“It’s not like we could slow dance anywhere else.”
“I still don’t get your point.”
“When we came back, you were gone.”
“You guys were gone for an hour; I wasn’t gonna wait around. I thought you guys were heading back here to get your freak on.”
She slams a pillow against my chest.
“Where’d you go?” She pauses the game and turns toward me. “You didn’t come back here. I left the banquet with Declan, Tate, and Fletcher not long after Fletcher said you left, and when we got here, the house was empty.”
“Didn’t we already clarify that I like getting laid?”
“So, that’s what you were doing? Hooking up with a random girl.”
I lick my lips, trying to gain my composure, like maybe the pitch of my voice will give me away if I don’t tread carefully.
“Sounds likejealousy, Bowman. Are you finally realizing you missed out on all of this?” I point to my body, and she lets out a laugh.
“That’s totally it. You caught me.”
Before I respond, the front door opens.
“Flirting with my girlfriend again, Zeke?” Declan drops the grocery bags in the kitchen, then comes and kisses Ember. “How many times does she have to let you down before you finally understand?”
“Maybe two or three more,” I respond. “I don’t pick up on things that easily.”
“Is this what you’ve been doing for the last hour?” Declan asks.
“It is. And I’ve kicked Zeke’s butt in every game.” Ember grins.
“That’s my girl.”
“You guys aren’t going to play that game all night, are you?” Brinley walks through the open door. “We have a guest tonight, and I don’t want him to think we only care about hockey.”
She motions her head behind her to Alex, her boy who’s a friend and nothing more, or so she says anytime someone brings him up.
“We do only care about hockey,” Declan argues.
“And sex,” I add. “What else is there?”
“You guys are ridiculous.”
I hold back a laugh and go to pull out my phone. But I know the stupid grin on my face, paired with my texting someone, will look a little too suspicious. I can’t help it, though; I think Avalon would get a kick out of someone else who thinks I’m ridiculous.
“Hey man, how’s it going?” I lift my hand in a subtle wave.
“It’s going. I guess I’m on sous chef duty tonight, but I’ve never cooked a thing in my life, so I apologize in advance,” Alex shrugs, dropping the last of the bags onto the counter.
“Oh, don’t even worry about it, man. Being a sous chef means Brinley yelling at you for an hour and doing all the dishes yourself,” Declan says. “You won’t actually get to cook anything.”
“That’s not true!” Brinley argues. “Ask Zeke; I’ve been teaching him to cook. He’s really improved.”
“You’re learning to cook?” Ember asks, a knowing grin on her face.
“Yeah, so his mom doesn’t have to eat hospital meals.”
“Oh,” Ember’s smile falters, “that’s really nice, Zeke.”