Page 128 of Icing It

One of the men who adores her and wants to spend his life with her—i.e., my brother—is on the couch with us.

Another, the sophisticated, brilliant Dr. Michael Hughes, is in the kitchen making us “real" snacks. He’s actually making us mini quiches, baked brie with toasted baguette slices, and something with bacon. I love him best.

I know he’s mostly concerned about Dani not eating crap food just because her best friend is in an emotional spiral, but I’ll happily benefit from his caretaking of my bestie.

Her third guy, the grumpy billionaire, is upstairs, trying to avoid too many emotions. Especially crying-woman-that-he-isn’t-sleeping-with emotions.

That's fine with me. I like Nathan for Dani, but he's intimidating as hell.

It was actually funny to see him come halfway down the steps, spot me on the couch with a carton of ice cream in my lap, saying something about how stupid men are, and watch him freeze, turn around without a word, and head straight back upstairs. He doesn’t even try to pretend.

“Thanks for letting me come over,” I say, more to Crew than Dani. Crew used to be the tag-along when Dani and I hung out. It’s taken a minute to get used to the fact that I’m the extra now.

"Of course. I’m not thrilled that my coach is the reason you’re here being all sad and depressing, though,” he says.

So, yeah, Alexsei and I told Crew about us. And Cam. And he was happy for us after he got over the initial surprise. It’s not like he can be too judgmental about foursomes. Or dating his sibling’s friend.

But then I showed up here with my support bag of junk food and had to confess about Owen.

Crew was not only surprised by that but also confused. Not that I’d want to date Owen or that he’d want to date me, but that he broke things off.

“You mean sad and depressed?” I ask.

“No, you’re being depressing,” he says. “I like the happy, in-love everything-is-great bubble we’ve got going here.” He strokes his finger down Dani’s cheek and she gives him a soft smile.

I roll my eyes.

“You’re kind of a downer, sis,” he says. But I can tell he’s teasing me.

“I know.” I sigh.

“Just call him,” Crew says. “Like right now. From here. We can be your moral support.”

“No. Fucking. Way.” I stab at my ice cream. “He made his choice. If he changes his mind, he can come to me.”

“This just doesn't sound like Coach, is all I’m saying.” Crew’s frowning as he says it.

I shove a spoonful of chocolate peanut butter passion in my mouth. "Why not?" I ask around the creamy peanut buttery bliss. "I mean, he's a man. And men are stupid."

Crew rolls his eyes and throws a pretzel at me. "Not Coach. I mean, he's old."

"Watch yourself," Michael calls from the kitchen.

So he can hear us, and he is listening. That answers that unspoken question I had.

Crew chuckles softly but goes on, "I mean, he's a dad."

I sigh. "So? Tons of men are dads and trust me, percentage-wise, that means lots of dads are stupid."

"It doesn’t fit,” Crew insists. “I mean, he’s not just a dad to Brady. Who is actually an awesome kid, and I have to think Owen has something to do with that. But he's kind of a dad to everybody. I mean, all the guys on the team go to him if they have any problem. Anything from having a tax question to what to get their mom for Mother's Day to which truck they should buy. The guy knows everything. He loves to give advice. He's competent in everything, I swear."

Yeah, yeah, I know. Good lord, I know. Competence porn is a real thing and Owen’s confidence and ability to be comfortable in an expensive black-tie restaurant or a sweaty, smelly locker room or a dainty pink and white bakery is one of the things I find most attractive.

"Well, I hope he's not giving relationship advice to anyone." I shove more ice cream in my face. I want to get through at least part of this pint before Michael brings me any of his amazing, savory food. I mean I'm going to eat everything that man puts in front of me. He’s an amazing cook, and I’ll always find room for bacon. But sometimes a girl just needs junk.

I regret what I say about Owen, though. He's not stupid. He's not cruel. And I know he wasn't with me just for a hookup. I believe that he really has feelings for me. I just can't figure out why he's panicking about this relationship.

"Actually, he has given advice about women," Crew says.

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