Page 27 of One Day

Dylan laughs. “Good job, Sunny.”

“Yeah, I know,” I sigh. “He’ll get over it.”

“Are we sure? He’s known to hold a grudge,” Reid chimes in, looking up from his book.

Bekah laughs. “How was the game? Did you guys win?”

“Checking up on us, sweetheart?” Fitz asks.

“Do not call me sweetheart.” Her eyes narrow in his direction. “I am no one’s sweetheart. Least of all yours.”

“Put the claws away, Beks,” Dylan says with a laugh, amusement coating his voice. “The game was good. We won three-one. I got a goal.”

“I got the other two,” Fitz says, leaning into Bekah with a sly smile.

“Is that supposed to impress me?”

Pressing my lips together, I lift my hand up and try to keep my laugh from slipping out. Bekah has a tough exterior. A worn armor wrapped around her, keeping herself safe from everyone around her. She’s a lot like Everett in that way, but unlike our grumpy friend, she’s learned to soften that hard shell to let people in.

She let me in, and now we’re tangled together for life.

Fitz, however, is not someone she’s willing to let her wall down for.

“What about you, Sunny? Did you decide about the whole casual sex thing?” Dylan asks, gently nudging my side with his elbow.

I roll my eyes. “No.”

“You sure? Any of these guys would be more than willing to help you out,” he says, hitching his thumb in the direction of his teammates. My eyes widen until I realize that somewhere between Bekah and Fitz’ arguing and Dylan bringing up my sex life, they escaped the chaos and moved to one of the empty pool tables.

My eyes narrow at him. “Okay, you know what? New rule. No more talking about my sex life, and definitely no more auctioning off your teammates as tribute,” I tell him. “Besides, we both know how well that worked out the last time I tried.”

He rolls his eyes, but it doesn’t stop the megawatt of a grin from filling his face. The very same grin he sent me when we met. I knew I wasn’t special. He flashed it at just about everyone with a pulse—still does—and it works for him. I can’t fault him for that.

But I can fault him for trying to use it now to get off scot-free.

“It’s okay, Sunny,” he says, his eyes bright. “I was too man for you.”

“I think what you mean to say is Sonya was too woman for you,” Bekah says, leaning across the table and earning a snicker from Fitz. “I wouldn’t be talking, Captain,” she says, elbowing him. “You couldn’t handle her either.”

“Is that so?” he asks, challenge sparking in his eyes while he shifts to face her.

Holding his gaze, she moves closer until there is only an inch of space between them. “Your little ego couldn’t handle a real woman.”

I expect Fitz to back down, knowing Bekah is more than willing to put him in his place, but to my surprise, he grins as his eyes move down to her lips and then back up. “I am willing to be proven wrong if you want to test that theory.”

Bekah groans, rolling her eyes at him. “Disgusting.”

“Should we give them the room?” Dylan asks when Fitz laughs, leaning over to whisper something in Bekah’s ear. Whatever it is, I watch Bekah turn a shade of bright pink.

“Shut up.” I push on his arm when he doesn’t immediately turn his attention my way. “And stop trying to set me up with your teammates.”

“I mean, Sunny, you clearly want to know the person you’re getting intimate with. I just thought this would help. If you’re not interested in a hockey player, there’s always Reid.”

“Fuck off, DeLuca,” Reid says, lifting his hand to flip him off with his eyes still glued to the book in front of him.

“I double down on that,” I say, pointing to Reid before letting my eyes wander across the bar, searching for Walker. I expected him to text me if he decided to come, but my phone is void of any notifications, and I’m beginning to worry that means he’s not coming. Not that I can hold him to a last-minute offer, especially when it extends to more than just him. He’s hanging out with his roommate. I can’t just expect him to drop everything at the drop of a dime for me, but it doesn’t dim the disappointment filling my chest.

Next to me, Dylan nudges my side. “Who are you looking for?”

---