Page 82 of From Fling to Ring

Petal puts an arm around my shoulder. “Lu, let’s get out of here.”

Without an answer from me, she steers me toward the stairwell door that we just came from, her on one side and Gilly on the other.

We take the stairs at a slower pace than we did minutes ago, which is a good thing because my eyes are filled with tears.

I’m not going to cry, though. I don’t deserve to.

What Tyler did to me is on par with what I did to him. I have no reason to be mad, because I’m no better.

We’re both just a couple of fuck-ups.

Who maybe even deserve each other.

41

TYLER

“My man is in a world of hurt.”

I side-eye Jonas in his rocking chair, where he’s trying to get one of his little ones, Jace, to sleep. The other one, Lukas, is toddling between his box of oversized LEGOs and me, bringing over one at a time and waiting for me to respond with an enthusiastic thank you and pat on his head.

This kid’s father has his hands full, literally and figuratively, as a pro hockey player at the peak of his career who’s also the widowed father of two little ones. He’s keeping it together far better than my own father did all those years ago. When I ask him how he does it, he simply points out, “What other choice is there? These little people need me.”

When I consider all that, I feel like an asshole bellyaching about my own problems. By comparison, I have nothing to complain about.

Or I didn’t until the last few days. And at this moment in time, I think I’m allowed to talk about the fucking shitshow that has become my life.

Jonas glances at his Apple watch. That’s how he keeps track of what’s going on in the world when his arms are full. “Rake’s parking.”

I brace myself for the worst of the blowback, some of which I’m aware of, and some of which Rake is about to share because his wife’s bestie filled him in on all the gory details of her discovery of our bet.

Rake flies in with a six-pack, which is not nearly enough because I plan to drink at least that much beer, myself. Jonas and I wait for him to distribute the bottles, then they both look at me.

I say nothing. I’m not sure where to start.

So Rake does. “Ty, as you know, Lucy found out about our bet, but you also found out she is writing a book about asshole men and is using you as her main research subject.”

I nod slowly. “That about sums it up.”

The room is silent for a moment, except for little Lukas, babbling and fumbling with LEGO pieces.

“So basically… you are both assholes,” Jonas says helpfully.

“You could say that, but on the other hand I wouldn’t be in this mess if you guys hadn’t pressured me into a bet. I never would have asked Lucy out, and none of this ever would have happened.”

Rake rolls his eyes. “Ty, you can’t blame us for this?—”

Jonas cuts him off. “I guess we were kind of assholes about the whole thing, too. Thinking it was all a big joke.”

“How did Lucy find out? Do you know?” I ask.

Rake takes a deep breath. “Apparently, Petal and Gilly dragged Lucy down to the arena with the intention of making her talk to you and apologize or something like that. You know, to try and work things out. But before they got to us, Daphne, who shouldn’t even have been there, stopped them in the hallway and spilled the beans about the bet.”

“How the hell did she know?” Jonas asks.

“Who knows,” I say. “The woman is a troublemaker.”

Rake nods. “She may have eavesdropped at the team party a few weeks back. Chuck ended things with her recently when he finally came to his senses. Guess she’s so mad she has to spread her misery.”

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