Page 16 of Headed for Home

“This is my home away from home. My favorite dicks are here to pump me up. Couldn’t ask for more.” I blow kisses to my hype squad.

He makes no attempt to catch one. “We’re not going easy on you.”

Ridge snorts. “Fuck no we’re not. You deserve to be roasted while she has a front row seat.”

“It’s about damn time I get my turn in the spotlight.” I tuck my hands behind my head, reclining against the cooler behind me. “Feel free to get started now.”

The two guys I’ve known since freshman year of college exchange a look. Ridge shakes his head. “He’s not very fun to heckle.”

“Just hold your horses. We’re about to get new material when he’s stood up.” Garrett doesn’t bother lowering his voice, volleying the prediction down the rail to where I’m getting the best view of Main Street.

Ridge’s glare scans the room, just waiting for another man to attempt polite conversation with his future wife. That last dude didn’t realize what hit him until his ass spanked the floor. Now the space surrounding Callie’s stool is protected by an invisible force field that nobody dares to cross.

“I give her another five minutes,” the possessive grump adds to the conversation.

Garrett rubs his palms together. “Wanna bet?”

The former defenseman shrugs. “You’re on. Ten bucks?”

“That’s all my love life is worth?” I glance at my so-called best friends. “I’m hurt. Deeply.”

That gets a grunt from Ridge. “Fine, make it fifty.”

“Decent, but you’re still selling me short. Spending too much on that fiancée of yours, Crusher?”

The sharp edges in his expression melt into sappy goo while he shamelessly ogles Callie. “If only she’d let me.”

“I don’t need your money.” Her voice is barely audible over the growing crowd.

“Doesn’t mean you can’t have it, sweetness.” Ridge leans forward to cradle her blushing cheek.

Love floods Callie’s gaze in a downpour that requires a splash guard for us soggy bystanders. “You already give me too much.”

“Gonna give you more of me later,” he growls.

Her breath hitches. “Promise?”

“All right, you two.” Garrett claps until the couple’s intimate bubble bursts. “Drake already has to go home alone and lick his fresh wounds in private. We don’t need to rub his face in our happiness on top of it.”

Callie blinks quickly, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. “But Harper said Cassidy is the one for him.”

Ridge’s smirk is fifty dollars richer. “She’s gonna show.”

Garrett slices through the air. “Nope. The deal is off. You had an advantage.”

“What can I say? We don’t keep secrets from each other.” He gestures between Callie and himself.

“Soulmate.” Garrett groans and turns toward his fiancée. “You need to get the daily dirt from Harper. I’m starting to look bad.”

Grace flutters her lashes from where she sits at the rail. “You keep me too preoccupied, bartender.”

He scratches his chin. “Well, shit. Guess I only have myself to blame.”

I exhale roughly as more unrecognizable customers stroll in. “Or I shouldn’t share personal information with someone who passes the beer around for everyone to take a sip.”

Ridge pinches the bridge of his nose. “You and your nonsense idioms.”

“It makes sense,” I argue. My focus slides to our suspiciously silent employee. “Right, Harps?”

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