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"Well, I guess so then," Ollie said with a shrug. "If everyone else will do it."
"I'll make Hawk take part too," Bam said. "He loves strutting around and being stared at."
Chase grinned. "He really does. It's like being star quarterback has gone to his head, or something."
I smiled. Hawk seemed to have the usual arrogance of a football god, but he was basically a decent guy. They were all like that; confident, self assured. Why wouldn't they be? Their hard work put them right where they wanted to be. They were the envy of football players everywhere. And those who aspired to be football players.
"My boss is going to love you all," I said.
Mel was going to freak out. Storm Valley Lacey's was a big store, but usually Sydney and Melbourne got the big names, not us. If I could rub my hands in glee, I would have. I already pictured the outfits they'd wear. Nothing haute couture, or anything like that. Although, it might be fun to dress Bam in a tutu, or a bunch of mint green ruffles.
"Of course, what's not to love?" Bam gave me a lopsided smile.
"No idea, I'm sure," I replied. He was funny, good looking and smart. He was a catch. For someone that wasn't me. I could see us being friends. Ollie too.
How ironic. High school me would have turned up her nose at the idea of being friends with jocks. Thank the fashion gods our high school selves get left in the past, where they belong. Although, I'm not sure they belong there either. I was my own worst enemy back then. Most of us were, I supposed.
"Exactly." Bam brought my mind back to the present. "Hey, maybe I'll take up modelling after I give up football." He strutted away a few steps, stopped, turned on his heels and gave us his best duck face, eyelashes fluttering.
We all laughed.
"You're a natural," Chase said. He grinned until Bam socked him on the shoulder.
"Hey, what was that for?" Chase rubbed his hand up and down his arm.
"For being sarcastic," Bam said.
"I was being one hundred percent sincere," Chase insisted.
"Sure you were." Bam gave him a playful pout. "You wouldn't know sincere if it crept up out of the toilet and bit you on the ass."
"I'm pretty sure anyone would notice that," Ollie said.
"Yeah, what Ollie said." Chase lowered his hand and finished his beer. "I'd buy you one," he said to Bam. "But I don't wanna."
"I can buy my own," Bam said. "Come on, Ollie. Let's leave the lovebirds to it."
I looked down at the table at the sudden reminder that we were more or less lying to them.
"Yeah, later," Chase told them. Once they were gone, he asked, "Do you have plans for tomorrow?"
CHAPTER 10
CHASE
With Ashley's arms tight around my torso, the wind rushing past and the feeling of my bike throbbing under me, I wanted to shout to the sky. There was no feeling in the world quite like this. Yeah, it wasn't just the bike. It was her too. There was something about her excitement that made mine shift up a gear. No woman ever seemed to like riding as much as I did. For a while, I could forget this was supposed to be fake.
I took us out of the city and headed west. High rises gave away to houses, which became farms and fields.
Out here, the air was fresh, clean. It felt like home. The city was all very well, and certainly convenient for shops, restaurants and work, but I was a country boy. At heart, I always would be. Maybe it's all the green. Maybe it's the freedom, the quiet, the open road ahead of us, the gorgeous woman clinging to me, her thighs pressed against mine.
"Where are we going?" Ashley shouted near my ear.
"You'll see," I shouted back. The wind tore away my words, but I think she heard. "You okay back there?"
"I'm fine," she yelled. "This is kinda fun."
I smiled—mouth closed—and my chest rumbled in laughter.
