Page 33 of The Check Down

The way Devon’s shoulders drop has a niggle of guilt working its way through me.

I sigh. “Brynn moved her stuff in today, and I feel like I should be there. In case she needs help.”

He perks up at the mention of her name. “Oh, that pretty young thing you brought to Beau’s?”

“She’s older than you.” I try—and fail—to keep annoyance from leaching into my voice. The last thing I need is for one of my teammates to make a move on her.

“But she’s younger thanyou. And I love older women.” He wags his brows, his broad smile proving that he doesn’t need me to be his wingman. The kid’s got charisma for days.

Beau chuckles from his locker a few spots down. “Greenway, pretty sure that one’s off the market, even if sheissingle.” He gives me a knowing look.

With a frown, I shove the rest of my gear into my bag with more force than necessary. “I told you—”

“You’re right, Cap.” Devon interrupts from the door. “Let’s see how long Racy keeps his head in the sand before he chokes on it.” With that, he salutes us and saunters into the hall.

“Best behavior, Greenway!” Beau hollers after him.

“No pro-mis-ses!” Devon singsongs.

“That one’s trouble.” Beau says, his tone affectionate. His easy expression vanishes quickly when he turns to me, and suddenly, he’s leveling me with a look that would give Donna Lacey a run for her money. “Know what else is trouble?”

Frustration courses through me as I square up with him. “It’s not like that.”

“Mm-hmm. So when some dude comes over to pick her up for a date—”

“A date?” I scoff, hands on my hips. “She just ended a five-year relationship. I highly doubt she’s ready to date.”

“You sound pretty sure about that.” His lips twitch. He’s baiting me, but damn him, it’s working.

The thought of some rando showing up at the apartment to take her out has my heart racing. And not in the way it was half an hour ago.

But Beau keeps at it. “Interesting that you know how long her relationship lasted.”

“We. Hang. Out. We talk about our lives. Like friends are known to do.”

With one brow cocked, he snags his duffel off the bench, then he’s heading for the door. “If you say so, Lacey.” At the threshold, he turns. “Paige and I are getting dinner and drinks near your place tonight. Wanna join us? It’ll be way more low-key than painting the town with Jefferson and Greenway.”

“Cool. Text me the details.” I shoulder my bag and make my way toward him.

“Feel free to bring yourfriendalong. Paige likes her.”

Once my engine is running and I’m buckled in, I take a few moments to enjoy the quiet. As the cab cools, I check my phone for the first time since this morning. Two missed calls from my mom. Of course. She has a typed copy of my weekly schedule on their refrigerator, but she calls during every Friday practice, without fail. I also have several missed texts. One name in particular catches my eye and sends a heady thrill bubbling through my bloodstream.

She sent three in a row this morning:

Brynn

Why is there a Mighty Movers truck in the driveway right now?

Griffin.

You didn’t have to do this, but thank you.

It’s a little after four when I pull up to the gated parking area behind my building. Brynn’s gray Forester is parked beside Lux’s motorcycle under the carport next to the back door. Seth’s newly dent-free Cayenne is here, too, in one of the visitor spots along the nine-foot privacy fence.

He exits the building just as I tap the lock button on my key fob.

“Just met your new roommate,” Seth says as he approaches.

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