“Jack!” Jensen shouts back at him as Jack practically tackle-hugs him. “Whoa, be careful.”
“Sorry!” He pulls back, looking painfully at the crutches. “What happened?”
Morgan waves at me from the open front door as Jensen tells Jack about the news he got back from the doctor—a confirmed fully torn ACL and a partially torn meniscus.
“You lookhot.” I smile as Morgan pulls me in for a hug.
“So do you.” She winks and glances behind me. “And hecertainlyagrees by the way he’s staring.”
Warmth spreads across my cheeks. “Oh, stop it.”
She hooks her arm in mine and drags me into the stunning house. It’s clear how much love exists in this home from the pictures of Alec, Laura, and their kids hung on almost every wall. My throat tightens, emotion taking me by surprise.
Without command from my mind, my hand brushes my stomach, and I wonder what our future will look like. So much of my life is up in the air right now, but I try to force those thoughts away. Worrying about them tonight won’t help me solve these problems any faster.
“This is Laura,” Morgan introduces me.
She steps in for a hug, and I reciprocate.
“It’s so great to meet you. I’ve heard so many amazing things.”
“From Morgan?” She laughs, teasing. “Doubtful.”
Chatter and noise echo from another room. From the sounds of it, a lot of the guys are busy watching a hockey game.Shocking.
“Piper!” Morgan calls out as a stunning girl with sleek black hair walks past the kitchen with the most intense resting bitch face I’ve ever seen.
She doubles back and turns into the kitchen.
“Hey.” Her eyes fall to me curiously, a ghost of a smile on her red lips. “A new face.”
Okay … she’s intimidating, but she also seems like the exact girl you want to have on your team. The one who will smack you for talking badly about yourself.
“Hi. I’m Lainey,” I say, not stepping in for a hug since she didn’t.
“Which one’s yours?” She chuckles. “Mine’s Brett.”
Brett, like the sweet, bubbly one? I wouldnothave pictured them together, but now that she said that, I could totally see her bringing him a level of seriousness and him helping her be moreplayful. Maybe I’m reading into it too much. We just met after all.
“Hers is Jensen,” Morgan says with a smirk, and Piper’s eyes widen slightly.
“Jensen?” Piper asks, shocked.
My anxiety spikes. Oh God. What do they know that I don’t? What am I not catching?
“Don’t look nervous!” Morgan turns to me and rubs my arm. “You’re just the first girl he’s ever brought to … well anything.”
“Ever?” My question is soft and hopeful.
We haven’t discussed who we’ve been with; obviously, there are quite a few things on the agenda before that, but it’s still shocking to hear. He’s hot as fuck, ripped, tattooed, funny, and he’s a pro hockey player. I have no doubt that if he wanted to, he could’ve.
All three girls shake their heads.
“Are you guys talking about me?” Jensen’s deep voice cuts through the room as he walks up behind me, his hand finding the small of my back like it was made to rest there as he balances on his crutches.
I turn in his touch to face him, craning my neck back to meet his eye. “Yeah, about how Jack nearly tackled you outside.”
“What?” Laura scoffs. “I told him to be careful!” She storms out of the kitchen toward the front door, immediately ruining my cover story from showing Jensen that I made that up when she storms off.
