Page 126 of In It to Win It

Everly appears unconvinced. “We’ll see.”

“Maybe Théo should talk to him.” Lacey’s eyes brighten. “JP helped Théo when I left him.”

“I don’t want people interfering. I just want him . . . to be happy. Maybe he does need to talk to someone, though.”

“You’re a better woman than I am.” Everly lifts her Negroni and drinks. “I’d want to kick him in the nuts.”

“I’m so glad I have you both.” I lift my glass and touch the rim to Everly’s, then Lacey’s. “The crazy thing is, I didn’t want to fall in love. After what happened with my parents, I realized love doesn’t last for anyone, so why even try. Dammit, I don’t know how this happened.”

“I do.” Lacey smiles. “It’s because you’re you. And you’re full of love. Which is whyweloveyou.”

“Stawp. You’re going to make me cry again.” I blink away tears. “Enough crying. Let’s get drunk.”

“I’m in.” Everly lifts her glass.

26

JP

We practice Saturday morning.I eat lunch at the arena with the guys, then head out to do some shit. I have suits to pick up at the dry cleaners, food to buy, and I need new socks. Exciting stuff. I’m about to go home when I get a text from Théo.

Get your ass over here.

I smile grimly, remembering getting a text like this last spring, when Lacey took off back to Vegas.

I send him a reply.

Okay, okay. Meet me at Time Out. When can you be there?

I know he’s talking about a sports bar in Manhattan Beach. I sigh. Does he just assume I have nothing else going on? Fine, I have nothing else going on.

Half an hour

Okay.

When I walk in a while later, he’s already there, drinking a beer. I high-five him. “You won.”

“Won what?”

“The race to get here first.”

He laughs.

I pull the stool out from the high-top table and slide onto it. “What’s up? Lacey leave you again?”

“Fuck off.”

The pretty waitress appears. “Hi there.” She looks at me. “What can I get you?”

I order a craft beer and she disappears. I look at Théo with a cocked eyebrow.

“This is about you and Taylor.”

I roll my eyes. “Great.”

“What the fuck did you do?”

I heave a gusty sigh. “Taylor talked to Lacey, right?”

---