Page 82 of Beautifully Complicated

“Only if you’re lucky,” Damien says. “My teammate broke his leg in a game once; guy hasn’t walked right since.”

“Maybe a bunch of athletes wanting to go pro shouldn’t talk about broken bones,” Cruz says with a visible shudder.

There’s a chorus ofyeahs.

“Where are you hoping to get drafted?” I ask Damien. Apparently, he’s the only one trying to go pro this year. Jagger and Cruz will try for next.

“It’s not so much where as when. I’d like to go early,” he answers.

“Yeah, but if you go early you go to a shit team,” Bennet says.

“Maybe they’ll be better with me on it,” Damien says, and it’s so genuine I think he believes it.

“Damien’s a perpetual glass half full guy,” Aiden whispers.

“That’s the spirit babe.” Bennet pats Damien’s leg but rolls his eyes when Damien can’t see.

“I felt that,” Damien says.

“That supportive pat on the knee. I would hope so.” Bennet feigns ignorance.

“I don’t care what kind of team the early picks go to. Early means you’re one of the best, so I’d rather go early,” Jagger says.

“Me, too,” Cruz agrees.

“You play too, right?” I ask Cam. “Why aren’t you going pro?”

“Don’t want to be split up from Jagger.”

“We’re ridiculously codependent.” Jagger draws a line between the two of them.

“Is that good or bad?” I’m genuinely curious, since I know some people will think I’ve developed an unhealthy attachment to Aiden when they learn about us, and I’d like to be armed with a credible response.

“It works for us,” Jagger says.

That’s… a brilliant answer. I’m going to steal it.

“So, is Aiden going to be a co-CEO of this company you’re building?” Liam asks.

I’ve learned that while the residents of Aiden’s house keep each other’s secrets, there aren’t any secrets between residents. Not anymore.

“We haven’t talked about titles. What do you want yours to be, Leanbh?”

“Do consulting firms have partners like law firms? If they do, he could be your partner and your partner.” Damien beams.

Glass half full. I see it.

“Do you like that idea?” I ask Aiden.

He stops himself just before biting down on that full lower lip, leaving my dignity intact. “Yes, I do. That way we don’t have to specify if we’re talking about work or not, we can just be partners.”

“Perfect.” I kiss those gorgeous lips and excuse myself to use the restroom, running into Bennet when I come out. I try to sidestep so he can use the facilities, but he stops me with a hand to the chest.

“You’re good for him,” he says as he drops his hand. “I wasn’t sure at first, the whole working for you thing, but I see it.”

“Thank you,” I reply, since I’m not sure what else to say to that.

“He’s going to have it rough, isn’t he?” Bennet’s brow furrows. “When this all comes out, peoples’ first instinct will be to think he’s riding your success? That he earned it in the bedroom and not the lab?”

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