Page 123 of Staying Selfless

“Family is the most important thing to me,” he says again. “And you’re my family, the same way I’m yours. So, we’ll keep our family small. Just the two of us.”

Chapter 32

Eli

“Goody, you fucking suck at this game,” I tell my teammate as his player dies for the fourth time on our living room TV screen.

“Say it louder, Captain,” Benny laughs, holding his controller up in the air like a trophy after beating Goody for the fourth time in a row.

“Shut the fuck up, Benny!” Goody drops his controller and charges at my goaltender across the room.

I swear these two look for a reason to wrestle almost daily at this point. And Benny is filling out the older he gets, so Goody should probably watch it. I’m pretty sure he’s going to be able to kick Goody’s ass soon.

I’m posted up in the living room entryway, leaning against the wall and watching as my two teammates go at it, when the prettiest little surprise comes walking through my front door.

“What are you doing here?” I ask with confusion as Logan makes her way to me, the biggest smile plastered on my face. “I thought I was coming to you tonight after I skate?”

I wrap my arms around her shoulders, pulling her body into mine and taking in her sweet vanilla scent. I just saw Logan in my bed this morning, but I’ve spent the rest of the day without her, and that already feels like too long.

“Nope.” Cam scurries towards us, interjecting before Logan has a chance to speak. “She’s not here for you.” He pulls Logan’s arm from my waist, dragging her behind him. “She’s here for me.”

“And for me!” Goody chimes in as he follows the three of us into the dining room attached to the kitchen.

“She’s helping me study,” Cam explains as he takes a seat at the table, opening his textbook.

“You’re helping Cam study for his early childhood education classes?” I ask Logan with furrowed brows as I stand over the table, leaning my elbows on the back of one of the chairs.

“No,” she giggles. “Statistics.”

“Ah, that sounds about right.” An understanding laugh escapes me. “Well, hi.” I bend down and place my greedy lips on hers.

“Hi,” she says back to me with a smile, her mouth just barely pulled away from mine and her greens sparkling as she looks at me.

“Alright, we get it. You love each other,” Cam says with boredom. “But can you guys be cute as fuck another day? I have a stats test in the morning that I’m going to bomb unless this entire textbook gets ingrained into my brain overnight.”

“And I have cookies to bake,” Goody adds from behind the kitchen island, covering the counter with ingredients.

“Did you decide what kind?” Logan asks.

“I’m thinking chocolate chip.” Goody wraps an apron around his waist. “I figured those are the most universal. I feel like I’m casting the biggest net with chocolate chip.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” I look at Goody with confusion as I stand between the kitchen and dining room. “Casting the biggest net?”

“Logan is teaching me how to make cookies. What girl could resist a guy who bakes cookies, you know?”

“Jesus,” I laugh.

“So, I figured let’s start broad. Majority of chicks like chocolate chip, right, Logan?”

“I’d say so. Don’t forget to preheat the oven to 350.”

“How does this apron look, man?” Goody runs his hands down the length of it, smoothing out the wrinkles over his chest. “I just got it.”

“Don’t make me answer that.”

“Okay, this is what I don’t get,” Cam begins as he points to something in his textbook, explaining his confusion to my girlfriend, but I tune him out.

All I can do is keep my stare on my pretty girl as she helps our friend with his studying and calls out directions towards Goody in the kitchen every once in a while.

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