Their table seats ten, but there are only seven of us all gathered around as we play Phase Ten. I’m somehow stuck between Posey and Boon, which, to everyone else, seems normal since Posey is my bestie. But what they don’t know is that when Posey leans on the back of my chair, she’s doing it so she can touch Boon. I’m also in the direct line of their sinful looks. I swear, I’m getting hot from the way Boon is looking at Posey like she’s an empty net goal.
Wow, you can take the hockey kid out of the hockey household, but you can’t take the hockey out of the kid.
Across from me are Asher and Aiden, with Shelli tucked up under his arm. Wes, Boon and Aiden’s close friend and linemate, sits at the head of the table. He’s dubbed himself the single of the night, even though Asher and I have told him many times we aren’t together. If I weren’t so in love with Asher and maybe ready to accept nothing will happen with him, I would straight up holler at Wes. He is beautiful and obviously a bad boy. He has this light blondish hair that is wild and unruly. His deep blue eyes remind me of the ocean, and he’s huge. Taller than Asher and way thicker. His lips are plump, and his teeth are white and straight. I’m pretty sure they’re fake, hockey player and all, but who cares. The dude is hot. He is definitely someone who could give me a good time but not get close enough for me to feel something.
Too bad he isn’t Asher.
I need to get laid.
One would think, by now, I would have. It’s been a little over three weeks and I’m still very much talking to Taco, but I guess he realizes I want to take it slow. Or, at least, he hasn’t pushed for anything. We’re in the middle of volleyball season, so I play at least three games a week. I refuse to allow my grades to slip to spend time with him, so I’ve only seen him a few times. We’re supposed to go out later tonight, but I’m having way more fun here. Probably because I haven’t seen much of Asher lately.
He’s been extremely busy too. He’s working on both jumbotrons and getting his condo squared away. The times we have seen each other have been at my games and then when he comes over to help me with my math class from Hades. I hate that damn class, but Asher loves that kind of stuff. His dorky mind gets off on it. It’s weird, and honestly, I don’t know how I am friends with him. Well…I know exactly how, but we won’t delve into that right now.
I finish up my phase and lay down my cards.
Which means I just stuck everyone with their cards.
Muahaha.
I’m a tad competitive.
Asher glares as he counts up his cards along with everyone else.
Posey doesn’t have much, and she says, “Hey, how’s Angie? I texted her the other day, and she didn’t answer me.”
Before I can answer, Shelli replies, “Me too. I asked her if she wanted to be in the group dance but nothing.”
“Probably because she doesn’t want to hurt your feelings by telling you that the group dance is basically worse than the Wedding Book from Hell, and there is a special place in hell for you,” Posey says, and Asher smirks. “The book and this dance.”
“Brutal.” Posey glares at him, and he points to her. “But true.”
Shelli narrows her eyes. “I’m tired of you calling my wedding book something from hell, changing our group text to Wedding Party for the Wedding from Hell, and hating everything about this. I’m about to kick you out of the wedding.”
Posey’s eyes widen, hopefulness in her expression. “Please. Please do.”
I raise my hand. “I wouldn’t mind.”
“Nor I,” Asher says, and then we all start laughing. “Stop being so sensitive, Bridezilla.”
“Asher! Stop calling me Bridezilla!”
Wes is looking around and then asks Boon, “What is wrong with these people?”
Boon shrugs. “I have no clue, and honestly, I don’t want to know. I’m standing up there for my boy, and that’s it.”
Wes nods. “I don’t even want to do that.”
Shelli glares and yells, “Does no one want to be in my wedding?”
Aiden wraps his arms around her, kissing her jaw. “I do.”
She melts into him, turning her face to kiss his lips. “I do too.”
“Good. Practice those ‘I dos’ now,” Asher teases, and we all grin with mischief.
“I don’t care what any of you say, my wedding will be amazing.”
“Our wedding,” Aiden corrects, and Shelli is now glaring at him.
“You’ve done nothing for this wedding, and I’ve—”
“But if he doesn’t show up, there won’t be a wedding,” Asher supplies. God help him.
Shelli whips her head to Asher. “No one asked you!”
He looks around the table at us. “I am so stoked to gain a new sister-in-law who is as crazy as my sisters. It’s going to be great.”
Aiden snorts as he gathers Shelli in his arms. “I’m coming, you’re not crazy, and I love you. Now, hush.”
She squishes her nose to his. “Don’t tell me what to do unless we’re in the bedroom.”
I don’t know why she had to say that. I guess she was distracted by his dreamy gray eyes or she hit her head, because now Asher, Posey, and I are all mock gagging. We used to do this all the time when we were younger, and it drove her crazy. She can look at us like she is going to kill us all she wants, but we don’t care as we dissolve in laughter. “All of you are jealous because none of you are getting laid on the regular.”
“She’s not wrong,” I say simply, and Asher nods. Somehow everyone misses the loving look between Boon and Posey. I don’t, though, mostly because I’m right between them. I’m sure if I moved, everyone would know they’re together. Mostly because they would probably start dry-humping each other.
Aw, to be in love with someone who knows and loves you back.
My gaze moves to Asher. He’s grinning from ear to ear, with his beanie hanging on for dear life. Aiden already knocked it off his head twice, but he keeps it so far back. The white tee he’s wearing is tight on his shoulders, and I can see the hair on his chest and his nipples through it. Mostly because I’m staring at him. He’s clean-shaven, and his lips are shiny from licking them so much. I think they’re dry, and I only know he keeps licking them because I wish he were licking me.
Before I can start slamming my head into the table, Posey says, “Like I was saying, is Angie okay?”
“Who’s Angie?” Boon asks, and everyone’s but Wes’s shoulders fall, and we all start groaning.
“You tell him,” Asher says to me.
“Yeah, you’re the only one who explains it right,” Aiden agrees.
“Why did you ask?” Posey asks, and I laugh. “Like, just go with the flow. You’re slowing us down.”
Boon looks offended as I take in a deep breath. “In the simplest terms, we grew up with her,” I say, meeting his gorgeous gaze. Man, Posey hasn’t dated much, but she picked one hell of a hot dude to make up for that. “But the really technical and overly drawn-out explanation, Angie is my mom’s sister’s daughter’s—who is really her husband’s niece, but that’s a long story too—my aunt’s daughter’s husband’s sister’s daughter, which makes her somehow my cousin, maybe? Not removed. We like her.”