Page 128 of His Big Bad Stick

“Hey,” Jess whispers. “You’re the one drooling now.”

I nod in agreement.

30

Colver

The only way to reward a bunch of loud mouth hockey players after helping you string up lights in the gallery of the woman who is having your baby is pizza and beer.

And tits. Lots of tits.

One call to Teddy and arrangements are made and fully paid for all the guys.

I’m not the type of guy who flaunts money. I didn’t run off and buy an expensive vehicle or buy a mansion or anything like that. I mean, I grew up with that stuff. I saw what it did to my father. And to the women he brought around.

From the second I told myself I was going to be a pro hockey player I promised myself I would bank my money and just ease back into life.

I never thought the ease back part would mean getting the daughter of a woman my father had been married to for a minute pregnant.

I still can’t bring myself to think the word ‘stepsister’… but I guess in a technical sense… yeah… sure…

Point I'm making is that I can afford to send the guys to the strip club in a fancy rented car. And have a huge tab opened and paid for, including dances from the lovely women there. And rides back to their places.

As I tell them this, I realize that, yes, it’s a fuck ton of a thank you when the pizza and beer would have made them just as happy.

Turner points it out first.

“Man, we didn’t, you know, drive hours to get to you or anything,” he says.

“Yeah, this is a lot,” Dax says, squinting his eyes.

“I’ll cancel it then,” I say.

“You never even said thanks,” Rhett says. “You’re an asshole.”

“You’re like Faust,” Ben says with a grin.

“You guys are fucking stupid,” Faust growls. “You can’t see what this is?”

They all look between Faust and me.

“Dipshits,” Faust growls.

He walks out of the gallery.

“Can he get his own ride?” Dax asks.

“Only if you say that to his face,” Ben says.

“Faust is invited,” Dax laughs.

“What the hell does Faust know that we don’t?” Rhett asks.

“He’s catching some real feelings for the baby mama,” Dax says. “Makes sense now. He doesn’t know how to handle himself right now. He’s panicking.”

I lunge at Dax and grab his shirt. “Get the hell out of here right now.”

“See?” Dax asks. “He didn’t hit me. He’s talking to me. He’s a changed man!”

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