Page 31 of Pucks and Coffee

I shake my head. “No. Since I didn’t think it’d get serious, I didn’t bring him around. And then it all happened so fast. Truly, it’s ’cause Louisa has left me alone so much,” I say with a laugh. But once more, no one finds me funny. “I’m just kidding.”

“Eliza,” Elliot snaps, and something in her eyes makes me feel like she knows. “Who is it?”

I hesitate, and my stomach does flips. I clear my throat, and with the biggest and brightest smile imaginable, I hope they believe me as I say, “Coleson Katz. The owner of Drippy Drip and one of your players, Peepaw.”

The silence is deafening. The tension is suffocating, and all I can do is sit there. I watch as Elliot looks at Peepaw, and their eyes meet as Peepaw’s face and neck turn bright red. I almost take cover since I’m sure he’s about to flip the table. “Coleson Katz,” he repeats, his eyes narrowed to slits.

“Coleson Katz,” Elliot seethes, and while I’m confused, I flash them both a winning grin.

“Yup. He’s wonderful, and I know he has a bit of a reputation, but he did all that when we were apart. He thinks he was acting out because he didn’t understand his feelings for me. You know, stupid guy stuff,” I say with a cheery laugh, but no one even smiles. My laugh dies off, and I press my lips together. Elliot and my peepaw are still staring at each other as if they’re having a conversation through telepathy.

I need to stop reading paranormal romance.

“A bit of a reputation,” Clara muses, shaking her head. “He’s the town slut.”

“He’s slept with everyone,” Louisa adds, her eyes burning into mine.

“Liza, even I know about him. He slept with a teammate’s wife, and Dimitri says that’s worse than doing drugs.”

“Don’t be dramatic. Drugs are way worse,” I say, waving her off. “And I know he’s done some stupid stuff, but haven’t we all? He’s turning over a new leaf, and he’s really good to me.”

“If he’s so great, why haven’t you ever talked about him?” Louisa asks, her words bringing my attention to her. “We talk about everything, and you’re telling me you’ve been sleeping with this guy for a year and never said a thing? What happened to swearing off guys?”

I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, and I hate how my eyes itch from tears wanting to escape. I inhale deeply, pushing my shoulders back. I may need two orgasms a day after this. “It wasn’t serious between us, Lou.”

“And?” she asks, and it kills me to see the hurt in her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I know this is a lot, and whoa, I jumped the gun. I know. But truly, I’m so happy.”

They don’t believe a word I’m saying. When Elliot pulls her gaze from my peepaw’s, she looks at me, and I smile. “What’s wrong? You two are acting weird.”

She nods slowly. “I’m gonna head out.”

“Don’t, Elliot,” Peepaw says, clutching her hand. “We’ll have a meeting.”

“Sure. After I have a meeting of my own,” she snaps, pushing back her chair.

“Elliot?” Louisa asks, but our younger sister just throws up her hand to stop her. She’s furious, and I don’t understand. I knew they’d be hurt they weren’t there, but I wasn’t expecting her to be shaking mad. The flush is deep in her fair skin, dark red creeping up her neck and jaw to her cheeks.

Peepaw tries to grab her wrist, but she shakes it out of his grip. “Elliot!” I yell, standing up, my chair falling back behind me.

“What is going on?” I ask my peepaw, but he is already standing up. He doesn’t spare me a glance or even a word. He follows my sister, and I can’t help but do the same. I have a bad feeling, and I think I know where she is going.

Right to my husband.

CHAPTER 17

Coleson

I try to focus on what Coach is bitching about, but my mind keeps circling back to my wife. She looked nervous this morning when I took her a drink from the coffeehouse. So nervous that I couldn’t help but touch my lips to hers for a quick kiss. I was trying to ease her concerns, but all it did was give me a raging hard-on and leave me wishing I had gone with her to lunch with her family. I didn’t want to overstep when she obviously didn’t need me.

I’d only be there for my selfish need to know she’s okay.

To support her.

But she didn’t want that. Or at least, she didn’t voice it.

“Vangy, Andy, Katz, stay here.”

---