God, my friends had hit the jackpot with these ladies. They would do anything for each other, and somehow, they’d adopted me into their tight-knit group, even though I was single.
“Thanks, but it’ll happen when it’s meant to happen. Just like with all of you. One day, love smacked you right upside the head, and the universe was like, ‘This is the one.’ I’m hoping that’s what happens to me, too. But I wouldn’t be mad if it hurried the hell up. I’m twenty-eight. Not exactly getting any younger.”
“Well, if you ever feel lonely in this big ole house, you can borrow our kids for a weekend,” Evie chirped. “We could sure use eight solid hours of uninterrupted sleep.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” I shot back, stepping toward the grill to check on the meat.
Jenner guffawed. “Yeah, okay. Three mobile babies in diapers, you’ll be sending them back within the hour.”
I lifted a shoulder. “Don’t be so sure.”
A house full of kids was the dream. I just needed to find the right girl to have them with.
Most days, it felt like I was biding my time, waiting for my life to begin. Sure, I was a two-time league champion, had been named MVP during our first championship, and had signed a long-term, multi-million-dollar contract to play goalie for the Speed, but there was something missing. Or, more accurately, someone to share it with.
“More drinks?” I called out, shaking off those thoughts. I meant what I said to the girls. It would happen when the time was right. There was no point in dwelling on it.
I might not drink alcohol for personal reasons, but that didn’t mean I took issue with those who chose to partake in my presence. As a gracious host, I’d stocked up on wine and beer for my guests while also mixing up a batch of margaritas since I’d learned the ladies were fond of them during our two summers spent celebrating.
Grabbing the pitcher from the table set under an umbrella, I went to freshen up their glasses, making the rounds going from Dakota to Evie to Tessa.
Reaching Bristol, I tilted the pitcher before Maddox placed a hand over her cup with a firm, “No.”
The ice-cold liquid splashed off his hand before I realized what was happening, and Bristol shrieked, jumping up as she was coated in the sugary cocktail.
“Shit, sorry.” I jumped back, setting down the pitcher and grabbing a towel to help clean up my mess.
Maddox was quick to rise to his feet, yanking the offered towel from my hands with a growl as he patted his wife dry. “I’ve got it.”
I stepped back, both hands in the air. “Sorry, Coach. It was an accident.”
Braxton eyed our coach. “It’s not Goose’s fault. You’re the one who created the mess. What’s your deal?”
Jenner chuckled. “Yeah, it’s not like we’re at Pipes. Unless Goose has got a karaoke setup down in his basement we don’t know about?” He looked to me in question, and I shook my head. “See? Our ears are safe, and you don’t have to worry about your girl jumping your bones with an audience tonight.”
We weren’t new to Maddox cutting Bristol off. She had a habit of overindulging, especially postgame at our team hangout spot, a popular karaoke joint in Indianapolis called Pipes. Her singing was terrible, not that I ever minded. It took guts to get up on stage, and she seemed to have the time of her life every time she ingested enough liquid courage to do so. Coach’s issue lay with how she was down to fuck the minute she was done singing. He was a caveman, but we loved him anyway.
Dakota narrowed her eyes, using a finger to point between Maddox and Bristol. “Wait a minute . . .” Jaw dropping, she gasped. “Noooooooo.”
Pink rose up from Bristol’s neck to her cheeks as she dropped her gaze to the ground, shifting on her feet.
I looked at Braxton. “You have any idea what just happened?” He’d been around the pair of best friends longer than any of us. If anyone could decode whatever silent exchange had occurred before our eyes, it would be him.
His brow furrowed as Dakota’s hands dropped to her hips. “I cannotbelievethis!”
Braxton swallowed. “I think—judging from my wife’s reaction—Coach slipped one past the goalie.” Maddox’s jaw twitched in response, so Braxton pressed, “Did I get it right?”
Tessa squealed. “More Speed babies?”
Evie muttered under her breath, “Better you than me. Never again.”
Bristol took a deep breath with her eyes closed. “Fine. You caught me.”
Babies were thrown at husbands as Evie and Tessa ran to hug Bristol. Dakota hung back, still glaring at her best friend.
Sighing, Bristol eyed Dakota. “How long are you gonna be mad at me?”
“We had a deal.” Dakota pouted, stomping her bare foot on the patio.
