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Parker
IfiguredinvitingTravisto the kickball game was the perfect way to dip our toes into telling people about our relationship, but my friends quickly proved me wrong. He arrived as we headed into the dugout, and I gave him a little wave and a nod as he took his seat on the bleachers.
“Parker.” Cam caught me waving at Travis and called my name, dragging out the syllables.
“Yeah?”
“Please tell me you did not bring another one-night stand to a game.”
Jared stood and looked around. “He did? Park, I thought we agreed. Head in the game.”
I rolled my eyes and held my hands up. “Hold up a second. Travis isn’t a one-night stand. He’s…” I searched for a word that would break the tension. “My betrothed.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Levi asked, passing Bennett a bag of sunflower seeds to snack on.
“It means they’re engaged, and no, he’s not.” Cam sighed and shook his head. “Please be serious. You know Levi hates it when we don’t focus.”
I flipped them off. “Fuck all of you. I can bring whoever I want to a game. So there.” I fought the urge to stick my tongue out to punctuate my protest and instead took a seat on the bench. “Bennett, you’re up.”
“Oh shit,” Bennett said, scurrying out onto the field.
As Bennett took his place in the kicking box, Cam sat down next to me. “Look,” he murmured. “I’m sorry if I’m being an asshole about this.”
I gave him the side-eye, arms crossed over my chest. “You are.”
“It’s just that Levi really does hate it when we don’t focus on the field.”
“First off, it’s a recreational league. It’s supposed to befun, not professional-level intense. Second, you bring Oliver to games. And Theo brings Nate. Why can’t I bring the guy I’m seeing?”
Cam rubbed his hands over his face. “That’s different.”
“Why?”
“Because,” he said with exaggerated patience. “Neither ofushave ever been nailed in the face by a kickball because we were busy making fuck-me eyes at our husbands from the third base line.”
I kicked the dirt in front of me. “That wasone time.”
“One time too many,” he said with a laugh. “Look, you know everyone wants you to be happy, but you go through men like water. Maybe wait until one of them sticks. None of us want to get attached to someone who’s going to be gone next week, anyway.”
His words stung deep down. I presented as a happy-go-lucky slut, and I really didn’t judge myself for the sluttiness, but the implication that I couldn’t be bothered to keep a guy around really hurt, even if it was mostly true. Probablybecauseit was mostly true.
“Fine. I’ll keep my head in the game. But I’m bringing Travis to Jock Strap later.”
Cam sighed in defeat. “Whatever you say.”
A little over an hour later, the game wrapped up and I found Travis in the bleachers. “You were amazing,” he said as I approached him.
I chuckled self-consciously. “Thanks. I might have been showing off a little. You know, for someone special who was watching.”
“A scout?” he asked dryly.
“Yes, definitely.” I was tempted to make a dirty joke, say something about scouting for my dick, but I decided against it. “You still up for drinks?”
“Sure. Should we carpool or do you want me to follow you there?”
“Let’s carpool. I’ll drive and we can pick up your car later.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Travis followed me to my car, a small SUV crossover which made me feel just sporty enough without being too big to park in the city, and I drove us the short distance to Jock Strap. When we got out of the car, he took my hand. “Ready?”
