Page 10 of Playboy

She snorted a laugh.

He eyed her face again. “At least the swelling around your eye has gone down.”

She had noticed that, too, while she was in the exam room. She was also grateful that her lip didn’t look too bad either. It was now just a little scab.

“Are you all set?” He asked, and she nodded.

As they walked slowly towards Graham’s vehicle, he asked, “Did they give you anything for the pain?”

“They asked me if I wanted anything, but I told them no. I try to stay away from that stuff. The over-the-counter works just fine for me.”

He nodded in understanding.

“Have you thought about how you’re going to deliver the news to the guys? You can’t really hide it now that you’ll be tied to a desk for two weeks.”

She groaned. “No.”

“I’m sure you’ll have a very telling story for them,” he said sarcastically, and she laughed.

“You’re probably right.”

CHAPTER THREE

Tuning out the country music, the muted conversations, and the occasional burst of laughter, which were all the usual sounds of a typical night at Bayside Bar and Grille, Playboy lined up his shot, his eyes narrowing in concentration as he aimed his cue. His teammates, Aussie and Snow, stood by with their beers, watching the game unfold.

“Come on, Playboy, you got this,” Aussie encouraged, taking a sip from his bottle.

Playboy smirked as he leaned over the pool table. He wasn’t about to let an easy fifty bucks slip through his fingers. However, his mind wasn’t entirely on the game.

He pulled back his cue and struck the cue ball, sending it smoothly across the table to sink the nine ball into the corner pocket. A small cheer went up from Aussie and Snow, but Playboy’s thoughts drifted elsewhere.

“Nice shot!” Snow clapped him on the back. “But seriously, man, what’s up with you tonight? You’ve been distracted ever since we got here.”

Playboy shrugged, trying to play it off. “Just got a lot on my mind, I guess.”

Aussie raised an eyebrow. “You mean, you have a certain someone on your mind?”

Playboy rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. “Maybe.”

Aussie grinned, leaning on his cue. “Seeing that her teammates are here, do you think she’s gonna show up tonight?”

Playboy glanced at the entrance, his heart giving a hopeful flutter. “I don’t know. Oliver said that she might, but you know how it is. I don’t want to get my hopes up.”

Snow laughed. “Man, you’re hopeless. Just ask her out already. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Playboy rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little sheepish. “It’s not that easy. Every time I get close, I either freeze up or fucking Vicky shows up.”

Aussie looked confused. “I thought you set things right with Vicky and told her to back off that you weren’t interested.”

Playboy nodded. “I did, but she’s not getting the message.”

“Maybe you need to make her see that your interests lie elsewhere,” Snow chimed in. “You know, make a move on Gabby and let Vicky see it.”

Maybe they were right. But when he made any move on Gabby, he wanted it to be genuine and not feel like he was putting on an act.

“Who knows, maybe she’ll show up tonight,” Aussie said. “I don’t see Vicky here, so that takes care of that issue. As far as you getting cold feet—just be yourself, man.”

Playboy appreciated the pep talk, but his nerves were still there. They started another game, and he took the first shot, missing the pocket entirely. Aussie and Snow exchanged knowing looks but didn’t say anything, letting the missed shot speak for itself.

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