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"Yes!" I pump my fist as Lucas whoops, parading me around victoriously. Out of the corner of my eye, I see London lift his sunglasses, his gaze intent on me. I meet it steadily across the distance, unfamiliar satisfaction swirling through me at having impressed him.
Something warm sparks down my spine.
What the actual fuck?
I climb down off Lucas's shoulders and clap his hand. "Not bad, dude. We crushed 'em."
He grins. "With you fighting up top? They never stood a chance."
As Si and Teddy come up, we all laugh and joke about their loss. The competitive energy is infectious, loosening some of the knots left over from clashing with my father earlier. With most of the guys occupied, I lever myself out of the pool and make my way over to where London and Knight are still lounging.
"Kensington." Knight nods in greeting with a sharp smirk on his face. "Hell of a battle out there."
London's expression is unreadable behind his dark lenses. "Didn't know you had those moves in you, Golden Boy."
The nickname lands differently than the usual mockery. This time it almost sounds... affectionate? I shake off that thought immediately. Wishful thinking on my part, no doubt after that weird as hell moment in my library earlier.
"I've got all kinds of moves you haven't seen," I reply, unable to keep the flirtatious note from my voice.
A surprised laugh escapes London. Before I can analyze his reaction, Coach's voice rings out.
"Alright boys, how about we get some grub going? Riot, lead the troops over to the outdoor kitchen and grill area. There should be plenty of meat and fixings in the fridges."
"You got it, Coach," I call back.
Gesturing for the guys to follow, I make my way over to the paved area housing the stainless steel grills and marble-topped counters. We crowd around to fire up the grills and raid the fully stocked fridges and pantry. Bear cranks up a bluetooth speaker, and unruly voices fill the air as we banter and bicker over playlist selections.
Despite the carefree atmosphere, there are still undercurrents. I notice Deck shoot a subtle glare at Knight when he thinks no one else is looking. Those two definitely have unresolved issues, though they play nice on the surface.
I make a mental note to pull Deck aside later and ask him what's up between them. As captain, he usually tells me if there's any bad blood simmering below the surface with our players. Whatever caused that look, it runs deep.
"Yo, catch!"
I turn just as a vegetable smacks wetly into my chest before tumbling into my hand. Laughter echoes around me.
"Who the hell just threw this at me?" I demand, glaring around with the mangled tomato still clutched in my fist. More snickers sound as Luc tries and fails to look innocent.
"My bad, bro!" He throws his hands up with an unrepentant grin. "Guess my toss was off."
"Oh, yeah?" I retaliate by whipping the tomato right at his face. He dodges, cackling as it sails past his ear. "Your aim's the only thing off here, jackass."
"Quick, return fire!" Luc yells. Grinning faces turn toward me, hands filled with more produce from the cutting boards.
"No, no, no—" I stumble back with my hands up. "Truce, truce!"
An onslaught of colorful projectiles pelts me as I try to dodge the barrage. Juices explode across my bare chest and into my hair as I slip on a stray piece of tomato, landing on my ass with a wet smack.
The backyard echoes with rowdy laughter at my colorful demise. Even London's grinning, eyes bright like I’ve never seen them and I get a little lost staring at him.
"Alright, alright, you animals. Help me up." I shake whateverthatwas off and grab Tris's outstretched hand, allowing him to haul me to my feet. Chuckling under my breath, I brush tomato seeds from my hair.
Maybe hosting the team here isn’t so terrible after all. The guys are relaxing into the weekend, bonds solidifying. Watching London laugh so openly twists something unexpectedly in my chest. I’ve never felt so at ease around him.
Things only amp up as we gather for dinner. The mood is celebratory after a day of fucking around and bonding. Tris hooks his phone to a speaker, keeping the music pumping.
Happy voices fill the patio as we gorge on grilled meats, coolers restocked with drinks. Laughter echoes when Lucas dares Teo to chug an entire beer upside down. He gives in, rivulets of amber liquid streaming down his face, while the rest of the guys cheer him on.
Watching my teammates banter and clash, camaraderie layered with rivalry, I'm struck by a sense of belonging I've rarely felt outside of hockey.
