in a playful way.
“Because all the color just drained from your face, except the tips of your ears. They’re pink because it’s Rylan and you may hate the man, but you lust for him all the same.”
I flip her off and she giggles.
“What are you laughing at?” Declan slides into the booth and kisses her on the lips.
Aubrey shrugs. “Just girl talk.”
Rylan stands on the outside of the booth and looks behind him, then slides in next to me.
I try to crowd into the wall, but his muscular thigh touches mine all the same. Our eyes catch briefly.
“Hey,” he greets me first.
“Hi.”
Aubrey and Declan watch us from across the table, probably wondering if their dire need to have their best friends stand beside them on one of the most important days of their lives was a bad decision.
“See, that’s not so bad.” Declan claps his hands. “I’ve been in court all day and I’m starving.” He peeks out of the booth and holds his finger up to the server.
A teenage boy comes by, popping bubbles with his gum. “What can I get you?”
“We’ll split a pitcher of beer and two pizzas. One large with green peppers and onions and another large with pepperoni and sausage.” That was our usual order back in the day, the many times the four of us ate here.
“I’m not sure I can eat that. I plan on training when I get back home,” Rylan says.
“Even in your off-season?” Aubrey asks.
He shrugs. “Wanna be the best you have to put in the effort.” He looks at the guy with a nametag that reads name NAMETAG instead of an actual name. “I’ll have a salad with chopped chicken and light vinaigrette.”
Declan stares at Rylan as though he doesn’t recognize his best friend. Declan likes everything to stay the same. Doesn’t do change well.
The kid doesn’t write anything down but blows a bubble and pops it, so it explodes on his face. He uses his tongue to free it from his lips. “Cool. I’ll be out with the beer.”
“What the hell, Ry, a salad?” Declan wants to say much more, I can tell. I’m sure the phrase “chick food” would be what he would use except Aubrey would swat him on the back of his head.
“What? None of you have to be prepared in three months for a new season.”
Aubrey’s gaze falls to me, and I kick her under the table.
“I didn’t mean…” Rylan whispers, and I feel his eyes on me.
I shake my head without looking at him.
Silence commences over the table until Declan can’t stand it any longer.
“At least they can sit next to one another,” Declan says to Aubrey.
Little does he know that every time Rylan opens his legs and our thighs brush, a shot of electricity hits me right between my legs. It feels as though the booth couldn’t be any smaller, but I remember a time when we were younger and I felt as though we had too much room and wished Rylan would have to be pressed against me. But his shoulders are broader now, his thighs bigger and more muscular.
“Can we not?” Rylan shifts in his seat. “What?” Declan laughs.
“We’re here.” He looks at me for confirmation. I nod. “We’ll do anything to make sure your day goes off without a hitch.”
